Social Worker IV **Spanish Bilingual

Applicants: If you are using education to qualify please remember to include copies of your transcripts degree(s) and/or certifications. Foreign degrees must have a U.S. Equivalency Report. Failure to submit may result in your application being disqualified.

Candidates who are within six months of satisfying the education requirement for this classification will be admitted to the examination but they must complete the education requirement and provide evidence of graduation prior to appointment.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment.
• Develops intensive long or short-term treatment plans which require a comprehensive fund of professional knowledge with the aim of improving or restoring individual or family functioning.
• Ensures all services are delivered in a respectful culturally sensitive and appropriate manner and
• Acts as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training.
• Functions at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling protective services medical social work family services community organization and research.
• May perform the following specific types of counseling: marital family inter-relationship protective services for children or adults incapable of self-care.
• Investigates and provides services to children where their physical or emotional welfare is involved such as cases of neglect abuse emotional or behavioral problems physical or mental disabilities or other health conditions involving a childs personality; unmarried parenthood; conflict in parent-child relationships; lack of proper guardianship of a child; problems in school or community relationships; inadequate child care arrangements by working parents or the absence of one parent from the home and its effects on the stability of the childs home.
• Receives reports of children dependent adults and elderly abuse; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; assesses situations to protect vulnerable adults and children and recommends implements and monitors alternate placement may remove children from unsafe situations; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may be required to work on-call; may testify in court; supports witnesses and victims who must testify in court.
• Assesses prospective foster and adoptive parents; matches children with adoptive/foster parents and counsels foster and adoptive families.
• Refers clients to other staff members
• Coordinates and directly monitors family visitations to assess progress toward the case plan goals.
• Interprets and explains rules regulations and policies to clients and applicants.
• Maintains casework records and handles relevant correspondence.
• Develops and prepares court report case plans case narratives and safety plans in automated computer systems.
• Operates a personal computer and other office equipment; enters and retrieves data and narratives from automated computer systems.
• Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions timelines recommendations and case plans to clients families and service providers.
• Communicates effectively with clients and others in writing in person and over the telephone.
• Analyzes data interprets directions procedures and regulations and develops appropriate responses.
• Performs job duties under stressful conditions and emergency situations.
• Responds appropriately to situations.
• Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

• Principles and practices of organization workload management and time management.
• Principles and practices of note taking report writing English composition grammar punctuation and spelling.
• Phone etiquette and interview techniques.
• Principles and practices of counseling bio-psychosocial assessments and therapy
• Physical and mental health principles and the impact on the personality.
• Local socio-economic conditions trends and current problems and methodology in the field of public social services.
• Basic principles and techniques of interviewing and recording the social casework.
• Laws rules and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
• Community organizations and social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
• Basic principles involved in the nature growth and development of personality and in-group processes.
• Basic principles of individual and group behavior.
• Current issues in the field of social welfare.
• Principles of analysis and problem-solving methodology.
• Basic public welfare programs on the Federal State and local level.
• General principles of public assistance policies and programs.
• Medical legal economic and social management needs of individuals and families with special medical needs such as HIV disease drug dependency the medically fragile child Alzheimers and the terminally ill.
• Strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques such as voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide.
• Psychopathology the different types of mental illness diagnoses how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients.
• Signs stages and dynamics of abuse and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior.
• Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families.
• Standards for maintaining clients safely in home; options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations.

• Apply the principles of child psychology and family relationships.
• Evaluate personal psychological factors in the child and/or familys situation.
• Recognize signs of abuse for children the elderly and dependent adults; assess risk factors and potential dangers to clients.
• Act effectively in stressful situations.
• Demonstrate skill in the more difficult casework areas.
• Accept and use consultative supervision.
• Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Apply existing laws rules and regulations to welfare department operations and interpret and explain to the applicant recipient or others public social services programs policies rules and regulations.
• Develop skill in interviewing case recording and interpretation.
• Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult hostile or distressed clients.
• Respect cultural differences.
• Work constructively within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services.
• Understand and learn the agency programs policy and procedures.
• Obtain and recognize relevant and significant facts.
• Organize and maintain work detail.
• Relate and work well with agency staff clients and others.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain client rapport on an individual basis.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.
• Use computers and related software.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with agency staff clients and outside organizations.

