| Name of Organization: | Erie County Department of Social Services |
| Job Title: | Caseworker |
| Part-time or Full-time: | Full-time |
| Job Location: | Erie County, NY |
| Job Description: | A Caseworker performs social case work in connection with such social services as child and family welfare and protective services for adults; or health department clinical and home-based programs; If assigned to Social Services: Interviews applicants and referrals for child care, foster care, adoption, adult services, preventive services, in-home health care, nursing home or other services of the department and makes field investigations to verify intake information and to ascertain needs; Prepares case assessments for review by supervisor, including recommendations as to services required to attain defined goals; Assesses risk/safety of children; Recommends referrals to other agencies; Makes plans for services and assistance to meet individual problems of the cases assigned and after approval, puts plans into effect; Makes collateral contacts with other interested agencies and/or individuals to gather information coordinate services and guard against duplication of services; Reviews assigned cases periodically to determine changes affecting client circumstances and need for service, including follow-up field investigations; Gives advice and counsel to applicants and clients to assist in solving personal, family, domestic and financial problems; Determines categorical eligibility to assure appropriate Federal reimbursement for services provided; Utilizes information supplied by supportive services such as Resource Division and Home Economist’s Office, as applied to specific units of assigned caseload; Dictates case records, composes letters and reports as required; Maintains case records on computer system; Locates, studies and reports on family or foster homes and adoptive homes; Investigates and makes recommendations on boarding homes regarding certification; Investigates through inspection and interviews, as to whether child’s needs can best be met in natural home, foster home or institution; Plans with parents and relatives for care of children and re-establishment of the home, and promotes permanency planning for children, including adoption services; Attends in-service training programs and meetings; Investigates, through assessment and interviews as to whether client’s needs can best be met in client’s home or institution; Plans with client and client’s relatives for care of client and promotes optimum support from relatives and other interested parties; Assists in locating appropriate placement of clients deemed in need of protective environment; Makes court appearance as required; Inputs and retrieves information on computer systems relevant program assignment; Convenes and/or participates in case conferences; Manages client financial affairs in some adult service cases; Transports children; Prepares Family Court reports and related court work; May review cases for falsification and investigates to determine if there is overpayment of funds; May conduct field investigations as required; May assist in establishing accounts and arrangement of repayment schedules. |
| Required Qualifications: | MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test*** (see Note 5): Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree* (see Note 1) and one (1) year of social case work experience** (see Note 2). SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Eligibility for a New York State driver license at the time of application. Possession of the license and use of a private automobile required at time of appointment. Applicants for designated positions in the Department of Social Services that may have regular and substantial unsupervised or unrestricted contact with children shall be subject to background checks according to the New York State Justice Center’s Staff Exclusion List (SEL) and New York State Office of Children and Family Services Statewide Central Register of Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Inquiries on current employees shall be made annually and prior to promotion but no more often than once in any six month period (N.Y. Social Services Law 424-A.) Candidates/applicants with conditional offers of employment may be required to submit the necessary fee(s) for background screening and inquiries shall be completed prior to employment hiring/start date. Refusal to sign the necessary clearance forms, submit the required associated fees and/or participate in the review process shall be cause for an automatic non-selection. In addition, inquiry responses are subject to evaluation and may result in disqualification pursuant to Section 50 of the New York State Civil Service Law. Applicants for designated positions in the Department of Social Services that may have access to federal tax information to perform his/her job duties shall be subject to a suitability background check investigation, including FBI fingerprinting, local law enforcement check, and verification check of citizenship/residency. A criminal record does not necessarily disqualify applicants from employment, rather an individualized determination will be made. The cost of the background check will be assumed by the Department of Social Services. Notes: 1. *Candidates may be appointed as Caseworker Trainee (Job Grade VIII) with only the Bachelor’s Degree qualification. Upon satisfactory completion of the one (1) year training term an appointee shall be entitled to advance permanent status as a Caseworker (Job Grade IX) without further examination. 2. **Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Master’s Degree in social work may be substituted for one year of the required experience above. 3. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements. 4. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee. |
| Rate of Pay: | $41,958 |
| How to Apply: | Submit application to take civil service exam by March 20, 2019 |
| Contact: | Hannah Holden |
| Website: | http://www2.erie.gov/employment/ |
