Lead Social Worker (#RS3003)
$33.22-$40.38 Hourly / $5,758.41-$6,999.38 Monthly / $69,100.96-$83,992.66 Yearly

Under direction, provides complex social casework services to clients in a public social service program; serves as a lead worker over other staff; and performs related duties as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3, of the Civil Service Rules.

This is the advanced journey-level class in the Social Worker series. Incumbents provide complex social casework services and lead guidance and technical training for new staff. This class is distinguished from the Senior Social Worker because incumbents of that class perform journey-level duties and are not expected to have lead responsibilities such as training staff. This class is further distinguished from the Social Worker Supervisor because incumbents of that class have full supervisory responsibility over staff.

• Assists with the training of new staff in procedures and techniques of interviewing, case recording, conducting assessments and evaluations, and developing service plans. 
• Provides guidance to staff on executing service plans in coordination with other staff and agencies, as well as financial and basic social treatment plans that involve the client. 
• Carries a caseload of more difficult types of social services cases requiring a high degree of technical competence. 
• Interviews clients in the office or in the field, such as in homes and/or schools, to assess and identify needs; researches, evaluates and collaborates with clients to develop a realistic service plan. 
• Assesses and evaluates progress of complex case plans; makes referral to other agencies, organizations, or divisions within the department when appropriate. 
• Applies policies, rules, and regulations of the department for communication to applicants, clients, and others. Prepares and dictates reports and correspondence; maintains appropriate controls; and keeps records. 
• Organizes in-service trainings and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of social work and achieve competence. 
• Certifies clients for educational or vocational programs; arranges for guardianship or conservatorship. 
• May recruit, evaluate, and recommend for licensing of foster homes, boarding homes, and day care centers. 
• May be an agency witness in fair hearings, court hearings and prepare reports for the hearing. 
• May participate in outreach activities, attend meetings, coalitions, and/or collaboratives to represent the program or population served by the program. 
• May act for the Social Worker Supervisor in the Supervisor’s absence; may provide administrative support to department management.

Principles and techniques of training and casework consultation; basic human behavior; social work theories, principles, and casework techniques; interviewing techniques; social and economic needs of the service population; the function of public social service agencies; principles, methods, and resources in the field of public health, mental hygiene, education, correction, and rehabilitation as related to public social service; principles of community organization; resources available in the community for referral or utilization in social service programs; and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

Communicate orally with a wide variety of people; read and understand technical social work material; understand and apply rules, regulations, policies and procedures; analyze situations and make decisions; plan, organize, and prioritize; classify case problems and evaluate the effectiveness of effort in solving problems; analyze a situation accurately and adopt an effective course of action; express oneself clearly and concisely in writing; relate to clients; apply effective interpersonal skills; develop and maintain cooperative relationships with community groups and resource agencies; and operate a computer.

Mobility—Frequent sitting, standing, and walking for long periods and walking, occasional driving, climbing stairs, pushing, pulling, bending squatting and key board operation; Lifting—ability to occasionally lift up to 15 pounds; Vision—Constant reading and close-up work and good overall vision; frequent eye/hand coordination, occasional color/depth perception and peripheral vision; Dexterity—Frequent holding, gripping and writing, occasional reaching and repetitive motion; Hearing/Talking—Constant hearing, normal speech, talking in person and on the telephone; occasionally hearing faint sounds; Emotional/ Special Conditions—Constant public contact, decision making and concentration, frequently working alone and exposure to trauma, grief and death; occasional exposure to noise, emergency situations, working weekends/nights, overtime and travel.