Basic Function : Renders direct casework to clients within agency policies and programs, under the direction of the Program Manager or designated supervisor.
Principal Duties/Responsibilities:

• Interviews potential clients in agency offices, home visits, or by telephone; obtains background information on the client and determines appropriateness of the request for service.
• Interprets the agency's services to potential applicants.
• Carries a selected caseload, providing direct social services to the clients in order to meet their basic environmental and psycho-social needs.
• Maintains progress notes and attends case review meetings, court dates, and collateral staffing and provides appropriate documentation from staffing's.
• Maintains data collection in the SACAWIS data base in compliance with DCFS
• Performs a variety of casework duties, including obtaining, analyzing and evaluating data related to cases.
• Works closely with funding agency representatives.
• Develops a written Service Plan, including goals and time lines for goal attainment.

• Implements plans of action for cases, following established procedures.
• Works with client/family to make modification on the recommended treatment plan.
• Formulates and frequently reviews recommended handling of cases with the supervisor.
• Implements the specified Service Plan, analyzing and evaluating current status of the client.
• Makes frequent reports to the supervisor on the progress of each case and performs other formal record keeping functions required by the agency.
• Studies agency policies and practices regarding casework and other functions and participates in other areas of the casework process, such as intake.
• Consults frequently with other personnel assigned to the same client, (for example: teacher, homemaker and other support staff.)
• Contacts other social service agencies such as courts, police and churches, regarding client situations, or for the purpose advocacy and making inter-agency referrals.
• Works closely with the guardian, foster and biological family toward behavior stabilization and family reunification where applicable.
• Places children in foster care and other substitute living arrangements, and monitors placement where applicable.
• Makes regular home visits.
• Reports suspicions of alleged abuse/neglect.
• Maintains current knowledge in the profession - to include, but not limited to, attendance at professional seminars and conferences.
• May be on call for 24-hour availability.
• * Is available for client crisis management.
  
  

Mental/Physical Demands: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Work requires prolonged concentration using a computer in analyzing and manipulating data. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Environmental Conditions: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Duties are performed in a typical office environment. No unusual or adverse working conditions exist.

Job Requirements
Specifications:

• The position requires a minimum Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with a major in one of the Behavioral Sciences i.e., Social Work, School Guidance Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, School Psychology, Criminal Justice, etc. This position required the use of a personal auto, a valid driver's license, a Motor Vehicle Report acceptable to the agency's insurance broker and verification of insurance coverage.
• Demonstrates the experiences, beliefs, attitude and awareness that indicate cultural sensitivity to the client population served.
• Ability to partner with clients individually, in family, to help them mobilize resources and their inner capacity to address problems they face.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with other team members, other Agency resources and outside services in addressing client needs.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish