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OPENING DATE: 9/24/26                                                   CLOSING DATE: 10/8/26, 5:00 PM PST

SOCIAL SERVICE WORKER SALARY: $70,118.88 – 83,859.36 Annually

*SOCIAL SERVICE WORKER SENIOR PS/L SALARY: $80,169.44 – $96,127.20 Annually

plus bilingual allowance when applicable

Help Families and Individuals Thrive in your community. Join our team as a Social Service Worker

 

 

 

 

We are accepting applications to fill current vacancies in the Department of Social Services and County Health. The Department of Social Services is currently trying to fill five vacancies in Child Welfare Service, Adult Protective Services, and In-Home Supported Services in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, or Lompoc, and County Health has two (2) vacancies at the Santa Barbara County Jail and two (2) vacancies in Santa Maria County Jail on the CalAIM Justice-Involved Initiative program.

 

We are also establishing a list for future vacancies in the Social Services Department, Sheriff's Office, County Health, and Public Defender's Office. Vacancies may be available in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and Lompoc. This job classification is utilized by 4 departments within the County of Santa Barbara. Please select all departments and locations you would like to be considered for current and future vacancies. Candidates interested in the Sheriff's Office or Public Defender's Office must be available and willing to work at All Locations throughout the County. To be considered for future vacancies in the Sheriff's Office or Public Defender's Office, applicants must select “All Locations” in the location section of the application as well as in the supplemental questionnaire.

 

*NOTE: The Social Services Department and County Health may appoint candidates at the Social Service Worker Senior PS/L level if they meet the employment standards of a Social Service Worker plus two years of professional social work experience and at the department's need and discretion.

 

BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or visit SEIU Local 721 (hyperlink).

Applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

  • Retirement reciprocity
  • Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

POSITION: Under direction, performs social work and other related duties as required.

Incumbents in the Department of Social Services will initially be working under close supervision in a training status and are expected to learn departmental organization, social service programs, case study methods, and casework services and perform without close supervision within one year. Trainees assigned to work in child/adult protective services may perform more difficult social service work. Upon completion of training, incumbents are expected to perform journey-level social service work. Incumbents carry a complex social service caseload in such areas as child protective services, adult protective services, and in-home supportive services, supplemental security income advocacy services, or in a locked facility.

Incumbents in the Public Defender's Office for this position work within the Community Defender Division. The Community Defender Division (CDD) continues to provide compassionate and tireless advocacy and services for our clients while simultaneously seeking long-term systemic changes to improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. CDD combines the knowledge and expertise of social workers, housing advocates, resource specialists and attorneys to address the entire person and all of the underlying causes for involvement with the criminal justice system.

Incumbents in the Sheriff's Office perform social work in an inmate discharge setting by assessing inmate criminogenic needs and creating release plans that will ensure proper community supports are in place to reduce reoffending, including residential treatment facilities, health care applications, housing, employment and other community resources; performs related duties as required. The ideal candidate will have experience working with justice-involved individuals.

Incumbents in County Health - Jail Health Reentry Services support individuals housed in the County Jail by conducting assessments, creating care and reentry plans, coordinating referrals to medical, behavioral health, and social-service programs, and assisting with Medi-Cal and benefit enrollment. They manage discharge planning, facilitate warm handoffs to community providers, collaborate with custody staff and partner agencies, maintain accurate documentation, and help ensure continuity of care as individuals transition back into the community.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This class is the entry-level to professional social service work. Incumbents initially work under close supervision in a training status and are expected to learn departmental organization, social service programs, case study methods, and case work services and to perform without close supervision within one year. Trainees assigned to work in child/adult protective services may perform more difficult social service work. Upon completion of training, incumbents are expected to perform journey-level social service work. Incumbents carry a complex social service caseload in such areas child protective services, adult protective services, as in-home supportive services, supplemental security income advocacy services, or in a locked facility.

Ideal Candidate will possess:

  • Ability to adapt and be open to a changing work environment
  • Ability to work as a member of a team
  • Strong written and verbal skills with ability to demonstrate clear communication
  • Ability to multi-task and prioritize simultaneous responsibilities
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy
  • Interest in and ability to learn complex material in various formats

Department of Social Services additional ideal candidate quality:

  • Understanding of family dynamics

 

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

All Departments:

  • Conducts in-home or on-site visitations to interview clients, family members and other interested parties to assess and identify needs for social services, medical, and/or behavioral health; gathers and evaluates information regarding employment history, housing situation, physical functioning, financial status, capacity for independent living and availability of domestic services; evaluates clients concerns and observes behavior; develops service plans and establishes case files.
  • Counsels clients on available resources, barriers to employment, independent living skills and other areas involving defined problems or concerns; explains procedures, rights and responsibilities.
  • Assists clients in identifying and obtaining basic services needed for independent living; identifies and makes referrals to a variety of public and community agencies providing food, shelter, clothing, medical, educational and other services; schedules client appointments; acts as client advocate in obtaining services.

