Social Service Worker I

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7/27/2026 (11:59 PM ET)

2603651

Social Service Worker I

Pay Grade 14

Salary

$55,541.52 - $64,816.08 Annually

Employment Type

EXECUTIVE BRANCH | FULL TIME | ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME PAY | 18A | 37.5 HR/WK

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Hiring Agency

Cabinet for Health & Family Services | Dept for Behav Health, Dev & Int Disab

Location

2400 Russellville Road

Hopkinsville, KY 42240 USA

Description

Are you compassionate and caring? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? If you answered YES then Western State Hospital (WSH) may be the place for you! With a 172-year history in the Hopkinsville community WSH is a State acute care, adult psychiatric facility, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. WSH provides in-patient psychiatric evaluation and treatment for adults from 34 counties of Western Kentucky who have severe mental illness. Every employee is part of our caring and competent team committed to excellent in behavioral healthcare for our patients and we have an opening for a Social Service Worker I to join our team.

A COVID19 vaccination is recommended for this position.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Provides beginning level services assessing patients' and families' needs, provides counseling to patients and families.
• Coordinates patient discharges with other disciplines and makes referrals to community agencies.
• Screens referrals to the hospital and interprets agency mission and admission criteria to the public.
• Maintains current and confidential case records.
• Serves on agency committees' work teams.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

The Ideal Candidate Would Have

• Skills in organization, strong communication skills and analytical thinking
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail.
  
  

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. CHFS will only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

For more information on E-Verify, or if you believe that CHFS has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at 888-8977781 or https://www.e-verify.gov/ .

Minimum Requirements

EDUCATION: Graduate of a college or university with a bachelor's degree in social work, sociology, psychology, marriage and family therapy or a related field.

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, OR SKILLS: NONE

Substitute EDUCATION for EXPERIENCE: NONE

Substitute EXPERIENCE for EDUCATION: NONE

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS (AGE, LICENSURE, REGULATION, ETC.): If employed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department of Juvenile Justice, an employee in this job classification must furnish to the appointing authority within one month of employment, documentation that he/she possesses a valid driver's license Must maintain any required licensure(s), certification(s), or other credentials for the length of employment in this job classification. Employing agency is responsible for ensuring employee possesses and maintains required licensure(s), certification(s) or other credentials.

Working Conditions

Performs job duties in an office/facility or residential program setting and visits clients and/or families at their residence. Provides emergency services on 24-hour basis, including accepting referrals and completing investigations at any hour without prior warning. As a result of enforced intervention, the worker runs the risk of physical harm.

Probationary Period

This job has an initial and promotional probationary period of 9 months, except as provided in KRS 18A.111.

If you have questions about this advertisement, please contact Tracy Buttram at tracyb.buttram@ky.gov or 270-889-2829.

An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D