County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under supervision, Assistant Public Guardians-Conservators are designated to act on behalf of the Public Guardian-Conservator for Alameda County and are responsible for conducting Lanterman-Petris-Short or Probate conservatorship intake and/or investigation, case management, estate management and personal and financial management services for minor wards, elderly and dependent adults who may need to be conserved; and perform other case related duties as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

Assistant Public Guardian-Conservator’s have the responsibility to respond, intervene and evaluate referrals for conservatorship from the community and/or family involving neglect, self-neglect, abuse, financial exploitation, or undue influence of a vulnerable elder in need of management of their personal care or finances or both; and from psychiatric facilities on behalf of dependent adults who may be gravely disabled because of a mental disorder or illness and/or chronic substance abuse. They conduct thorough investigations into the life situations of persons referred to the Public Guardian-Conservator’s Office, including evaluating personal, medical and financial affairs, living situation/arrangement, in order to assess appropriateness for conservatorship; based on the outcome of the investigation, prepare a comprehensive report for the Superior Court recommending that the court grant conservatorship of the person and/or estate, or both.

The classification of Assistant Public Guardian-Conservator is distinguished from the next higher class of Adult Protective Services Supervisor in the Public Guardian Division in that incumbents in the higher class have supervisory responsibility for the activities of incumbents in the class of Assistant Public Guardian-Conservator.

Probate Conservatorship:

These conservatees are frequently older, vulnerable elderly with limitations caused by age-related illnesses, but may include younger persons who have been seriously injured and/or impaired as a result of a catastrophic accident. The Probate Conservatorship is usually a permanent legal arrangement and generally terminates upon the death of the conservatee. Services are provided for persons determined by investigation and court action to be in need of protection and estate management services.

L.P.S. Conservatorship:

The appointment of a Lanterman-Petris-Short (L.P.S.) conservator by the court is for a one-year duration, and must be reviewed if a renewal of conservatorship is sought. L.P.S. conservatorship are set up to arrange placement and mental health treatment for dependent adults who are unable to provide for their food, clothing, or shelter as a result of a mental disorder or illness or chronic substance abuse. An L.P.S. conservatorship is used only when the dependent adult or minors would benefit from mental health treatment but can’t or won’t accept treatment voluntarily, and may receive these treatment services either in a mental institution or in a community-based setting.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Conducts conservatorship investigations to assess the proposed conservatees life situation and appropriateness for conservatorship; and uses, personal computer and word processing skills to prepare comprehensive written court reports, conservatorship referrals, annual Status Reports and the General Plan of Conservatorship describing the personal and financial needs of minor wards and conservatees; reviews annual court accounting reports to the court on the collection of conservatee income and disbursement of funds for personal, health and/or medical care, taxes and housing cost of care expenses.

2. Provide ongoing case management services and supervises an active caseload of conservatees under public conservatorship; supervises caseload of conservatees (Probate or L.P.S.) and/or provides counseling and case management services or guidance on personal or financial problems. Conducts regular visits with conservatees, interviewing them in their placement setting (family, skilled nursing facility, Forensic Unit or board and care setting),checking on such things as nutrition, activities of daily living, medications, health conditions, family relationships, and quality of care received in the placement. Protects and manages conservatee finances in probate and when applicable in L.P.S. by collecting all income due (SSI, Social Security, retirement pension, special insurance income, veteran’s benefits or relative contribution), paying conservatee bills and investing conservatee assets.

3. Inventories all personal and/or real property and determine the types and value of property held to determine the estate’s financial value of wards or conservatees, in order to assess and evaluate their eligibility for various medical and/or public assistance monetary benefits.

4. Arranges for the most appropriate living accommodations indicated by medical advice, family member input, financial capability of the conservatee for housing costs, and placement resources; contacts and works with local, state, federal and other social services agencies (including Social Security and Veterans' Administration) for possible benefits for which the conservatee may be entitled.

5. Provides or arranges for provision of personal services for minor wards and conservatee, such as purchasing clothing, toilet articles, personal care services, household goods, assistive medical devices, transportation to and from medical and/or dental appointments, personal outings and/or visits with family, purchase of burial insurance, and making funeral arrangements.

6. Maintains assigned caseload; reports changes in need, income, placement status, geographic location and property of minor wards and conservatees to the Court and other designated agencies; testify in court hearings.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I
Education:

Possession of a Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Gerontology or related behavioral science, from an accredited college or university, which included a supervised field placement providing social casework and counseling services to elderly, or vulnerable or dependent adults and their families.
Or II
Experience:

The equivalent of two years full-time experience in the class of Social Worker III or an equivalent or higher level social services case management classification in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)
Or III
Education:

Possession of a Bachelor's Degree, from an accredited college or university including 120 semester or 180 quarter units in Social Work/Human Services, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Gerontology, Sociology or related behavioral science.
AND
Experience:

The equivalent of three years full-time experience providing ongoing social casework, case management and/or counseling services to the mentally ill and/or elderly in a recognized public or non-profit social services agency, conservator program hospital or Skilled Nursing Facility social work department or mental health case management organization.

License: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license is required.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

· Principles of social work, sociology and psychology.
· Crisis intervention techniques and principles.
· Available community resources and their appropriate utilization for referral and placement of the elderly and mentally ill.
· Investigative techniques as they pertain to the requirements of Public Guardianship/ Conservatorship.
· Medical/mental health and estate management laws.
· Casework management methods, practices and skills.
· Alameda County Unified Rules of Superior Court procedures related to Public Guardianship/Conservatorship.
· Relevant state regulations and codes including, the Penal, Probate, and Welfare and Institutions, Health and Safety codes as they relate to Public Guardianship/Conservatorship, Social Security and Lanterman-Petris-Short Acts.
· Relevant Federal, State and local laws pertinent to public assistance programs.
· Personal Computer programs and word processing applications.

Ability to:

· Coordinate conservatorship/case management efforts with other public and/or non-profit agencies involved in conservatees cases and effectively interact with other professionals (doctors, lawyers, court investigators and social workers,.).
· Manage a conservatee caseload in an efficient and sensitive manner, organize and prioritize estate/case management tasks and assignments.
· Protect clients’ estates through timely investigation, identification and marshalling of assets.
· Work independently at a journey level with minimum supervision.
· Prepare clear, concise, written communications and comprehensive court reports.
· Maintain complete and accurate case dictation and trust/estate case records.
· Communicate effectively with clients who lack the mental capacity to manage their person or estates
· Provide accurate and effective testimony in Superior Court on specific assigned cases as required.
· Provide sound financial and estate management to ensure the most appropriate level and highest quality of care for all conservatees.
· Be flexible and work well under pressure on time sensitive tasks.
· Interpret and appropriately apply county, agency and departmental policies, procedures and rules.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

DHH:rlt/7/70
RMP:dg/12/76
HC:sw/Revised 1/79
BV:ara/Revised 1/91
DF:lm/Revised 9/96
Old document: 0790h.doc
New document: Jobspecs/8509
ys/9/01
CSC Date: 10/18/96
DB:pf Revised 12/10/01
CSC Date: 1/16/02

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees) 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.