Client Services Assistant - I

This recruitment will close at 5:00 pm on Thursday, July 2, 2020. The eligible list established from this recruitment will expire by the end of the calendar year. Applicants will be eligible to reapply and take an examination if a new recruitment opens the following calendar year.

Applications in this recruitment are screened on a weekly basis. This recruitment may be used to fill both open and promotional vacancies in various County departments as they arise, subject to specific position requirements.

The Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Division, is currently accepting applications for the assignment of extra-help Client Services Assistant (Contact Tracer) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Duties include performing a wide variety of tasks including, but not limited to, making phone calls to index COVID-19 cases; eliciting information from phone contact around dates of exposure, exposure setting, demographics; and documenting conversations and information obtained through phone interviews. Individuals in this assignment will be required to work weekdays, weekends and/or evening hours.

The ideal candidate will possess strong listening and communication skills; have experience conducting phone screenings/ intakes; feel comfortable asking follow-up questions to gather more in-depth information; and experience documenting data into a data entry system.

*Temporary/Extra Help assignments are limited to working 28 hours per week with a cap of 999 hours or 960 hours for CalPERS retired annuitants in a fiscal year and are not eligible for benefits. Extra-help appointments made from this eligible list may transition to permanent status, should vacancies arise.

Upon successful completion of a foreign language proficiency exam, an additional 5% bilingual pay will be paid to employees who use a second language on a regular basis in the normal course of business. 

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department

Click here to view General benefits

For more info regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County’s Human Resources website.

To assist in providing designated health and human services to an assigned client base; to provide instruction and support to clients in learning and applying daily living skills; to provide care and supervision to clients, including children; and to carry out client treatment plans as prepared by professional staff members; and to function as an integral and supportive member of assigned departmental and multi-disciplinary team(s).

This is the entry level class in the Client Services Assistant series.  This class is distinguished from the Client Services Assistant II by the performance of the more routine tasks and duties assigned to positions within this series.  Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgment on matters allocated to the journey level.  Employees work under immediate supervision while learning job tasks.

Receives immediate supervision from professional staff members as assigned.

• Provide care and supervision of assigned client population, which may include infants, children, adolescents, or adults, in all aspects of daily living activities; assist clients in performing and learning such living skills as grooming, hygiene, meal planning and preparation, budgeting, routine household maintenance, and various work/study projects; instruct clients in appropriate use of prescribed medications, dispensing and controlling medications as necessary; observe clients taking medications.
• Assist clients in learning and displaying appropriate behavior in classroom, recreational, work and social settings; observe potential crisis situations and report or intervene according to prescribed procedures; practice behavior management techniques.
• Observe clients at all times; document activities, behavior, incidents and respond/refer to each appropriately; counsel clients and provide role model behavior; communicate with professional staff, other staff members, and representatives from involved agencies regarding clients' needs, behaviors, and treatments as necessary and appropriate.
• Carry out and participate in the interdisciplinary treatment plans developed for clients; participate in plan development; communicate with case management staff, families and other agencies/interested parties to coordinate treatment plan and activities; assist clients in transitioning to higher levels of self-awareness and responsibility.
• Assist clients in identifying and utilizing available community resources; arrange for emergency hospitalization of clients; schedule appointments for clients; provide transportation for clients to appointments, shopping, school, work and recreational activities; supervise visits to children.
• Perform general maintenance and housekeeping as appropriate to include mopping, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, washing/drying clothes, and meal preparation and serving; shop for food, pick up medications, report hazards and facility damage; sort and store supplies and maintain records including petty cash.
• Enter information in daily behavior/activity logs; review and read log entries prior to assuming shift duties; update files; respond to inquiries from clients' families and the general public.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public utilizing principles of effective customer service.
• Perform related duties as required.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training: Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: One year of group counseling experience is desired.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

License or Certificate:
May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

May require:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain within one year of employment, a Certificate of Training in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; valid certification must be maintained on a continuous basis.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain within one year of employment, a Certificate of Training in First Aid; valid certification must be maintained on a continuous basis.

Knowledge of:

• Basic daily living needs, including hygiene, exercise, entertainment, food, clothing and shelter, of all age groups from infants to geriatrics.
• Routine and basic health and safety practices.
• Standard and accepted English spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Standard and accepted principles and practices of work safety.

Ability to:

• Learn to work effectively with special needs clients including children, adolescents, and/or the mentally ill.
• Understand and carry out a variety of both oral and written instructions.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job and observe safety rules; intermittently review work papers and log entries; identify and problem solve situations involving clients' needs and circumstances; identify safety hazards for assigned clients; locate equipment and supplies; interpret work orders; remember clients' names and verbal instructions; understand and explain Department's and assigned program's policies and procedures to clients, staff, families and the general public.
• On an intermittent basis, sit at desk for long periods of time; stand, walk, bend, squat, kneel or twist while observing, restraining, bathing/dressing, and interacting with clients as well as in the performance of housekeeping tasks.  See and hear with sufficient acuity to observe and be aware of clients at all times; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; and lift very heavy weight.
• Relate positively to clients and establish trust and rapport.
• Work cooperatively as part of a team providing services and treatment to special need clients.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Respond to emergency situations in an effective, timely and calm manner.
• Obtain relevant information through interviews and observations; work effectively with constant or sporadic interruptions.
• Analyze situations in a timely and objective manner; determine and initiate the proper course of action within established guidelines and parameters.
• Perform routine clerical tasks including mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Operate routine office and housekeeping equipment as well as designated recreational, play, and athletic equipment in a safe and effective manner.
• Communicate effectively and tactfully in both oral and written forms.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.