Department of Social Services:

  • As a protective service worker, investigates reports of child or vulnerable adult abuse, neglect and/or exploitation; assesses the degree of immediate risk to the child/adult and takes necessary action to minimize the risk; coordinates activity with other agencies and involved parties including relatives, school personnel and officers of the court.
  • Develops service and treatment plans, evaluates client and/or family behavioral adjustment and monitors client progress toward delineated objectives; counsels clients using a variety of counseling modalities.
  • Manages assigned caseload; prepares narrative and statistical reports, documents and correspondence regarding client status; documents case files; prepares and serves legal documents; testifies in court and State Hearings.
  • Identifies and assesses suitability for out-of-home care placements and conducts on-site visits to assess living conditions.

Sheriff's Office:

  • Performs social work in an inmate discharge setting by assessing inmate criminogenic needs and creating release plans that ensure proper community supports are in place to reduce reoffending, including residential treatment facilities, health care applications, housing, employment, and other community resources.

Public Defender's Office:

  • Provides case management and advocacy services within the Community Defender Division (CDD), collaborating with attorneys, housing advocates, and resource specialists to address the underlying causes of clients' involvement with the criminal justice system.

County Health:

  • Supports individuals housed in the County Jail by conducting assessments, creating care and reentry plans, and coordinating referrals to medical, behavioral health, and social-service programs, and assisting with Medi-Cal and benefit enrollment; manages discharge planning, facilitates warm handoffs to community providers, collaborates with custody staff and partner agencies, maintains accurate documentation, and helps ensure continuity of care as individuals transition back into the community.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:

  • Possession of a bachelor's degree including 30 semester or 45 quarter units of course work in social work, psychology, counseling, sociology, child development, geriatrics, or other behavioral or health sciences; OR,
  • Two years of experience equivalent to Eligibility Worker or Social Services Case Aide with Santa Barbara County, plus 30 semester or 45 quarter units of course work in social work, psychology, counseling, sociology, child development, geriatrics, or other behavioral or health sciences related to social work; OR,
  • A combination of training and experience that is equivalent to the experience requirement listed in #2 above; however, candidates must also possess the 30 semester or 45 quarter units of course work in a related field of study.

 

Note: Applicants who are currently in their final quarter or semester of study leading to the required degree are encouraged to apply. Such applicants may compete in the examination process but may not be considered for appointment until they have attained the required degree.

International degrees must include documentation from an evaluation service that shows the U.S. education equivalency along with unofficial transcripts at the time of application submittal. A list of evaluation services may be found at http://www.naces.org/members.html

 

Additional Qualifications: The ability to read, write, and converse fluently in English and Spanish is required for some positions.

Note: If you indicated on your application that you are bilingual, Human Resources will place you on the employment list for a job requiring bilingual skills. Hiring departments may test you on your fluency. If you do not demonstrate sufficient fluency, your name may be withheld from future certifications or removed from the employment list, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 7.

Additional Requirements:

  • Possession of or ability to obtain a valid California Class C Driver's License is required at the time of appointment.
  • Independent travel, including transportation of client, within the county, throughout California, out of state, or country is required.
  • May be required to work outside normal business hours and be available on call.
  • Positions allocated to this class may require bilingual skills.

The following Additional Requirements apply only to the Department of Social Services:

  • Selectees for employment in this class must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code relating to child abuse reporting and Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to dependent adult abuse reporting.
  • Selectees for positions in this class assigned to Child Welfare Services are subject to being fingerprinted for the purpose of criminal record clearance, as authorized under Section 11105.3 of the California Penal Code and Section 16501 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Knowledge of: basic functions of social service systems, public assistance or non-profit social services; practical application of human behavior and child development/parenting or aging principles; socioeconomic/psycho-social factors affecting individual behavior, independent living social functioning and social abnormalities; organizational and time management methods; report writing principles including rules of correct grammar, punctuation and sentence structure; basic computer skills and word processing applications.

