Primary Assignment: Child Services

Under general direction of Health & Human Services Unit Manager and/or Supervisor, performs work of considerable difficulty in providing intensive social work for the protection, rehabilitation and care of adults and children in voluntary and involuntary services. Provides case management, evaluating and assessing the success of services being provided, recommending other services that may be useful and related work as apparent or assigned. May provide work direction to paraprofessional staff. Work is performed in accordance with Federal, State and Agency guidelines.

Basic Performance Expectations of all Todd County Staff

• Serves as a positive example to other County personnel with regard to workplace actions, decisions, work skills, attitude and adherence to workplace policy and procedures.
• Has strong communication and interpersonal skills, is honest, fair and dependable.
• Embodies teamwork and cooperation within and across County departments and with the public.
• Communicates effectively with the Department Head and keeps supervisor apprised of important matters ongoing in the department.
• Respect all colleagues, co-workers, board members and the public and lead those around you to do the same.
• This position requires regular and timely attendance in accordance with the department schedule.
• Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

The following duties are normal for this position. These duties are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required as assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Interviews clients and prospective clients at intake.
• Assesses and evaluates the needs and strengths of individuals and families, including safety and risk evaluations.
• Provides, arranges, encourages and coordinates direct service and advocacy for clients and families.
• Determines eligibility and level of services needed for the identified client.
• Develops and implements all or part of a case plan, defines initial and ongoing measurable goals and objectives.
• Develops and implements safety plans for clients to maximize their safety and minimize community risk.
• Collaborates with law enforcement, corrections and other community agencies as needed to meet the needs of individuals and families.
• Mobilizes community resources on behalf of the client; develops or recommends services where they do not exist.
• Recruits, evaluates, supports, and monitors licensed providers; evaluates, documents and monitors progress toward goals and objectives.
• Prepares documentation and provides testimony for legal proceedings as necessary.
• Researches, maintains and applies knowledge of relevant policies, procedures and statutes; provides training and education to others. Completes agency, state and federally required documentation related to client activity, according to identified timelines.
• Demonstrates flexibility to work after hours as required depending on client needs or in emergency situations.
• Strictly observes all data privacy laws.

The following services and associated duties shall be assigned depending on the agency needs with consideration given to employee strengths. Employees shall expect to be assigned in multiple program areas:

• Adult Mental Health Assessment, Case Management, and Civil Commitments
• Vulnerable Adult Screening and Investigation, and Case Management
• Adult Services Assessment and Case Management
• Civilly Committed Sex Offender Case Management
• Long Term Care Consultations
• Community Alternatives for Disabled Individuals (CADI) and Brain Injury Case Management
• Chemical Dependency Assessment, Case Management, and Civil Commitments
• Developmental Disability Screening and Case Management
• Public Guardianship
• Special Needs Basic Care Assessment and Care Coordination
• Intake, Assessment, and Documentation
• Minor Parents Assessment and Case Management
• Child Day Care and Foster Care Licensing
• Adult Foster Care Licensing
• Adoption and Permanency Placement
• Child Protection Screening, Investigation, and Case Management
• Child Welfare Case Management
• Children’s Mental Health Assessment and Case Management
• Family Group Decision Making.
• Authorized Representative and Representative Payee Services
• Participate in quality improvement and department strategic planning
• Community resource, information, and referral
• Participate in community outreach and education as requested

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in social work, psychology, sociology or related field.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must pass a criminal background check.
• Training and clinical supervision may be required depending on specific job assignment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Unencumbered MN Social Work license
• Bilingual (English/Spanish)

• Comprehensive knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies, processes and procedures, ethics and principles governing social work in a county setting.
• Thorough knowledge of social, economic and health problems.
• Thorough knowledge of institutions and the methods of the helping process.
• Thorough knowledge of individual and group behavior.
• Comprehensive skill in crisis intervention.
• Comprehensive skill in creating and maintaining client records and service plans.
• Comprehensive skill in coordinating services for clients and evaluating where services may be lacking.
• Comprehensive skill in composing general correspondence.
• Ability to use standard office equipment and related hardware and software.
• Ability to identify social problems and needs to assess the ability of individuals and families to utilize services in problem solving.
• Ability to identify and clarify the acceptance of rights, responsibilities and differences of others.
• Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals.
• Ability to deal with people who have various cognitive, socio-economic and risk levels.
• Ability to deal with angry, hostile and sometimes unkempt persons in a calm and effective manner.
• Ability to understand and interpret laws, policies and regulations.
• Ability to prepare reports and maintain records.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, service providers, staff, law enforcement agencies, court officials, federal agency representatives, medical facilities, financial agencies and the general public.
• Ability to solve problems within scope of responsibility.

Physical Requirements
This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force; work regularly requires speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires walking and sitting and occasionally requires standing, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work frequently requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions and occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather), exposure to fumes or airborne particles and exposure to blood borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).