Client Services Assistant - II

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play, and learn! For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

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 full journey level class within the Client Services Assistant series.  This class is distinguished from the Client Services Assistant I by the assignment of the full range of duties.  Employees at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies within the work unit.  Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the entry level.

Receives general 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.

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: Two years of providing responsible client support services by performing duties similar to a Client Services Assistant I with Placer County.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of twelfth grade. 

Required 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.

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.
• Principles of assigned clients' special needs and circumstances including child growth and development, adolescent needs and problems, and general symptoms and treatment of mentally ill persons.
• Policies and procedures relative to area of assignment.
• Multi-disciplinary approach to treatment.
• Standard and accepted crisis intervention and conflict resolution techniques to include appropriate management of assaultive behaviors.
• Basic psychiatric terminology.

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.
• Work with, teach and counsel assigned clients on a group and individual basis in a group living environment.
• Assess situations involving clients with special needs and respond in a timely and effective manner utilizing a variety of appropriate interventions.
• Plan, organize, and oversee group activities and work assignments in a timely and effective manner.
• Prepare thorough documentation and maintain accurate and systematic records.

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 credit check, 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.

Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that unlawful 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 the following characteristics: gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits associated with race, which include, but are not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, primary language, immigration status, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over),  marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, the person’s use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace, political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or any combination of two or more characteristics stated herein. 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.