Social Services Practitioner III - Adult Services Division

**ALL APPLICANTS MUST UPLOAD A COPY OF THEIR OFFICIAL AND/OR UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS OF THEIR COMPLETED DEGREE AT AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.

**All applicants for positions at Harmony Haven Children’s and Youth Center and must meet the age requirement of at least 21 years of age as required by the Transitional Shelter Care Facility Operating Standards by the California Department of Social Services.  Applicants who are under 21 years of age are not eligible for positions within Harmony Haven, but may be eligible for positions in other divisions or departments.

• Excellent interpersonal skills when working with diverse clients of various ages, socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, and mental/physical capabilities
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other professionals in order to meet the needs of shared clients and promote quality care, safety, and well-being
• Great written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge and ability to learn and apply complex laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to clients
• Strong critical thinking, analytical, organizational, and time management skills
• Tech-savvy skills and the ability to learn and use specialized case management software programs

• Opportunity to compassionately support children, elders/dependent adults and families
• It's more than a desk job - travel throughout the vast County of Riverside to meet with clients and community partners
• Work and network with dedicated professionals who share a passion for public service
• Career growth and upward mobility within the department
• Supportive and respectful working environment that values work-life balance

• Fast-paced environment
• Meeting mandated deadlines
• The need for documentation and technical writing
• Identifying ways to navigate social service delivery with limited resources while meeting clients' identified goals and needs
  

About the Adult Services Division (ASD):
 The mission of Adult Services is to promote safety, well-being, and independence for elder and dependent adults through accurate and timely assessments and linkages to services.  There are three main programs under the Adult Services umbrella:

• Adult Protective Services (APS) provides a system of in-person response, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.  APS Social Workers receive and respond to reports of dependent adult and elder abuse of individuals in Riverside County. We serve dependent adults (age 18 and older) and the elderly (age 60 and older). The goal of APS is to intervene and assist elder or dependent adults to alleviate physical, sexual and financial abuse, neglect, isolation and abandonment, abduction and mental suffering. 
• In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is a Medi-Cal benefit that provides home care assistance to elders, dependent adults, and minors with disabilities to live safely in their own homes or other non-institutional settings.
• The Public Authority (PA) assists clients of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to have an enhanced quality of life by recruiting, screening, and preparing in-home care providers at no cost to the client.  In addition to supporting and training all IHSS providers in Riverside County, the Public Authority maintains an updated registry of eligible home care providers who may be dispatched and matched with IHSS consumers at any time.

 

Adult Services, Social Services Practitioners III’s may be assigned to work in In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Adult Protective Services (APS) or the IHSS Public Authority.

 

The Adult Services Division is dedicated to the professional development of our employees. Future SSP IIIs in ASD may be eligible for exciting DPSS programs that include Educational and Career Assistance Programs. These programs are great opportunities for professional growth and knowledge. Learn more below: 

• Educational Support Program: DPSS employees eligible for the ESP may receive up to $5,250.00 per year for a period of two years of lifetime maximum of  $10,500.  ESP programs include Career Counseling, Career Assessment, College partners Tuition Discount information and possible textbook and tuition reimbursement options. Interested and Eligible candidates will receive a Career Development Plan (CDP) that includes tuition and textbook funding, either by DPSS or Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Department Policy, Eligibility and Application Requirement details are in the link (https://esp.rc-hr.com/).
• Licensure Supervision: ASD offers a Licensure Supervision Program for employees who are seeking licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). This benefit is available to ASD employees who have successfully passed probation and are assigned to a program managing a caseload, providing direct clinical services to clients and families, are successfully meeting all caseload requirements, are not subject to any work-related disciplinary action, and have approval from their manager to participate. ASD considers eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. 

https://vimeo.com/710480437/a4d8bbf155

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) is comprised of employees who work collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations to serve the needs of the community. 

(Depending on the area of assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to, the following)
 
 • Carry a caseload of the more difficult types of social service cases requiring a high degree of technical competence where social or family problems or environmental forces adversely affect family life; assess client's problems and develop treatment plans. 
 
• Complete case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment; develop intensive long or short-term treatment plans to improve or restore individual or family functioning. 
 
• Act in a lead capacity for a small group of Social Services Practitioners or services employees, such as aides and volunteers.
 
• Act as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training. 
 
• Function at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling, protective services, medical social work, family services, community organization, and adoptive services. 
 
• Take part in staff development programs to increase knowledge of the social work processes and augment personal technical competence. 
 
• Provide therapeutic marital, family interrelationship, and adoptive parent counseling.
 
• Investigate and provide services to clients where their physical or emotional welfare is involved; work with cases involving neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical/mental disabilities or other health conditions affecting a client's personality, family relationships, child, or in-home care arrangements.
 
