Social Worker I

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Languages:

QUALIFIED BILINGUAL PERSONS WHO SPEAK ENGLISH AND ARE ALSO FLUENT IN SPANISH, CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, CAMBODIAN, LAOTIAN, KOREAN, MIEN, TAGALOG, AMHARIC, FARSI, DARI, TIGRINYA, RUSSIAN, ROMANIAN OR SIGN LANGUAGE ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.  THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL BIWEEKLY COMPENSATION FOR PERSONS IN POSITIONS DESIGNATED BILINGUAL.  Qualified candidates may be tested to demonstrate language proficiency.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

THE SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY

The Alameda County Social Services Agency (SSA) is comprised of 2,400 men and women working collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations to serve the needs of the community. Services are provided through four departments: Administration and Finance, Adult and Aging Services, Children and Family Services, and Workforce and Benefits Administration. To learn more about the Alameda County Social Services Agency, please visit the website at https://www.alamedasocialservices.org/.

ALAMEDA COUNTY HEALTH
The mission of the Alameda County Public Health Department is to work in partnership with the community to ensure the optimal health and wellbeing of all people. Alameda County Public Health Department has worked for over 80 years to improve the health and safety of its residents and the neighborhoods they live in. The Public Health Department staff are committed to the following values:

Healthy People in Healthy Communities
Equity and Social Justice
Accountability and Quality
Leadership and Innovation
Trust and Transparency
Humility and Respect

Traditional public health concerns such as disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and access to health care are compounded by contemporary concerns such as: economic disenfranchisement and homelessness, racism, sexual and reproductive health and rights, crime, violence, and substance abuse. Each of these poses a threat to public health and wellness and calls for innovative solutions, in close partnership with impacted communities. For more information about our Alameda County Public Health Department, please visit the Alameda County Public Health Department Website and latest Annual Budget document found on www.acphd.org.

THE POSITION

The Social Worker I classification is a part of a three-level flexibly staffed series of the Social Worker Classifications. Social Worker I’s will provide clients with social services of a specialized nature, including protective and supportive casework services to clients. Incumbents in these classifications do not have caseload standards. This classification is distinguished from the next higher one of Social Worker II in that the former class is an entry-level Social Worker who is closely supervised in performing the duties of the position and receives on-the-job training for six (6) months by a Social Work Supervisor or higher-level manager in the Social Services Agency, or a first-line supervisor or higher-level manager in the Alameda County Health. 

Please CLICK HERE for the full job description.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral; articulating information and ideas to various individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand.

• Providing outstanding customer service at all levels and displaying strong professional integrity when handling confidential and sensitive information and/or situations.

• Exhibiting strong critical thinking & analytical abilities through skillfully applying and evaluating information gathered or generated by various elements to determine the best possible course of action applicable to clients' needs.

• Expertise as a self-directed problem-solver with high standards for quality and a strong commitment to public and community service.

• Remarkable organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and accomplish multiple projects simultaneously.

• Moderate case management experience providing substantial services and having knowledge of best practices such as: motivational interviewing, harm reduction, trauma informed care and cultural competency.

• Prudent decision-making ability, with a history of choosing the appropriate courses of action by considering all implications and consequences, committing to action and ensuring successful implementation.

• Objectively assess psychosocial needs of clients and a track record of developing and maintaining collaborative rapport with internal and external resources for effective client referrals.

• Success in managing clients with severe behavioral issues, depression and other mental health issues, drug/alcohol dependencies, effects of physical/sexual abuse, extensive exposure to violence, homelessness and/or other trauma as well as a lack of basic needs.

• Proficient technical skills in the use of computer applications with the ability to successfully navigate client tracking systems to increase efficiency and productivity throughout the workday.

• Remaining flexible and open to new ideas when assessing the needs of clients.

THE VACANCIES

We are currently recruiting for vacancies in the Social Services Agency. However, the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used by any County department or agency needing to fill a vacancy.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

 Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and techniques of social work.

• Provisions of the California Welfare and Institutions Code, the Social Security Act, and other pertinent legislation in the field of public welfare, including changes and developments in such legislation.

• Aims and functions of community organization and resources, including available services in the employment field County and State Health and Human Services Agency and health care.

• Basic psychological theory and practices as related to human behavior.

• Public and private social agencies and other community resources.

Ability to:

• Analyze and evaluate individual situations to reach sound conclusions and make appropriate recommendations.

• Interpret complex Federal and State laws, rules, regulations, and procedures.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other professional personnel and the general public, culturally diverse populations, other departments/agencies, co-workers, and other groups and organizations.

• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

• Prioritize work.

• Demonstrate good customer service, interpersonal sensitivity, and diplomacy when working with others regarding sensitive or crisis situations.

• Implement effective caseload management techniques. 

• Deal impartially and with restraint in stressful situations.

• Follow complex oral and written instructions.

• Use computers and software applications effectively.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1. A review of applicants' applications and supplemental questionnaires to verify possession of minimum requirements.  Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2. A written examination that will be weighted as pass/fail.

3. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score.  The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this examination.

 WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes. 

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website:   https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov.

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) 

• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

• 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, Long-Term Care, 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

• Management Paid Leave**

• 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.

**Non-Exempt management employees are entitled to up to three (3) days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to eight (8) days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, @acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email boxes Noreply@jobaps.com and noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Montrice Goodman | Human Resources Analyst

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

(510) 208-3954 | Montrice.Goodman2@acgov.org

 https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.