Social Worker III - New Bern, United States - Craven County, NC

Description

Salary: $56,784.00 Annually

Location : New Bern, NC

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 10612

Department: Social Services

Division: Adult Services

Opening Date: 05/09/2024

Closing Date: 5/20/2024 11:59 PM Eastern

Primary Purpose

This position's primary purpose is to provide Guardianship Case Management. Guardianship Case Management is provided to cases that have been assigned to this Agency by the Clerk of Court/Judge. Guardianship services are also offered to families who are in need of assistance in the guardianship process. Funding for activities is provided through the Social Services Block Grant, State Funds, and Medicaid. This position is part of the Adult Protective Services Unit within the Adult Services Program Area.

Essential Functions

95% Guardianship Caseload

Responsibilities for guardianship cases include comprehensive assessments, completion of service plans that will meet these wards' needs, monitoring and supervision to ensure medical, psychiatric, environmental, financial and social needs are met. Responsibilities include problem solving, consultation and mediation with facilities, physicians, and family members. Cases assigned are frail elderly and severely disabled adults in high-risk situations. This position also acts as liaison with various other human service agencies. Active caseload size of guardianship averages 25 individuals in order to allow for the in-depth counseling necessary.

Assessment & Evaluation

• Measures the functional ability of the client to care for himself.
• Assesses the extent to which client can mobilize family and community supports.
• Assesses and determines with other professionals the client's ability to manage his/her own affairs or to make or communicate important decisions concerning his person, family, property, whether such lack of capacity is due to mental illness, mental retardation, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism, inebriety, senility, disease, or injury or similar cause or condition.
• Works in conjunction with the Adult Protective Services staff, Agency Attorney, guardian ad litem, client, family, court staff, physicians, psychiatrist, Director, etc. as needed in assessing, determination of the need for guardianship
• Represents the agency on multidisciplinary evaluation teams to compile and analyze current data on clients; recommends to the Court appropriate plans that address clients' specific needs, such as living arrangements, financial affairs, personal needs, etc.

Development / Treatment / Goal / Service Plans

• Engages and facilitates medical, psychiatric and legal professionals, when appropriate, in forming/changing goals or plans to delay or prevent deterioration and to ensure that there is a responsible person to act on the client's behalf as deemed appropriate.
• Engages client's family in the planning process
• Documents goals, objectives and strategies.

Implementation

• Petitions the court for guardianship when appropriate
• Assists family members in guardianship process when appropriate
• Prepares Court Summaries if Court action is indicated
• Assumes and carries out guardianship responsibilities for adjudicated incompetent adults on behalf of the Agency director when the Department of Social Services is appointed guardian by the Court.
• Complies statistical reports
• Completes case recordings
• Facilitates placement in appropriate level of care
• Authorizes expenditures and monitors the financial affairs on behalf of the Director regarding cases for which the agency has been appointed payee by the Social Security Administration, Veterans Office or other Agency.
• Assumes fiduciary responsibilities on behalf of the Director when Agency is guardian of clients' estates. All financial authorizations require approval of immediate supervisor.

Counseling / Therapy

• Promotes an understanding of Court processes through supportive counseling with client and family
• Educates client and family to differences in levels of group care as appropriate
• Assists client in coping with major changes in living conditions (home and congregate living)

Monitoring / Reviewing Maintenance

• Reviews all cases at least quarterly to determine progress, level barriers, etc., and documents this information
• Advises supervisor on problematic cases
• Contacts appropriate service providers (e.g. nurses, adult care homes, and nursing home staff) to assess progress
• Revises service plan as warranted by information received and ongoing assessments.

5% Miscellaneous

This position also assists in disaster relief efforts that includes but is not limited to shelter duty. Assignment to emergency shelter duty during times of potentially dangerous or manmade disasters is an essential function of this position and you shall be required to fulfill these duties when instructed. Position may perform other duties as assigned by the Social Work Supervisor III, Social Work Program Manager, Director, and Deputy Director.