Ability to: learn, apply and explain complex regulations and policies governing processes of assigned program; interview a variety of people with diverse socio-economic backgrounds and temperaments; work independently; understand and follow direction; listen; cope with unusual life circumstances; manage a caseload and recall case details; maintain confidentiality of information; write clear, accurate and concise reports and prepare routine statistical reports; organize and prioritize work assignments; make decisions and independent judgments; determine the appropriate course of action in emergency or stressful situations; understand program objectives in relation to departmental goals and procedures; deal firmly and fairly with clients; maintain accurate records and document actions taken; identify and make referrals to local and regional providers of social, medical and/or other specialized services; act on behalf of client to obtain needed services; operate a computer in the completion of assignments; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

  1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.
  2. Spelling and Grammar Online Assessment: Candidates will be notified by email with instructions on obtaining and taking an online Basic Spelling and Grammar assessment. Candidates must pass the assessment in order to advance to the next step in the selection process. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.
  3. Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking: Responses to the required supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by their responses to the supplemental questionnaire. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

 

VETERANS PREFERENCE POINTS: Veteran's preference credit is applicable for this recruitment (5 points for veterans, 10 points for disabled veterans). To be eligible for this credit, you must be applying for this position within five years from your most recent date of: (1) honorable discharge from active military service; or, (2) discharge from a military or veterans' hospital where treatment and confinement were for a disability incurred during active military service; or, (3) completion of education or training funded by a Federal Educational Assistance Act. No time limit exists for veterans with 30% or more disability. To receive veteran's preference points, you must: (1) check the Veteran's Preference Points box on the employment application form, (2) submit a copy of your Form DD214 to the Human Resources Department on or before the application deadline, and (3) pass all phases of the examination process. The preference points will be added to your final test score.

 

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

 

BACKGROUND CHECK AND MEDICAL EVALUATION: Sheriff's Office, Public Defender's Office, and County Health will conduct a background investigation. Current or excessive use of drugs, sale of drugs, serious criminal history, or deception relating to employment history may bar employment. Other departments may require an extended background check including credit history; this is at the discretion of each department.

The following process is only used for the Sheriff's Office and County Health:

  • Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ). Once candidates are placed on the employment list, the Human Resources Department will email candidates a notice regarding completion of a Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ).

Candidates who pass the PHQ and are in the top certified group, their names will be sent to the hiring department for consideration. Top candidates will be invited to a selection interview. Selected candidate will advance to the next step in the hiring process, which includes the following:

  • Polygraph Examination: measures the accuracy of information disclosed on the PHQ and during the background investigation.
  • Background Investigation: includes an interview and in-depth background investigation of arrest records, personal and virtual character, military, credit, and employment history; inquiry of persons who know you and evaluate whether you respect the law and rights of others; are dependable and responsible; have demonstrated mature judgment in areas such as the use of drugs and intoxicants; are honest; and a safe driver.

 

BACKGROUND DISQUALIFIERS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE:

  • An admission of having committed any act amounting to a felony within five years in California, or in another state which would be classified as a felony in California
  • An adult felony conviction in California, or with a conviction for an offense in another state which would be classified as a felony in California
  • Currently on Probation or Parole
  • Adult felony and/or misdemeanor conviction(s) may be disqualifying depending on type, number, severity, and how recent
  • Conviction of/or sustained petitions for any sex crime
  • Recent use and/or possession of illegal drugs; Failure to reveal prior use will be disqualifying
  • Unfavorable work history
  • Poor credit history
  • History of committing domestic violence
  • Dishonesty or failure to reveal pertinent information

 

County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health) requires all employees working in direct contact with patients or clients in a high-risk environment to comply with the County Health Employee Immunizations policy. This can be accomplished by providing documentation of immunizations, submitting laboratory immune titers demonstrating adequate immunity, or obtaining required vaccinations. A list of requirements, based on the specific program, will be sent at the time an offer letter is presented to the selected candidate(s) and initial documentation will be required at this time.

Employment in this position also requires successful completion of the County Health Credentialing & Privileging process. This includes verification and approval of all required licenses and certifications, as well as enrollment and clearance through Medi-Cal. Continued employment is contingent upon maintaining all credentials in good standing.

Conditional Job Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. The appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.

Disaster Service Workers: Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement 

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a longstanding practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization. 

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: 10/8/26, 5:00 PM PST. Postmarks will not be accepted. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

DSS Recruiter: Jasmine Gaytan, email at Jgaytan@countyofsb.org