This position performs professional social work to individuals and/or families with personal, social, health and economic needs. This is advanced, professional level casework providing protective, investigative, counseling and case management services for children and adults who are at risk of neglect and/or abuse. Employees are assigned to local departments of Social Services and provide social work services including treatment and immediate response to crisis situations for at-risk children/adults in the most complex cases in the departments. Work involves investigation of alleged neglect and abuse, substantiation of the alleged neglect or abuse as prescribed by federal and state guidelines, providing expert testimony in court hearings, and following up with case management and preventive services for clients. Employees analyze situations and determine appropriate courses of action immediately or in short time spans and often under very stressful conditions. Employees may provide group, family or individual treatment to clients of any age and any developmental, mental, medical, substance abuse, financial or family problem. Employees typically report to a Social Work Supervisor II under general supervision. Employees may have combined investigative and treatment roles or may have separate functions depending on the size and organizational structure of the departments of Social Services.