Senior Family Services Specialist - MSW

Senior Family Services Specialist - MSW Level

JOB SUMMARY: 

Under limited supervision, facilitates, coordinates, and supervises the counseling and case management aspect in multiple social work service programs administered by the City Social Services Department including protective and support services for adults and children and foster care. This person leads and conducts continuous quality performance initiatives and tasks and supports the Department in obtaining and maintaining audit readiness. 

May coordinate specific services provided by the department with overall responsibility for the daily activities and outcomes. Tasks include screening clients and explaining multiple social work service programs, determining and pursuing necessary action to meet client needs, counseling clients, and providing or assisting in obtaining access to necessary human services assistance, assessing and making recommendations for improved work quality. Maintains various records and case files. Prepares SOPs, required reports and other professional documents.  
 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.  
 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 

•    Supervises assigned subordinate staff members. Instructs, assigns and reviews work. Plans the work of others. Maintains standards through the effective coordination of activities. Provides guidance and assistance in completing daily tasks. Completes performance appraisals for subordinate personnel. Provides input for developmental needs of staff members. 
•    Coordinates Child Welfare, and Adult Services programs. Establishes and updates procedures. Monitors program and outcomes. Provides recommendations for improvements and changes to the program to meet program goals. Trains staff as needed.

•    Acts as the lead worker in special program areas including group work services and community planning and organization. 
•    Provides input and recommendations and participates in planning and evaluating department programs. 
•   Interacts with and performs tasks to assist clients. Interviews and counsels clients. Performs intake and crisis intervention for clients. Conducts investigations and prepares evaluations. Meets with clients to prepare evaluations. Counsels clients and designs service plans including participation in benefits programs, group and individual counseling sessions, medical or psychiatric treatment and related needs. Coordinates clients' access to services. Maintains contact with clients and their families. Conducts home visits as needed. assists clients with services to facilitate stability including counseling, transportation, health services and program referral. 
•    Participates in legal and court related activities. Prepares court reports and service plans for court. Testifies in court for matters of support, disposition hearings and criminal proceedings. 
•    Receives and responds to inquiries and provides information based on general knowledge of Social Service programs. Refers inquiries to appropriate personnel. 
•    Coordinates emergency services with other community agencies to assist clients affected by catastrophic property loss or homelessness. 
•    Completes the Universal Assessment Instrument and screens for residential and/or nursing home placement for clients. 
•    Contacts approved vendors to obtain services for clients in areas of housing, utilities, medical assistance, food and related services. Arranges payment through department and/or community service agencies. 
•    Conducts CPS or APS investigations. Determines status of Differential Response or validity of complaints. 
•    Prepares, conducts and facilitate meetings and trainings related to job requirements.  
•    Interviews, approves, and supervises in-home and transportation providers. Processes necessary documentation to ensure proper payment to service providers. 
•    Completes routine office tasks to support daily office operations. Composes and types correspondence and forms. Answers incoming calls, provides information, forwards calls or takes messages. Copies documents. Faxes information. 
•    Makes presentations to community and civic groups pertaining to multiple social work programs. Assists in various community service projects. 
•    Remains available for emergency after hour duties. 
•    Performs other related duties as required.

Employee must be willing to work disaster related assignments, including emergency shelter duty, in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.  
 

MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:  
Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia). Considerable experience (typically 5-7 years) in assigned program area/human services programs and completion of required training programs. Work experience in a leadership role. Equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. 

Possession of a MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license are highly desirable and preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES: 

•    Knowledge of the policies, procedures, and activities of the City and or departmental practices as they pertain to the performance of duties relating to 
the position of Family Services Specialist. 
•    Ability to facilitate, coordinate, and perform counseling and case management of various social work service programs administered by the City Social Services 
Department. 
•    Knowledge of the goals and objectives of the programs including protective services for adults and children as well as foster care. 
•    Ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives. 
•    Ability to perform in a supervisory capacity over subordinates. 

•    Ability to read a variety of reports, informational and technical documentation, directions, instructions, and methods and procedures. Requires the ability to write reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech. Requires the ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice 
control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice. 
•    Ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria. 
•    Ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, advisory and/or design data and information.

•    Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; 
and the ability to interpret graphs. 
•    Ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape, visually with job­ related equipment. 
•    Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal stress when confronted with an 
emergency. 
•    Ability to work directly with clients by screening clients and explaining multiple social work service programs, determining and pursuing necessary action to meet client needs, counseling clients, and providing or assisting in obtaining access to necessary human services assistance. 
•    Knowledge of the terminology, principles and methods utilized within the department. 
•    Ability to keep abreast of any changes in policy, methods, administrative changes, or related operations updates as they pertain to departmental 
operations and activities. 
•    Knowledge of laws and ordinances affecting the provision of social services to clients. 
•    Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply regulations, procedures, and related information. 
•    Knowledge of the methods and techniques for development and administering programs. 
•    Ability to effectively communicate and interact with supervisors and members of the general public, and all other groups involved in the activities of the 
department. 
•    Ability to assemble information and make written reports and documents in a concise, clear, and effective manner. 
•    Ability to use independent judgment and work with little direct supervision as situations warrant. 
•    Ability to perform required calculations. 
•    Skill in the use of computers and software programs typically utilized in the position. 
•    Ability to read, understand, and interpret technical reports and related materials