Social Worker III (Adult Resources)

Harnett County is currently recruiting for a Social Worker III position. The primary purpose of this position is to provide intensive social work and custody services to adults or legal emancipated minors who have been adjudicated incompetent and for whom the Director of Harnett County Department of Social Services has been appointed legal guardian.

Hiring Range: $59,774.00Guardianship (50%)

The worker is responsible for case management of guardianship cases for adults and/or lawfully emancipated minors that have been legally adjudicated incompetent due to their inability to make important decisions regarding their personal welfare and/or finances; and their vulnerability to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Worker is responsible for making monthly contact relevant to the ward, and visiting wards at least quarterly to confirm that his/her needs are being met adequately and arranging for any services necessary to ensure the ward’s safety and well-being. The worker is responsible for completing status reports and arranging meetings with the director to advice of the ward’s status quarterly or more often as the need arises. The worker is responsible for noting any sudden changes in the ward’s status, and noting areas of

Concern. Social Worker is responsible for completing any paperwork required by the state pertaining to guardianship.

Case Planning and Management Services (40%)

The worker is responsible for providing this service to individuals and or families in an effort to restructure or solidify the individual’s environment. These adults are considered to be at risk of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation because of circumstances related to their inability to receive consistent care and services in the home. The worker must be knowledgeable of the risk factors related to abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation, and is responsible for recognizing and assessing the need for services. The worker explains and offers services to these adults, provides counseling and assists individuals with identifying, understanding, and coping with problems, and conflicts of daily living. The worker helps individuals to utilize community resources by planning and directing clients to agencies, such as mental health, medical facilities, food banks, counseling.

Briefly describe the characteristics of clients served. Include information on diagnosis, client needs/problems, and age ranged.

Clients Served Are Elderly, Disabled, And Handicapped Adult Individuals Ranging From Emancipated Minors To 100 Years Of Age. Clients In This Population Are Typically Experiencing One Or More Of The Following Conditions

• Developmental disabilities such as borderline to severe and profound mental retardation, cerebral palsy, speech defects, etc.
• Physical disabilities such as limb amputations, paralysis due to strokes, etc.
• Physical illnesses such as diabetes, cancers, heart disease, etc.
• Emotional and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, severe depressions, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.
  
  

Clients may have substantial resources or be impoverished and may be competent or incompetent. Clients may reside in their own home or the home of a caretaker (someone who has responsibility for the care of the client as a result of a family relationship or who has assumed responsibility for the client’s care voluntarily), be a patient in a general, specialty, or psychiatric hospital, be a patient in an intermediate care or skilled nursing facility, or be a resident in an adult care facility. Cases will be assigned based on what the area of need is.

Counseling – 10%

About

The Worker assists clients and their families in coping with changes in roles created by the aging process, injury, or illness. Families are frequently in crisis, overwhelmed with decisions, fear, and confusion about the choices of service availability, payment, and other options. The worker provides an outlet for the family to discuss, contemplate, and finalize decisions regarding placement, in-home care, and other life altering decisions.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;
• 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
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their application to complex individual casework, group work, and community problems.
• Knowledge of mental, psychosocial, socioeconomic and behavioral problems and their treatment. Knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques.
• Knowledge of governmental and private organizations and community resources.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.
• Skill in developing rapport with clients and applying techniques of assessing behavioral and psychological aspects of clients concern.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrative superiors, coworkers, members of client’s caseload and their families and with the civic, medical, social and relations organizations.
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work.
• Exceptional typing and computer skills in order to accurately complete required forms and paperwork.
  
  

Work Environment/Location/Physical Demands: This employee’s physical work location will be at 311 Cornelius Harnett Boulevard, Lillington NC. Work space will be provided with regular office equipment such as a copy machine, calculator, computer, scanner, tablet and other supplies. This social worker will use close visual attention and mental concentration with talking with clients/applicants and accurately recording the information received. Regular work hours are 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday and one hour for lunch. Worker will be expected to make home visits and will work closely with community agencies, Medical Providers, client’s family members and court personnel. Employees are subject to working with agitated clients, heavy workloads, and compressed timeframes. Clients may at times become agitated, verbally abusive due to the extreme situations or their emotional problems, but generally physical harm is unlikely on an ongoing basis. The social worker will also travel out of the county and some work will be performed in other agencies, facilities and courthouse. Successful completion of a drug screening and criminal background check will be required as a condition of employment.

General Information

Harnett County is one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina with approximately 130,000 residents. Our "Strong Roots, New Growth," describes a county in transition, one that values its rural agricultural heritage while also embracing new growth and industry. Harnett County is optimally located between North Carolina's capital city of Raleigh and the internationally recognized Research Triangle Park to the north, and the nation's largest military installation in Fort Bragg to the south. The county is also centrally located in North Carolina and is within close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway, and to the numerous Atlantic Ocean beaches and the Outer Banks.

The county offers a wide range of training and development opportunities, a stable career in public service with a balance of work and family life. We appreciate your interest in employment opportunities with Harnett County.

Harnett County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Harnett County not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.

Harnett County participates in E-Verify to determine employment eligibility to work in the United States.