Under general direction, supervises social workers and other subordinate staff in the delivery of social services in a social service program; participates in the development and review of service programs within the Human Services Agency; and does related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3, of the Civil Service Rules.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
The Social Worker Supervisor I is the first supervisory level in the Social Worker series. An employee in this class, following specific administrative guidelines, supervises and trains bachelor's level social workers, and participates in establishing and maintaining effective social service programs, policies, and procedures. This class is distinguished from the advanced journey level class of Social Worker V in that employees of the latter class provide direct social work services to clients. It is further distinguished from the Social Worker Supervisor II in that the latter supervises units of master's level caseworkers. Additionally, Social Worker Supervisor II incumbents are required to have a master's degree in a specified field of study.
TYPICAL DUTIES
Plans, assigns, and reviews the work of a group of social workers engaged in providing social services and related functions; and instructs new workers in the procedures and techniques of interviewing, case recording, conducting assessments and evaluations, and developing service plans.
Deals with client complaints regarding services; refers problems to other agency staff as appropriate.
Participates in establishing and maintaining effective social service programs; assists in assessing service needs of the community evaluates effectiveness of social service programs; and recommends appropriate changes.
Assists in developing community resources.
Analyzes and interprets social service regulations, policies, procedures and contracts; reviews cases to ascertain conformance with legal and procedural standards; and serves as information resources person for other staff members regarding specific services.
Explains departmental functions and goals to community groups, local government officials, and other agency representatives; ensures that individuals entitled to services are made aware of service programs; interprets the scope and limitations of departmental programs to recipients and other interested parties; and researches and answers public inquiries and complaints.
Evaluates the effectiveness of policies and procedures.
Coordinates social service programs with other involved agencies and individuals to ensure effective delivery of services; participates in developing uniform guidelines and procedures.
Reviews and develops interagency agreements relating to the provision of services for approval by administration.
Develops and participates in outreach, staff training, and public information of a specific program area.
Directs research studies and prepares reports.
Enters and retrieves information from an automated computer system; assists with training and problem solving for Social Workers.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EITHER PATTERN I
Experience: Two (2) years as a Social Worker II in San Joaquin County Service.
OR PATTERN II
Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, preferably with a major in social work, behavioral science, sociology, psychology, counseling, or a closely related social/human services field.
Experience: Three (3) years of paid full time social casework including two (2) years at the journey level.
AND FOR BOTH PATTERNS
License: Possession of a valid California driver’s license.
Special Requirement: Incumbents with bachelor’s degrees who are assigned to the Multipurpose Senior Services Program are required by State regulation to have two (2) years of experience working with the elderly. Incumbents with master’s degrees who are assigned to the Multipurpose Senior Services Program are required by State regulation to have one (1) year of experience working with the elderly.
KNOWLEDGE
Principles and techniques of supervision, training, and casework consultation; basic human behavior; social work theories, principles, and casework techniques; interviewing techniques; social and economic needs of the service population; basic management principles; the function of public social service agencies and the principles of public social service administration; principles, methods, and resources in the field of public health, mental hygiene, education, correction, and rehabilitation as the relate to public social service; principles of community organization; resources available in the community for referral or utilization in social service programs; and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
ABILITY
Communicate orally with a wide variety of people; read and understand technical social work material; interpret and apply rules, regulations, policies and procedures; analyze situations and make decisions; plan, organize, and prioritize; classify case problems and evaluate the effectiveness of effort in solving problems; analyze a situation accurately and adopt an effective course of action; express oneself clearly and concisely in writing; relate to clients; evaluate workers' performance; apply effective interpersonal skills; develop and maintain cooperative relationships with community groups and resource agencies; and operate a computer.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Mobility-Frequent operation of computers; repetitive motion; sitting for extended periods; walking; occasional driving may be required; Lifting-Ability to frequently lift 5 pounds or less; occasionally 5 to 60 pounds; Vision-Constant good overall vision and reading/close-up work; frequent color perception and use of eye/hand coordination; occasional use of depth perception and peripheral vision; Dexterity-Normal dexterity with frequent writing and repetitive motions; Hearing/Talking-Frequent hearing and talking on the telephone and in person; Emotional/Psychological-Constant public contact, decision making and concentration, frequently working alone; exposure to trauma, grief, and death; occasional exposure to noise; emergency situations; Special Requirements-Some assignments may require occasional weekends/nights, overtime, and travel.
San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.