Minimum Education and Experience

Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only); Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master's degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience; Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience.
Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license; any restrictions on North Carolina driver's license must not prohibit the performance of the essential functions of the position.
Additional Information

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
For maximum efficient and effective service delivery, it is necessary that this position have a strong background in social work with extensive knowledge in gerontology and developmental disabilities as well as sensitivity to and knowledge of problems of aging and physical and mental handicaps. This position necessitates the ability to work with the community and other agencies in developing, utilizing and coordinating resources, and the ability to work as a team member.

Ability to express ideas clearly both verbally and in writing
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with agency management, associates, clients and their families, and community resources
Ability to plan and execute work effectively
Ability to instruct lower-level social workers and clients
Ability to read and write technical level materials, manuals, and interpret statistical information
Ability to demonstrate mature judgment and decision making
Ability to coordinate and effectively and creatively utilize local manpower resources
Ability to work independently and as a team member
Ability to accept a broad range of lifestyles and behaviors and be flexible in conflict resolution and problem solving
Ability to legally operate an automobile for performance of job duties
Ability to practice mediation, negotiation and advocacy
Ability to organize and prioritize tasks independently
High level of skill in interviewing and client assessment
Skills in problem-solving and conflict resolution
Skills in crisis intervention techniques
Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

Craven County offers regular full-time employees a wide variety of employee benefits including:

Health Insurance
Health Insurance is provided by ACS Benefits Services and covers a wide variety of healthcare services. Craven County pays 100% of Employee Only premium cost. Employees have the option to add child and spouse dependent coverage at their own cost.

Dental Insurance
Dental Insurance is provided through the Delta Dental PPO and Delta Dental Premier network administered by ACS Benefits Services. It covers a percentage of basic to major dental procedures, including orthodontia for children. Craven County pays 100% of Employee Only premium cost. Employees have the option to add child and spouse dependent coverage at their own expense.

Life Insurance and AD&D
Craven County provides eligible employees with $10,000 life insurance and accidental dealth and dismemberment coverage through OneAmerica AUL. Employees have the option to purchase additional coverage and/or dependent coverage at their own expense.

Disability Insurance
Craven County provides eligible employees with $50.00 per week in disability insurance through OneAmerica AUL. Employees have the option to purchase additional disability insurance at their own cost.

North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System
Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the retirement system and must contribute 6% of their gross salary each pay period. Once eligibility requirements are met, employees will be able to receive monthly payments for life based on their salary, age, and years of service credit.

NC401k
Craven County contributes 2% of eligible employees' gross salary into the 401(k) account regardless of the employee's deferral amount. In addition, the County matches employee deferrals up to an additional 3%.

Annual Leave
Regular full-time employees earn annual leave based upon years of service. Eligible employees begin to accrue annual leave as soon as they start but must complete a six month probationary period before they are eligible to use annual leave.

• Less than two years of service earns 10 days per year.
• Two but less than five years of service earns 12 days per year.
• Five but less than 10 years of service earns 15 days per year.
• 10 but less than 20 years of service earns 18 days per year.
• 20 or more years of service earns 20 days per year.

Sick Leave
Regular full-time employees earn 3.69 hours of sick leave per pay period. Craven County accepts eligible sick leave from the State of North Carolina, any of its political subdivisions, any local government entity or authority, or municipality in North Carolina.

Paid Holidays
County employees receive 11-14 paid holidays annually. The Board of County Commissioners may adjust the holiday schedule as deemed necessary.

Longevity
Eligible employees earn $200 in longevity after five years of service by October 31 of the qualifying year. Longevity benefits increase $25 per year up to a maximum of $1,000.

Merit Program
Craven County offers a merit program. Up to 56% of eligible employees may receive a performance-based merit increase each year.

Supplemental Benefits
County employees are also offered a variety of supplemental benefits to select at their own expense such as Life Insurance, Vision Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Critical Care policies, Cancer policies, Long-term Care policies, Hospitalization policies, 457b Deferred Compensation Plan and Aflac.

Employee benefits are subject to change or may be contingent upon funding availability.