• Provide services and counseling in cases of desertion or impending loss of a spouse, child, or caretaker.
 
• Interpret public social service rules, regulations, and policies to clients and the public.
 
• Maintain casework records and prepare reports and correspondences.
 
• Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services.
 
• Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove child/disabled adults/elderly from home and transport them, complying with all safety regulations, including the use of age appropriate California safety mandated equipment, when assisting with initial removal or facilitating a placement change, which may include managing/lifting the client's necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair).
 
• Maintain up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database. 
 
IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE LISTED DUTIES, ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES MAY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING: 
 
• Perform studies of patients and their families to determine the nature of their problems; learn to develop the most effective treatment methods and treatment plans according to need. 
 
• Interview patients, families, and friends to obtain information for case records.
 
 • Assess the psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and initiate appropriate interaction accordingly.
 
 • Coordinate and consult with medical and other staff members and with outside agencies regarding available resources. 
 
• Learn to interpret significant emotional, social, and economic factors to healthcare team members. 
 
• Participate in seminars of other types of training programs to enhance social work capabilities; may participate in group therapy. 
 
• Assist in conducting training of social service aspects of medical treatment for healthcare personnel outside of the social services unit. 
 
• Under close supervision, provide social casework services to help patients and their families adjust to social, emotional, and financial problems created by illness or disability.
 
IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE LISTED DUTIES, ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN THE CHILD LIFE PROGRAM MAY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING:
 
• Plan, implement, and evaluate the Child Life Program.OPTION I
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.
 
Experience: One year equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II.
 
OPTION II
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.
 
Experience: Two years performing casework duties in a public or private human services agency. Experience must include assessing or determining client needs, formulating case plans, or executing case plans to support and meet client needs. 
 
OPTION III
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree, preferably with a major in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.
 
OPTION IV
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.
 
Experience: Completed internship experience in a public or private welfare agency as part of an accredited Bachelor of Social Work degree program.
 
POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO A HEALTHCARE FACILITY
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, or a closely related field to the assignment.
 
Experience: Two years as a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II; or one year of performing social casework duties in a hospital or healthcare facility equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II; or ten years of Hospital Social Worker experience in a hospital or healthcare facility.
 
POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THE CHILD LIFE PROGRAM
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, child life, child development, or a closely related field to the assignment.
 
Experience: Two years of Child Life Specialist experience in a hospital or healthcare facility.
 
ALL OPTIONS
Knowledge of: Principles and techniques of social casework and of the function of public social service agencies; individual and group behavior with emphasis on normal growth, development, and family relationships; social casework objectives, principles, and methods; socioeconomic and cultural factors which promote stable family life, and an understanding of the factors that affect family security; physical and mental illnesses and their impact on personality; community organizations and the services they provide; laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies; basic computer skills.
 
Ability to: Establish rapport with clients and their families; effectively apply casework knowledge and skills; apply the principles of general and/or child psychology and family relationships; evaluate personal and psychological factors in the client and/or family's situation; work constructively within an agency and community setting; effectively utilize appropriate resources and services; provide consultation to others; demonstrate skill in planning and analysis; control personal bias and apply social work ethics; maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public; provide consultation to and assist in the professional development of less experienced Social Services Practitioners; input and retrieve data from computerized system.

Physical Requirements: The Social Services Practitioner III position with the Adult Services and Children’s Services Divisions requires both office work and field work. Office work requires sedentary tasks such as report writing/typing and documentation. Field work may include frequent driving, conducting home visits, attending court hearings, and meeting with various stakeholders in the community. Field work requires the ability to climb stairs, walk on uneven surfaces, and maneuver around obstacles in the home and work independently and safely in a variety of home environments, which may include hazardous conditions, such as unsecured pets or unclean living spaces.  Additionally, in emergent situations incumbent may be required to lift and carry heavy objects or individuals.

Background Requirement: Employment within the Department of Social Services - Children’s Services Division requires frequent and routine contact with children. As a result, all employment offers for the Children’s Services Division are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment physical exam, including a drug/alcohol test, a search of the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI), clearance to access Criminal Offender Record Information from the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), and a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. 

(A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from employment with the Department of Public Social Services.) 

A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered. 




Degree Verification:

All applicants, upon application, MUST upload a copy of your official/unofficial transcripts. 


REQUIRED PROBATIONARY PERIOD - As an Approved Local Merit System, the County of Riverside requires all new regular or seasonal employees to serve an initial probationary period, the duration of which is indicated in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.
 
 The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide employment opportunity for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non job-related factor.

Salary : $5,250 - $97,093