Social Services Aide (MSS)

Salary: $1,899.05 - $2,093.70 Biweekly
Location : Crescent City
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: MSS06004
Department: Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services
Opening Date: 06/16/2026
Closing Date: 6/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


Position Information
Under general supervision, the Social Service Aide assists Social Workers by performing specifically designated tasks related to the improvement of family functioning and child and adult services; and performs related work as required.

Social Service Aide is a paraprofessional class. Incumbents assist Social Workers by relieving them of routine tasks such as performing assessments of clients in the In-Home Support Services program, instructing parents in the development of parenting and household management skills, and/or performing various tasks for the child and adult service programs.

The Social Service Aide differs from the Social Worker in that the former requires a lower level of skill and training than the level required of a professional Social Worker.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED AND RECEIVED

Incumbents in the Social Service Aide classification receive supervision from a Social Worker Supervisor or other higher-level supervisor or manager.

Examples of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintains a routine caseload of elderly adults who are infirm or incapacitated and receiving household services.
• Conducts ongoing client needs assessments and verifies needs by contacting medical and health services providers.
• Presents client assessments to professional staff for approval.
• Completes narrative reports regarding a client's condition and services provided and/or recommended. Enters data regarding case and client information and contacts into automated system.
• Makes client referrals to medical personnel or social workers as needed.
• Provides direct training and counseling to mentally ill and developmentally disabled parents on parenting and household management skills, and teaches families about nutritional meal preparation, budgeting and household care.
• Monitors the medical and psychological care of abused children.
• Supervises visits between parents and children and reports observations to social worker.
• Provides emergency child care.
• Transports or accompanies clients to appointments for service or interviews.
• May testify in juvenile court hearings.
• Assists Social Workers in providing a variety of child and adult social services.
• Acts as liaison between clients and professional staff, individuals and groups in the community serviced.
• Directly assists families in using and learning about the resources of society, particularly medical, legal and employment services.
• Maintains records of work performed, and performs other related work as required.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Knowledge of:

• Basic rules and regulations regarding In-Home Support Services, child abuse reporting, and Welfare and Institution Codes.
• Basic community resources useful to clients served, acceptable housekeeping and homemaking standards, including the methods, materials and equipment used in general housekeeping work.
• Basic methods and attitudes involved in the in-home care of physically ill, handicapped or disabled persons and adequate food preparation with limited kitchen equipment.

Ability to:

• Interview persons to obtain a variety of information applicable to the provision of social services.
• Understand and accept differences in human behavior resulting from cultural, economic or other forms of deprivation.
• Effectively instruct physically and mentally disabled adults in parenting and household skills.
• Deal with physically and sexually abused children.
• Prepare basic written reports.
• Recognize and report specific indications of need for social services.
• Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers, outside organizations, and the public.

Minimum Qualifications
Sixty (60) semester units or ninety (90) quarter units of college, including fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and one-half (22.5) quarter units in social welfare, social/human service, sociology, or other social or behavioral science;

OR

Two (2) years of full-time experience providing social services in a public or private setting to disadvantaged adults or children;

OR

A combination of education and comparable experience equivalent to two years of full-time experience which includes a minimum of fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and one-half (22.5) quarter units in social or behavioral science. When combining education and experience; fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and one-half (22.5) quarter units equal six months of experience.

Examples of social or behavioral science courses include: anthropology, criminal justice, economics, education, ethnic studies, history, human development, law, nursing, nutrition, philosophy, political science, psychology, public health, religion, social welfare, sociology, welfare, women's studies.

Supplemental Information
Examination Information

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION - WEIGHTED 100%
The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidate's knowledge, skill, abilities, and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a score. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination.


Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after the closing date of the job bulletin.

If conditions warrant, an Experience and Education examination may be conducted in lieu of the Training and Experience Examination. Please review the Experience and Education examination information below:
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION - WEIGHTED 100%
The Education & Experience examination is based solely upon information provided from the application and supplemental information (e.g., resumes, transcripts). Information provided from the application and supplemental information will be assessed compared to a standard developed in relation to the elements of the. Special care should be taken to submitting a complete description of your education and experience relevant to the typical tasks, scope, and minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin. Supplemental information will be accepted, but competitors should read this bulletin carefully to determine what kind of information will be useful to those individuals completing the evaluation. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination. Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after the closing date of the job bulletin.

Eligible List Information

A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Del Norte. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

Retest Period

Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

Special Testing Arrangements

Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR ator View phone number on click.appcast.io upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

Education Documents

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

General Information

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified.


If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not assure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list.


General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information

• A valid driver's license may be required at the time of appointment and employees may also be required to drive their own car, provide proof of car insurance, and a DMV clearance. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• As a condition of employment, the County of Del Norte will require proof of ability to work in the U.S.
• This recruitment will be used to fill full-time, part-time, and extra-help positions as vacancies occur.

About Del Norte County
Del Norte County, where the redwoods meet the sea, is located in the northwest corner of California along the Pacific Ocean and adjacent to the Oregon border. The substantially rural county is notable for forests containing coast redwoods, some over 350 feet tall. These redwoods are the tallest living things on Earth, dating back over 2,000 years. Notably, the County is located in one of the few rain forests in the temperate region. The County is home to a multitude of unique plants and flowers, coastal bird and fish species, rocky primitive beaches and sea stacks, pristine rivers, and historic lighthouses. Del Norte County is home to several fun rivers and ocean activities, a variety of food festivals, including local seafood, a sanctioned BBQ cook-off, raft races on the beautiful and wild Smith River, and the very popular ocean stand-up paddleboard race. There are numerous hiking trails located within the national and state parks, as well as sponsored park events throughout the year. Star Wars enthusiasts will also recognize the County as being the location of some of the forest scenes used in Return of the Jedi.
Merit System Services does not negotiate or determine the benefits or salaries for positions offered by its partners. For more information about benefits or salaries, please visit the listed county or child support office's website or contact their human resources department.