SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST
BASIC PURPOSE:
Positions in this family are assigned responsibility for providing
social services to children and adults in communities, facilities,
institutions or hospitals.
TYPICAL FUNCTIONS:
The functions within this job family will vary by level, but may include the following:
• Manages a caseload and provides services for individuals and their families.
• Evaluates the needs of individuals and
families; assists the family as a unit to function more adequately;
counsels clients and arranges for needed treatment or services.
• Participates on a psychiatric team to gather
social data, counsels individuals under the direction of a
psychiatrist, psychologist or other social services specialist.
• Assesses the needs of individuals and
determines eligibility for specific programs; interviews clients, both
in an office setting and on home visits, completes necessary case
documents and compiles data to determine eligibility.
• Develops and plans casework services and
treatment for individuals with specialized problems in development,
retardation, maladjustment or dependency.
• Develops and implements specialized treatment
programs within the community; utilizes community resources; initiates
projects with foster or adoptive parents.
• Investigates selected food stamp cases,
conducts interviews and obtains information to determine food stamp
violations or food stamp fraud.
• Participates in staff conferences and
interdisciplinary team meetings for the purpose of determining overall
treatment.
LEVEL DESCRIPTORS:
This job family consists of four levels of work which are distinguished
by the level of complexity and diversity of the specific job
assignments, the extent of responsibility assigned for each level, the
expertise required for the completion of the duties assigned, and the
responsibility assigned for providing leadership to others.
Level I Code: H20A Salary Band: H
This is the basic level where employees are assigned responsibilities
involving beginning level casework activities in a training status to
build their skills in providing social services to individuals.
In this role they will be assigned tasks which involve interviewing
individuals and family members to obtain history data; taking
applications for public assistance and/or related services; determining
the eligibility of applicants and contacting public and private health,
welfare, social and mental health agencies and related community
resources for the purpose of obtaining services for individuals and
their families. Responsibilities may also include providing
routine social services for individuals and their families, assisting
in conducting individual and family counseling, or assisting
individuals in adjusting to an institutional environment, care and
treatment.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include
knowledge of social work principles and practices; of casework
principles and methods; of current social and economic problems; of the
principles of family economics and budgeting; of human relations; of
community, state and national health and welfare resources; of
psychological terminology; of the principles of interviewing; and of
social assistance requirements. Ability is required to deal
effectively and courteously with people; to exercise good judgment in
evaluating situations; and to present ideas and facts effectively and
accurately.
Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a
bachelor’s degree; or an equivalent combination of education and
experience, substituting one year of experience in professional social
work for each year of the required education.
Level II Code: H20B Salary Band: I
At this level employees are assigned responsibilities at the full
performance level in providing social services to clients in assessing
needs and determining eligibility for specific programs and
services. This includes managing a caseload requiring both broad
and specialized knowledge of all social service programs. Some
positions will serve on a psychiatric team and gather and interpret
social data affecting a patient’s condition; participate in
therapeutic counseling of patients under the direction of a
psychiatrist, psychologist or other social services specialist in a
higher level position; or participate as a member of an
interdisciplinary team, giving input on the social history of
individuals and contributing to the treatment plan. In addition,
employees at this level will contact outside public and private health
and welfare agencies and community resources to assist in obtaining aid
for clients and their families, and may serve as a field eligibility
examiner by conducting reviews of questionable social service cases to
determine verification of income, employment and other resources and to
document the true situation of the client.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include those
identified at Level I plus the knowledge of therapeutic treatment; and
of psychiatric and medical terminology. Ability is required to
consult with staff and agencies; and to effectively treat social and
emotional problems.
Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a
master’s degree; or a bachelor’s degree and one year of
experience in professional social work; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience, substituting one additional year of
experience in professional social work for each year of the
bachelor’s degree.
Level III Code: H20C Salary Band: J
This is the specialist level where employees are designated as lead
workers or backup supervisors to Level I or Level II employees, or are
responsible for carrying a complex and difficult case load along with
limited responsibilities involving the direct supervision of no more
than 3 lower level staff in performing various work activities and
tasks. Responsibilities include assigning caseloads, providing
training in caseload principles and practices and ensuring compliance
with federal and state regulations, and agency policy and
procedures. Some employees at this level will act as full-time
AIDS Care Coordinators assigned a multi-county area; counsel, advise
and provide services to clients with AIDS; and act as a consultant to
other Social Service Specialists on AIDS related matters.
Employees assigned to this level may coordinate an interdisciplinary
treatment team of a mental health or health facility; may coordinate
activities at a social services satellite treatment center or may be
assigned multiple county or district wide responsibility for the
provision of social services and act as project director.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include those
identified at Level II plus the knowledge of social welfare legislation
as it pertains to the state administration of public welfare; of the
functions of public welfare agencies; of social resources in Oklahoma
as related to public assistance; of individual and group behavior; of
social and psychiatric casework method and principles and their
application to problems in psychiatric social work; of mental and
emotional disturbances; of the principles of clinical interviewing; of
community, individual, and family social, economic, and health
problems; of medical social work methods and principles; and of
literature in the field of social work. Ability is required to
plan and organize a program; and to relate professional training to
casework practice and supervision in the field of family services.
Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those
identified in Level II plus two additional years of qualifying
experience.
Level IV Code: H20D Salary Band: K
This is the leadership level where employees provide direct supervision
to lower level staff. Responsibilities may also include planning,
organizing and directing a social work department or an entire social
work program in a state facility or may serve as a clinical supervisor
in a mental health facility. Employees assigned to this level
will supervise a staff of professional and paraprofessional social
service specialists who provide a wide variety of case work and social
services to clients and patients, as well as provide consultation and
assistance to persons in other professional fields. Some
employees direct comprehensive programs of social services and
consultation in a number of treatment settings providing a wide variety
of casework and social services to clients and patients; confer with
medical staff and department heads on professional problems and
assignment of work.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include those
identified at Level III plus the knowledge of supervisory principles
and practices. Ability is required to plan and direct the work of
a professional staff.
Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those
identified in Level III plus one additional year of qualifying
experience or social service administration experience.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this position.
Upon appointment, incumbents designated by the Oklahoma Department of
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services shall complete certification
in one of the following required Departmental sponsored training in
case management: Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager –
Adult; Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager – Child,
Adolescent and Family; or Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager
– Dual Certification.