Social Worker - Albert Lea, United States - County of Freeborn

Description

The Social Worker position provides professional level counseling and consultation, investigates abuse and neglect of children and adults, assesses and assists persons with developmental and mental disabilities, and administers a variety of social services to Freeborn County residents.

Duties and Responsibilities (Note:
these are characteristic of the job class, but actual duties will vary depending on assigned duties. An individual incumbent will perform selected duties from this list).

• Works and builds relationships with clients in the areas of: Adult Mental Health, Child Mental Health, Adult Services, Developmental Disabilities, and Child Protection.
• Refers clients to a variety of support services such as substance abuse providers, family counseling, mental/emotional counseling and parenting skills development.
• Drives to and from client's home and/or school. Transports clients to visits, court, and other appointments. Travel often occurs outofcounty and outofstate with occasional overnights.
• Collaborates with other community agencies and resources and refers clients to service providers. This also includes identifying available and developing new resources; coordinating

successful services for clients and families; maintaining contact to monitor client progress to ensure needs are met; and assists clients in arranging transportation.

• Develops personcentered case plans with measurable goals, assesses client progress and evaluates service providers.
• Documents client's performance by maintaining uptodate and accurate case notes and functional assessments. In collaboration with client, monitors and evaluates the appropriateness of client's treatment.
• Works closely with county attorney's office and court administration. Petitions court when needed and assists in implementing court orders. Attends court proceedings that require attendance and completes all court documents.
• Complies with mandated reporting requirements per statutes.
• Maintains strict confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and state and federal statutes.
• Assists in locating residential and other outofhome placements for clients.
• Coordinates with foster parents/facilities for family visits, court hearings, medical appointments, school/work meetings.
• Completes all necessary paperwork and maintains case records to meet federal, state, agency, and court requirements.
• Interprets policies and regulations to clients and families.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities (Note:
these are characteristic of the job class, but actual duties will vary depending on assigned duties. An individual incumbent will perform selected duties from this list).

• Organizes and provides public education, community outreach, and public relations.
• Prepares and maintains a variety of records and paperwork ensuring compliance with federal, state, and agency requirements. Reports all actions in required computer software.
• Maintains training/educational competencies and own professional development.
• Attends all unit and agency meetings.
• Provides afterhours and oncall response to emergencies.

While these are the primary focus of the position, we believe strongly in teamwork and employees will be called upon to perform a variety of duties as part of their role with the County.

Position Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of social work, human development, and psychology.
• Knowledge and understanding of laws governing social services.
• Knowledge of social work ethics.
• Knowledge of local and regional resources, organizations, and agencies.
• Skill in individual, family and group counseling.
• Ability to interview, assess and evaluate mental and physical health and needs of clients.
• Ability to develop presentations and present to groups and individuals.
• Ability to write reports and maintain records.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and data privacy.
• Ability to deal with aggressive, uncooperative, or outofcontrol behaviors.
• Ability to deescalate crisis situations.
• Ability to work under limited supervision with general autonomy in determining how objectives are achieved.
• Ability to perform complex work requiring analytical ability and inductive thinking to adapt policies and procedures to fit situations.
• Ability to communicate and maintain relationships with clients and others to motivate behavior, enforce rules and gain trust.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in social work, sociology, psychology or a related field.
• Or a combination of education and experience to successfully perform job duties.

Licenses/Certifications
This position will require the acquisition and maintenance of the following additional certificates/licenses:

• Bachelor's Degree
• MN Merit Eligibility
• Driver's License

Equipment and Tools

• Office equipment and technology
• Frequent use of County or personal vehicle

Physical and Mental Requirements

This job typically requires:
sitting, standing, walking, driving, feeling, manual dexterity, grasping, talking, hearing, typing, and seeing. There is exposure to computer keyboards and video screens. This position is generally light-duty and may require the exertion up to 60 pounds of force.

The physical demands described here are representative to those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


Working Conditions
Worker may be subject to odors, wetness, bodily fluids, poor illumination, and sudden temperature change.

Worker may be exposed to dangerous/hazardous physical and/or environmental conditions (animals, animal waste, insects, and rodents, house in need of repair, mold, drugs, and weapons).

Worker is exposed to noise, distractions, and interruptions. Worker may be exposed to hostile, physically and/or verbally abusive, and emotional or dysregulated clients.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative to those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


Competencies Common to All County Positions - Develop, maintain a thorough working knowledge of, and comply with all departmental and applicable County policies and procedures

• Demonstration by personal example the spirit of service, excellence, and integrity expected from all staff.
• Develop respectful and cooperative working relationships with coworkers, including willing assistance to newer staff so job responsibilities can be performed with confidence as quickly as possible.
• Confer regularly with and keep immediate supervisor informed of allimportant matters which pertain to the applicable job functions and responsibilities.
• Represent Freeborn County in a professional manner to the public, outside contacts and constituencies.

Addendums

Options Staff- Counseling EBD clients in school setting.

• Facilitating social skills groups.
• Facilitating recreational skills groups.
• Daily Progress notes using Carelogic.
• Creating and implementing individual treatment plans using Carelogic.
• Facilitating summer programming with students.
• Transportation to client homes, school, and program related trips.
• Facilitating monthly activities for program.
• Consulting with educational team regarding clients.
• Advocating for clients in IEP meetings, and other meetings, to help them get their needs met.

CPS

• Meets with clients to provide mandated assessment, ongoing support, professional level counseling and consultation, and case planning to assist in determining needs, strengths, and goals.
• Assesses the safety and wellbeing of children and their families to identify specific services to help reduce or eliminate presenting needs such as substance abuse; domestic violence, mental illness, developmental disabilities, poverty, neglect, abuse, criminal behaviors, delinquency, educational neglect, parent child interactions, and housing.
• Assesses/investigates child maltreatment concerns by completing intakes, screening intakes, interviewing, gathering information, completing assessments, determining imminent danger, assessing need for services, and implementing or providing those services. Develops, monitors, and enforces safety plans.
• Identified as a State mandated and essential service. This unit is mandated by statute to

have 24- hour coverage, intake, screening, and response. This includes after hours work and rotating on-call for 24-hour intake, screening, and face to face contact requirements.
On-call includes required response outside of normal business hours to include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

• Some of the Social Worker duties and responsibilities have increased frequency and duration for Child Protection Services including: travelincluding out of county, client transportation, law enforcement collaborationincluding assisting with law enforcement investigations, court related responsibilities including testimony, contacts with clients and collaterals. Court related responsibilities can include court in other jurisdiction locations and court types such as juvenile, family, civil, and criminal court.
• Makes decisions regarding necessity of out of home placement, determines location and transitions child to placement. Completes out of home placement responsibilities from initial placement to reunification which includes but is not limited to scheduling and supervising visitation, providing transportation, and collaborating with parents, school, foster family/facility, and service providers. If reunification is not possible, works towards permanency which includes transfer of custody, extended foster care, termination of parental rights and adoption.
• Administers chemical use testing including but not limited to saliva, hair, urine, and sweat.

Additional Licenses/Certifications

This position will require the acquisition and maintenance of the following additional certificates/licenses:

• Child Welfare Foundations Training
• CornerHouse Interviewing Training/Forensic Interviewing (Assessment Social Worker)

You must complete both the Freeborn County and Merit applications to be considered for this position. Completed applications along with cover letter and resume are due by 12:00 PM Friday, May 10th, 2024.


You can find the Freeborn County application at and the Merit application at

Equal Opportunity Employer

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

41 CFR c)