SOCIAL WORKER 3

About the role

The Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) is currently recruiting for a Social Worker 3 in Reno. This recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies as they occur in the following program: Adult Protective Services (APS).

Responsibilities

• Investigate reports of abuse, neglect, exploitation, isolation and abandonment involving vulnerable adults ages 18 and older and adults 60 and older, ensuring timely case initiation, home visits, and assessments.
• Evaluate risk, review records, identify service needs, and make referrals; determine case outcomes based on regulations and close cases following thorough investigation and intervention to ensure client safety.
• Develop and implement a case plan that presents intervention strategies to meet client needs including alternative placement, job training, socialization, nursing services, legal and medical intervention, and financial assistance according to federal and State regulatory guidelines and budget limitations.
• Locate and coordinate a network of services and resources provided by other State agencies, community organizations and private service providers in areas such as mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation, developmental, homemaking, financial assistance, and employment programs pertinent to assessing client needs and case plan goals.
• Provide ongoing case management services by conducting home visits, monitoring delivery of services and quality of care, and reassessing client needs; track client progress and well-being, evaluate case plan effectiveness, and effectively manage resources; assist clients in identifying strengths and barriers and developing problem-solving and coping abilities; collaborate and coordinate case reviews with families, friends, attorneys and multiple agencies including social and community services and law enforcement to ensure case continuity and prevent conflicting case plans and duplication of services.
• Organize multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings to assist in strategic assessment and planning of protective services, issues regarding the delivery of service, programs, or individual plans for preventing, identifying, remedying, or treating abuse, neglect, exploitation, isolation, or abandonment of children or vulnerable adults; MDT teams may include representatives of other organizations concerned with education, law enforcement, or physical and/or mental health.
• Document case activities; maintain written case histories to include client status, progress and assessment results; complete necessary forms and prepare relevant correspondence and case reports according to applicable policies, procedures, laws and regulations.
• Provide crisis intervention in the office or community setting to include responding to emergency calls; report instances of neglect or abuse to the appropriate authorities; utilize appropriate controls for individuals who may be aggressive, combative, or hostile by following established protocols and policies.
• May provide technical assistance, training, guidance and/or serve as lead workers to other new or experienced Social Workers; may train, supervise, and evaluate the performance of non-professional staff such as Family Support Workers and Administrative Assistants.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Licensure or provisional licensure as a Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker, Independent Social Worker or Associate in Social Work and one year of professional experience providing case management in child protective services, foster care services and/or adoption services in a social work setting equivalent to a Social Worker I in Nevada State service.

Skills

• Working knowledge of: federal regulations and State laws applicable to child or vulnerable adult welfare; dynamics of families, caregivers, and/or guardians who deprive, abuse, neglect, and/or exploit their children or vulnerable adults; indicators of physical, sexual and emotional abuse in children or vulnerable adults; family centered or person centered assessment process, principles and practices; human characteristics which indicate dysfunction, characteristics of family marital problems and their solutions; effects of cognitive impairment such as dementia, serious mental illness, or traumatic brain injury on vulnerable adults and their spouses, family members, caregivers, or guardians and/or the effects of foster care on the child or guardianship on the vulnerable adult, caregiver, biological family, adoptive family, and the community; indicators and effects of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation on the child or vulnerable adult; court procedures related to child or vulnerable adult abuse and neglect, removal of parental rights, removal of guardianship, and adoption; law enforcement, mental capacity evaluations, civil rights, guardianship referrals, and procedures related to the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults; federal regulations, State laws, and policies and procedures related to assigned program areas; services, roles and responsibilities of other related social services providers; crisis intervention techniques; theories and practices of substance abuse addiction and recovery; HIV, fetal alcohol syndrome, common communicable diseases, intellectual, developmental, physical disabilities, cognitive impairments, and/or serious mental illness.
• General knowledge of: collaborative and concurrent case planning; medical and pharmaceutical terminology sufficient to complete health surveys, evaluate medical reports and assess client health status; physical, psychological, and social characteristics associated with the aging process; characteristics of intellectual, developmental, and/or physical disabilities and mental illness; court processes and protocol related to program assignment.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance programs for employees and their dependents/family are offered through the Public Employees’ Benefits Program (PEBP).
• Vacation: Accrual of three weeks of annual leave each year.