Applicants: If you are using education to qualify please remember to include copies of your transcripts degree(s) and/or certifications. Foreign degrees must have a U.S. Equivalency Report. Failure to submit may result in your application being disqualified.

Candidates who are within six months of satisfying the education requirement for this classification will be admitted to the examination but they must complete the education requirement and provide evidence of graduation prior to appointment.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION WEIGHTED 100%

The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidates knowledge skill abilities and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a order to obtain a position on the eligible list candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination.

Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after the closing date of the job bulletin.

This job posting is for a bilingual position. Job applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as outlined in the job bulletin and be successful in the interview process. As a condition of employment candidates who are selected for hire must receive a qualifying proficiency score on the Spanish bilingual certification examination(s) administered by MSS.

For Social Worker IV the required proficiency level is:

ILR Level 3 - Professional Working Proficiency:At this rating bilingual persons are able to speak and write the required language effectively with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary. Persons can participate effectively in most conversations on practical social and professional topics. They can discuss special fields of competence with reasonable ease. Their vocabulary is broad enough that they seldom search for words. Persons at this level may have an obvious foreign accent but have good control of grammar and their errors virtually do not interfere with understanding or disturb native speakers.

Please review the bilingual examination information below:

LANGUAGE ORAL EXAMINATION: The oral examination is designed to elicit the full range of the target language to identify how well candidates use and control the language. The oral examination is administered over the phone and consists of a series of prompts (such as providing a description discussing a hypothetical event providing an opinion etc.) requiring an oral response. Candidates will be evaluated on comprehension communication grammar and vocabulary.

LANGUAGE WRITTEN EXAMINATION: The written examination is designed to evaluate the reading and writing proficiency of the candidate. The written examination is administered online and consist of several prompts presented in the target language. Candidates are required to provide a written response and will be evaluated on comprehension expression and mechanics.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION
A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Imperial. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

RETEST PERIOD

Once you have taken the examination you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS
Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability military or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements please contact CalHR at or upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical military school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

EDUCATION DOCUMENTS

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

GENERAL INFORMATION
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified.

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not assure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity initiative dependability good judgement the ability to work cooperatively with others and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process a background investigation may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all regardless of age ancestry color disability (mental and physical) exercising the right to family care and medical leave gender gender expression gender identity genetic information marital status medical condition military or veteran status national origin political affiliation race religious creed sex (includes pregnancy childbirth breastfeeding and related medical conditions) and sexual orientation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• A valid drivers license is required at the time of appointment and employees may also be required to drive their own car provide proof of car insurance. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• This position will require pre-employment drug testing a physical examination and fingerprinting for a background investigation.
• Government agencies accessing US government information which include federal tax information must ensure that background investigation requirements for all agency employees and contractors that have access to federal tax information are consistent to the IRS background investigation requirements for access to federal tax information.
• Employees in this position will be required to drive in and out of the county to conduct business. Travel may include an airplane commute. Travel out of State may be required.
• Employees may be required to work with clients of various age groups and clients with mental health issues physical health issues substance abuse issues victims of abuse and/or domestic violence at risk of abuse and financial instability.
• Employees may encounter hostile and emotionally troubled clients including children and parents under the influence of controlled substances and alcohol.
• Employeesmay be required to visit clients at their homes to conduct safety and risk assessments
  Employees in this position will be required to participate in the On-Call Rotation assignment.
• Employees in this position may be required to work overtime.
• Employees may be required to change diapers carry infants/toddlers and secure children in car seats.
• Employees will be required to represent the County in administrative appeals and fair hearings.
• The ability to speak read and write Spanish in addition to English would be an asset. Applicants for English/Spanish bilingual designated positions must take and pass the bilingual proficiency examination administered by the California Department of Human Resources Merit System Services.
• Employees in this position must be able to provide- support and directions to staff after hours.

• Please note: Effective February 11 2020 Extra-Help employees are eligible to apply for this position. Please refer to the Extra-Help Pilot Program available online through the Human Resources website for eligibility criteria. Extra-Help employees certified by Human Resources will be eligible to apply for inter/intra departmental recruitments. To become certified the extra-help employee must meet one of the following criteria: (1) have worked for the County for one (1) consecutive year at the time the recruitment is officially opened; or (2) have been hired for formal recruitment.

• All Imperial County employees are considered Disaster Service Workers and might be required to take the associated FEMA training.