Child Welfare Clinical Social Worker III, Grade 24

About The Position

Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $80,070 to $122,569, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Who We Are

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for delivering public health and human services that meet the needs of our community’s most vulnerable children, adults, and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at over 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department is the largest County Department. As a department, we believe health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.

Who We Are Looking For

If you are interested in working for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Social Worker III positions within Child Welfare Services.

What You'll Be Doing

• CWS provides a variety of supportive services to children and families to reduce the risk of child maltreatment and ensure safety for children.
• When it is not possible for children to remain in their own homes, temporary placement in foster care, with relatives or with an adoptive family may be arranged.
• Social Worker IIIs provide clinical and case management services including child safety assessments, service planning, case coordination, and direct support to children and families involved with child welfare.

Units Within CWS Providing These Services

• ASSESSMENT UNIT: investigates and assesses reports of alleged child abuse and neglect.
• OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT SERVICES: provides case management and permanency planning for children who have been placed in foster care or kinship/relative placement.

Bilingual Applicants Encouraged

Bilingual applicants in the Spanish/English languages are encouraged to apply. If the candidate selected for this position possesses multilingual skills, they will be required to successfully pass an examination assessing oral communication, reading comprehension, and interpreting skills. For Advanced proficiency, the candidate must also pass an examination requiring translating text from Spanish to English and vice versa.

Work Schedule

Although the normal hours for CWS are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., staff providing direct services to children and families may need to work earlier or later to respond to case needs such as home visits, emergency removals, extended court hearings, or other time-sensitive situations.

Driver's License

This position REQUIRES a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive a County vehicle to conduct home, school, and community visits. The role also requires the ability to lift and carry children, equipment, and supplies and to safely navigate stairs and various home environments during fieldwork.

Medical Protocol

This position requires successful completion of a pre-employment medical evaluation, which includes a physical examination and drug screening.

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences

• Experience providing social work services to children and families and managing child welfare, foster care, or protective services cases.
• Experience completing safety assessments, risk assessments, or family evaluations.
• Experience preparing court documentation or participating in court proceedings.
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish.

Important Information

• The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
• Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law.
• Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov.
• Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
• MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
• All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status.
• The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
• Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code . Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.