Social Service Practitioner I & Social Services Practitioner II - Study and apply the principles and techniques of social work to a caseload which includes basic types of services problems. - Maintain up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database. - Carry a caseload which includes cases with problems of moderate difficulty; interview clients and their families to assess the nature of their social and financial problems and the need for social service casework intervention or treatment; determine or recommend treatment plans to meet social needs; conduct home visits; prepare and maintain case records. - Interview clients to ascertain the nature of their problems and develop elementary service plans; carry out the less difficult services plans and under supervision, manage less complex cases; make referral to community resources and assist families with change in environment or employment; maintain necessary casework records. - Complete studies of patients and their families to determine the nature of their problems; learn to develop the most effective treatment methods and treatment plans according to need. - Interview patients, families, and friends to obtain information for case records. - Identify the need for, and make referrals to, other services available to the client; assist applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources for individual needs. - Interpret the policies, rules, and regulations of the department to applicants, clients, and others; may be assigned to specialized functions. - Participate in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work processes and achieve technical competence; receive casework consultation from professionally trained staff members.; may assist in conducting training activities for personnel outside the social services unit; may participate in group therapy. - Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services. - Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove children/ adults from home and transport them, complying with all safety regulations, including the use of age appropriate California safety mandated equipment, when assisting with initial removal or facilitating a placement change, which may include managing/lifting the client's necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair). - Maintain up-to-date electronic records of assigned aspects of client case management in a centralized database. - Perform evaluations/assessments of client needs for the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program. Social Service Practitioner III(Depending on the area of assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to, the following) - Carry a caseload of the more difficult types of social service cases requiring a high degree of technical competence where social or family problems or environmental forces adversely affect family life; assess client's problems and develop treatment plans. - Complete case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment; develop intensive long or short-term treatment plans to improve or restore individual or family functioning. - Act in a lead capacity for a small group of Social Services Practitioners or services employees, such as aides and volunteers. - Act as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training. - Function at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling, protective services, medical social work, family services, community organization, and adoptive services. - Take part in staff development programs to increase knowledge of the social work processes and augment personal technical competence. - Provide therapeutic marital, family interrelationship, and adoptive parent counseling. - Investigate and provide services to clients where their physical or emotional welfare is involved; work with cases involving neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical/mental disabilities or other health conditions affecting a client's personality, family relationships, child, or in-home care arrangements. - Provide services and counseling in cases of desertion or impending loss of a spouse, child, or caretaker. - Interpret public social service rules, regulations, and policies to clients and the public. - Maintain casework records and prepare reports and correspondences. - Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services. - Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove child/disabled adults/elderly from home and transport them, complying with all safety regulations, including the use of age appropriate California safety mandated equipment, when assisting with initial removal or facilitating a placement change, which may include managing/lifting the client's necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair). - Maintain up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Social Service Practitioner I OPTION I - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment. Experience: None required. Social Service Practitioner II OPTION I - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment. Experience: One year of social case planning/case management experience in a public or private social services agency performing duties equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner I. OPTION II - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment. Experience: One year of performing casework duties in a public or private human services agency. Experience must include assessing or determining client needs, formulating case plans, or executing case plans to support and meet client needs. ALL OPTIONS - Knowledge of: Socioeconomic conditions and trends; basic principles of individual and group behavior; general trends and current issues in the field of social services; principles of interviewing and problem solving methodology; methods of identification, analysis, and resolution of social casework problems; social service research methods; principles and techniques of social work, and the functions of public social services agencies; basic public social services programs available at the state and local levels; general principles of public assistance policies and programs; laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies; specialized aid programs; basic computer skills. Ability to: Understand and learn programs, policies, and procedures; obtain and recognize relevant and significant facts; speak and write effectively; establish and maintain effective working relationships; establish and maintain client rapport; input and retrieve data from computerized systems. Social Service Practitioner III OPTION I - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment. Experience: One year equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II. OPTION II - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment. Experience: Two years performing casework duties in a public or private human services agency. Experience must include assessing or determining client needs, formulating case plans, or executing case plans to support and meet client needs. OPTION III - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree, preferably with a major in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment. OPTION IV - Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Experience: Completed internship experience in a public or private welfare agency as part of an accredited Bachelor of Social Work degree program. ALL OPTIONS - Knowledge of: Principles and techniques of social casework and of the function of public social service agencies; individual and group behavior with emphasis on normal growth, development, and family relationships; social casework objectives, principles, and methods; socioeconomic and cultural factors which promote stable family life, and an understanding of the factors that affect family security; physical and mental illnesses and their impact on personality; community organizations and the services they provide; laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies; basic computer skills. Ability to: Establish rapport with clients and their families; effectively apply casework knowledge and skills; apply the principles of general and/or child psychology and family relationships; evaluate personal and psychological factors in the client and/or family's situation; work constructively within an agency and community setting; effectively utilize appropriate resources and services; provide consultation to others; demonstrate skill in planning and analysis; control personal bias and apply social work ethics; maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public; provide consultation to and assist in the professional development of less experienced Social Services Practitioners; input and retrieve data from computerized system.