State of Maryland

A Social Worker II, Health Services is the full performance level of professional clinical social work providing direct social work services to clients in a special population in a health care setting.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision and clinical supervision from a Social Work Supervisor, Social Work Program Administrator or Social Work Manager, Health Services or general supervision from a program director.  Employees in this class may be required to work evenings and on weekends.  Work is performed in hospitals, residential facilities, clinics or local health units.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Social Worker I, Health Services and Social Worker II, Health Services are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Social Worker I, Health Services performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at times depending upon the complexity of the specific duty being performed and the Social Worker II, Health Services performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Social Worker II, Health Services is differentiated from the Social Worker Advanced, Health Services in that the Social Worker Advanced, Health Services is the advanced level of professional clinical social work providing direct social work services as a clinical expert in a specialty area.

Provides direct social work services within a health care setting to clients in a special population, such as chronically ill, geriatric, maternity, family planning, adolescents or substance abusers, persons with behavioral health diagnoses, or physical or developmental disabilities;

Evaluates case situations and presents information to other members of the health care team on clients’ families and social background pertinent to diagnosis and treatment;

Interviews clients and family members to determine nature and degree of problems and arranges, as necessary, medical or psychiatric examinations to help identify problems pertinent to diagnosis and treatment;

Determines if a crisis situation exists and, if it does, immediately initiates appropriate intervention techniques;

Interprets psychiatric and other health care treatments to clients or families and helps with personal and environmental difficulties which interfere with obtaining maximum benefit from that care;

Works with other members of a multi-disciplinary health care team to further their understanding of social and emotional factors underlying client’s health problems;

Helps clients to modify attitudes and patterns of behavior by increasing self-understanding and to respond constructively to treatment and assists in adjustment leading to and following the completion of treatment;

Works in close cooperation with public and private organizations to provide a plan of service to assist clients in achieving optimum social and health adjustment within the clients' capacity;

Provides therapeutic counseling as a member of a multi-disciplinary health care team;

Serves as the link between client, medical facility and the community;

May develop, within a multi-disciplinary health care team, individual treatment programs for assigned clients;

May be responsible for a small social services program;

May provide general direction to workers engaged in other facets of the treatment program;

May act as a mentor providing advice and guidance to lower-level social workers, social work interns and social work students;

May act as a consultant for other agencies;

May determine clients’ eligibility for services;

Performs other related duties.

1. Candidates must be licensed as a Certified Social Worker or Certified Social Worker-Clinical by the Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners prior to appointment to a position in State service. Applicants who do not have a license may also apply pending receipt of the required license. When the license is obtained, submit a copy to the Maryland Department of Health Testing Unit.

2. Candidates appointed to positions in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of an automobile. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess an appropriate operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.