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Social Services Specialist Iii

Employer
Fairfax County Government
Location
Fairfax, Virginia
Salary
$65,747.97 - $109,579.81 Annually
Closing date
Dec 17, 2022

Job Details

Job Announcement

This is an exciting time to join Fairfax County Government as we shape racial and social equity policies in the county through the One Fairfax Policy. Using this framework, we intentionally consider equity when making policies or delivering programs and services. To learn more, we highly encourage you to watch the Becoming One Fairfax—An Introduction to Key Concepts video by clicking here and visit the One Fairfax webpage here.

ABOUT THIS POSITION: Under supervision, this position works as part of a comprehensive adult services program. Many of the duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

  • Conducts investigations in response to reports of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation involving older adults and incapacitated adults in their own homes, community, and facility settings.
  • Serves as the policy expert and contributes to the development of policy, protocols, and procedures.
  • May coordinate contracts related work to perform APS services with the assistance of the Supervisor and Program Manager and manage a county credit card for emergency expenditures. The contract work may be related to Home Base Care services.
  • Assesses the need and extent of protective services required and in collaboration with the client, their support systems, and other public and private service providers, arranges for the necessary services to prevent/ameliorate the abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
  • Responds to emergency cases to stabilize the situation.
  • Attends court hearings and provides professional testimony.
  • Coordinates the daily activities of team to include staff supervision support.
  • Provides limited oversight of administrative functions/requirements associated with quality assurance and evaluation of the program for its impact/effectiveness and making recommendations for changes or improvements.
  • Serves as a consultant, trainer, and policy expert for division social workers and staff from other agencies.
  • Serves as a resource and member of interdisciplinary teams and work groups.
  • Makes public presentations to promote community awareness of services available to prevent and address abuse, neglect, and /or exploitation.
  • Provides assistance to the unit supervisor and covers in the supervisor’s absence
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
  • Contributes to the development of protocols, policies, procedures, grants and contracts for a social services program, department, and other entities;
  • Assists the supervisor in planning and carrying out training for new staff, providing guidance to staff. May directly supervise staff, and covers for the supervisor in their absence;
  • Serves as a policy expert in an area of social work specialization;
  • Coordinates or oversees the daily activities of a program or project to include staff supervision, oversight of administrative functions/requirements associated with the program or project, evaluation of the program or project for its impact/effectiveness, and making recommendations for changes or improvements;
  • Conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and prepares and implements service plans;
  • Works with clients to develop a plan of service to meet social, health, emotional and economic needs. With the client, formulates objectives and identifies actions to resolve the clients' problems;
  • Conducts home visits to families for the purpose of monitoring, counseling and supervision;
  • Makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized;
  • Represents the agency in court proceedings; prepares testimony and testifies in Juvenile, Circuit, Criminal, Civil and Federal Courts;
  • Advocates and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, home based services, training and medical services);
  • Communicates and works with colleagues, clients and the community in a manner that supports the agency and program goals and objectives;
  • Participates as a contributing member on interagency, multi-disciplinary teams, community groups and professional organizations;
  • Uses automated technology and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts and summaries of information;
  • Manages and maintains program data and outcomes.


Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
  • Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work;
  • Thorough knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues;
  • Thorough knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization;
  • Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
  • Ability to analyze case information and to reach sound decisions on the basis of such information;
  • Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
  • Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
  • Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information;
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.;
  • Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines;
  • Ability to provide guidance, direction, supervision and coaching to less-experienced staff;
  • Ability to provide management and oversight of a program or project.


Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus three years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

Contingent upon the area of assignment, some positions within this class may require specific certification(s) prior to employment and/or the ability to acquire necessary certification(s) within a specified time period following employment. The certifications are identified in the position description and employment advertisement .

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check to the satisfaction of the employer.

This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).

All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Masters in Social Work. Two (2) years of experience in Adult Protective Services

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Job requires walking, standing, sitting (for long periods of time), kneeling, reaching, bending, climbing stairs; uses hands to grasp, handle, or feel Ability to read data on a computer monitor/screen Ability to operate keyboard driven equipment Ability to enter, retrieve, and use computer data in the execution of job duties Ability to operate a motor vehicle Sufficiently mobile to work with clients, service providers, and community groups outside the office Ability to lift and carry 15 lbs. Ability to work effectively in a variety of work environments Ability to access locations not accessible via public transportation. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.

NOTE: This position is listed as "Open Continuous". Interested applicants are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed and qualified applicants will be referred until the position(s) have been filled or when a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. If your application is received later in the recruitment process, it may not be reviewed or considered.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.

Company

Fairfax County, Virginia is a diverse and thriving urban county. As the most populous jurisdiction in both Virginia and the Washington metropolitan area, the County's population exceeds that of seven states. The median household income of Fairfax County is one of the highest in the nation and over half of its adult residents have four-year college degrees or more educational attainment. Fairfax County also is home to an extensive commercial office market and is a major employment center.

Fairfax County Government is a great place to work, with a variety of jobs in different fields, great benefits, and an enjoyable working environment. We serve nearly one million residents in one of the largest counties in the country. Our talented employees have established Fairfax County as a leader in nearly every facet of public service and have won national recognition as innovators in local government.The size of Fairfax County government and the diversity of services it provides to citizens allows opportunities for personal growth and development, without ever having to change employers. In addition to pay, Fairfax County Government provides an employee benefits package worth approximately 25% of your salary in additional compensation. This package of benefits consists of programs designed to protect you and your family during your employment with the county and into your retirement years.


BENEFITS INCLUDE:
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Group Term Life Insurance
Contributory Retirement Plan
Deferred Compensation
Flexible Spending Account Programs
Long Term Disability Insurance
Long Term Care Plan
Tuition Assistance Program
Employees' Child Care Center
Virginia College Savings Plans

Fairfax County's Application Process: Fairfax County uses an online application process called NEOGOV at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/jobsfor nearly all positions.

Applicants who need assistance with the online application process are welcome to come to the Application Center at Fairfax County's HR Central where staff will be happy to work with you to establish an account and get your resume into the system. HR Central is located in the Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 270, Fairfax, VA, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Or call 703-222-5872 for more information.

For more information on applying, please click here - https://www.governmentjobs.com/home/applicationguide.

Company info
Website
Location
12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 270
Fairfax
VA
22035-0034
US

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