ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES SPECIALIST


BASIC PURPOSE:

Positions in this job family are assigned responsibility for providing adult protective services to vulnerable adults in home and community-based settings.

TYPICAL FUNCTIONS:

The functions within this job family will vary by level, but may include the following:
•    Receives intakes and completes investigations on incapacitated adults alleged to be in situations of abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation; assesses each adult’s social, emotional, physical, mental, environmental and financial circumstances.
•    Determines each adult’s mental capacity to consent to protective services.
•    Develops, with adult and involved family and caregivers, an appropriate service plan; provides, arranges for, or when possible, synthesizes services to meet each adult’s individual needs.
•    Initiates and follows through on court proceedings in situations where adult is in immediate danger of serious physical harm, death, or depletion of assets; serves as temporary guardian with specific powers for adults receiving court ordered involuntary protective services; arranges for care of adult’s personal property if out-of-home placement is necessary; arranges and supervises visits with family members or friends when needed; assists adult with financial matters and protecting assets from further depletion by exploitation.
•    Provides follow-up visits to adults at specified intervals; completes risk assessment form at each visit; adjusts service plan to meet adult’s changing needs as necessary.
•    Works in coordination with law enforcement, the judicial system, developmental disabilities, medical and mental health service providers and other community service agencies and volunteers to insure adults are adequately protected; participates in interdisciplinary case staffings.
•    Reports all investigative findings to District Attorney; consults with DA’s office on specific cases where prosecution is considered; testifies in court as expert witness both on APS cases and general guardianship cases where former APS adults are involved.
•    Advocates for the rights of incapacitated adults who are the alleged victims in APS referrals.
•    Develops and conducts in-service training, public presentations and educational workshops for law enforcement, medical professionals, civic organizations and other community agencies.

LEVEL DESCRIPTORS:

This job family consists of four levels which are distinguished by the level of complexity and diversity of the specific job assignments, the extent of responsibility assigned, the expertise required for completion of the duties assigned and the responsibility assigned for providing leadership to others.

Level I                Code:    H26A            Salary Band:    I

Employees at this level perform entry-level work in a training status in providing adult protective services to incapacitated adults prior to successful completion of the Adult Protective Services New Worker Training Academy.  Employees at this level may participate in investigations with higher level Adult Protective Services Specialists; learn and apply self-protection techniques; perform follow-up activities for ongoing cases; coordinate service plans for adults; prepare legal forms for APS court hearings; attend court hearings and provide testimony as appropriate; attend case staffings and other training offered outside the APS academy; and may perform independent investigation of routine APS referrals.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of the principles and practices of social work; of laws, rules, regulations and policies governing agency programs; of community resources; of human development stages and related dysfunctions; of cultural diversity; of emotional, physical and mental needs of incapacitated adults and their families; and of basic courtroom terminology and procedures.  Ability is required to interview; to assist adult clients and caregivers in recognizing, prioritizing and organizing the client’s needs; to provide courtroom testimony; to intervene in crisis situations; to work with an interdisciplinary team; and to develop, evaluate and modify a service plan on an ongoing basis.
Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a bachelor’s degree.

Level II                Code:    H26B            Salary Band:    J

Employees at this level are assigned responsibilities at the full performance level in providing adult protective services to incapacitated adults.  Employees receive intakes and complete investigations including appropriate documentation on incapacitated adults alleged to be in situations of abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation; ensure and apply self-protection techniques; perform complete assessment and determine appropriate interventions for each case; make collateral contacts to gather additional information on the adult’s history; determine the urgency of each adult’s situation; initiate and follow through on court proceedings for involuntary protective services; serve as temporary guardian for adult acting within the boundaries ordered by the court; involve the adult (if possible), involve family and other caregivers in the development of a service plan to meet the adult’s needs; provide follow-up visits as specified by policy or more often as needed.  In addition, employees at this level develop and deliver in-service training, public presentations and educational programs on APS and adult abuse as requested.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation policies and procedures as they pertain to the state administration of adult protective services program; of social work theory and practice; of case management methodology; of emotional, physical and mental needs of incapacitated adults and their families; of community resources; of human development, disabilities and other physical and mental dysfunctions of adults; of cultural diversity; and of courtroom protocol.  Ability is required to collect pertinent data make decisions based on that data and adopt appropriate course of action; to think and act quickly and appropriately in crisis situations; to determine client needs and risk of further abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation; to manage a caseload; to communicate effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing; to develop, evaluate and modify a service plan on an ongoing basis; to establish and maintain uniform, accurate and timely case records; to work extended hours, including scheduled non-business times such as weekends and holidays; to write reports; to develop and utilize community resources; to establish some degree of rapport with adult clients and caregivers, and to establish a productive working relationship with community and service providers.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a master’s degree in a behavioral science; or a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science and one year of experience in professional social work; or a bachelor’s degree and two years of professional social work.

Level III                Code:    H26C            Salary Band:    K

This is the specialist level where employees are designated as lead workers, mentors, or backup supervisors to Level I or Level II Adult Protective Services Specialists.  Employees at this level act as mentors to Level I staff, and provide case consultation and advise and train lower level APS Specialists in case management and interpretation of policies and procedures; may monitor investigations and treatment plans of lower level staff for quality assurance purposes.  Employees at this level may also develop expertise and be designated as developmental disabilities specialists or sexual abuse specialists, and be utilized as needed across the state.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation policies and procedures as they pertain to the state administration of adult protective services program and the investigation and follow-up of AP investigations; of community resources, of human development stages, disabilities and other physical and mental dysfunctions of adults; of social work theory and practice; of courtroom terminology and procedure; of emotional, physical and mental health needs of incapacitated adults and their families; of  cultural diversity; of secondary trauma; and of interviewing and investigative techniques.  Ability is required to provide crisis intervention, including advising lower level workers in life and death situations; to gather necessary information to determine the needs of an incapacitated adult from the adult’s perspective; to provide courtroom testimony; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to develop, evaluate and modify and APS service plan on an ongoing basis; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to advocate for the adult clients right to receive services in the least restrictive setting possible;  and to support and debrief other employees in difficult situations.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level II plus one year of professional experience in professional social work in adult protective services or child welfare services.

Level IV                Code:    H26D            Salary Band:    L

This is the leadership level where employees provide direct supervision to lower level Adult Protective Services Specialists.  Employees serving as direct supervisors interview and recommend hiring of adult protective services staff; maintain personnel records and complete performance evaluations; orient new staff and develop and administer in-service training programs to supplement the APS New Worker Academy; guide staff in caseload management; and may supervise lower level APS staff in a multi-county area.

Knowledge,  Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of supervisory principles and practices; of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to the state administration of adult protective services and the investigation of APS referrals; of community resources; of human development stages, including disabilities and other physical and mental dysfunctions of adults; of social work theory and practice; of emotional, physical, and mental needs of incapacitated adults and their families; of courtroom terminology and procedure; of cultural diversity; of the theory of secondary trauma; and of interviewing and investigative techniques.  Ability is required to provide crisis intervention, including making decisions and advising staff in life and death situations; to gather necessary information to determine the needs of the incapacitated adult; to manage a caseload; to manage a workload effectively; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to provide courtroom testimony; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to develop, evaluate and modify an APS service plan on an ongoing basis; and to supervise the work of others.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level III plus one additional year of qualifying experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with these positions.
Applicants must be willing to be on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and to work extended hours, including scheduled non-business times such as weekends and holidays as required.
Applicants must be willing to attend and successfully complete the Adult Protective Services New Worker Training Academy.
Applicants must pass a criminal background investigation.