Position Information

This recruitment is currently being conducted to fill two Social Service Worker III (SSW III) vacancies with the Family, Youth, and Children Division, one with the Adoption Assistance Program and one with the Emergency Response Program. If you interested in one or both of these positions, we encourage you to apply now!

Adoption Assistance Program

The Social Service Worker III position within the Adoption Assistance Program is responsible for providing post adoption services for families and children in Sonoma County. They will manage the adoption assistance caseload, complete ongoing Adoption Assistance Program annual renewal paperwork, and review and approve Adoption Assistance Program extensions for youth ages 18-21. Additional duties include:

• Engaging families by providing them with referrals for post adoption services, Sonoma County Behavioral Health, or other needed services
• Providing case management services to non-related legal guardians
• Completing foster care payment renewal paperwork every six months
• Conducting in-person home visits to ensure the child is safe and that their needs are met
• Implementing Guardianship Assessments for families referred by the Probate Court
• Providing support and resources for families when emergencies or urgent issues arise
• Entering all required information into the CSW/CMS (child welfare database)

Emergency Response Program

The Social Service Worker III position within the Emergency Response Program is responsible for working with children and families, completing the Emergency Relative Placement process including talking to family members about their family history and carrying out home inspections and safety checks, and completing all the initial placement paperwork for children that are victims of abuse or neglect and are to be placed with their relatives or members of their extended family. Additional duties include:

• Accompanying children to hospitals or medical providers to ensure that a medical clearance has been completed
• Transporting children to appointments, visits, or to their relative placement
• Working closely with the Kinship Center to ensure that the relatives are connected with the proper resources to support them in looking after a child
• Facilitating initial contact between the child and their parents and between the caregivers and the parents
• Working collaboratively with Emergency Response to make sure that referrals are completed, and the parents are engaged in prevention services
• Engaging families by providing them with support and information about service referrals and providing warm hand-offs so that they are more likely to follow through with services
• Working with the CPS social worker to provide some case management services to families to help prevent further involvement in the child welfare system
• Entering all the required information into CWS/CMS (The child welfare database)

Ideal candidates for these positions will possess:

• A bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field
• The ability to engage with children and families in stressful situations
• Excellent communication, multitasking, and problem-solving skills
• Community care coordination, mental health, and counseling experience
• The ability to keep calm in a stressful work environment
• Knowledge of trauma informed care approaches
• Ability to engage with children and families in a non-judgmental way using cultural humility
• Experience working with at risk children and/or families that have housing and economic challenges
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) speaking abilities are highly desirable

About the Human Services Department (HSD)

HSD fosters a positive work environment, where our commitment to providing opportunities for advancement is strengthened by a robust staff development program. We believe in the merits of work/life balance and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that our work contributes to the betterment of our community.

As the largest agency in Sonoma County government, our mission is to protect vulnerable children and adults, and to promote maximum independence and well-being for individuals and families. HSD is responsible for child and adult protective services, veteran services, and administration of state and federal programs, including CalFRESH, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, and In-Home Supportive Services. The department is dedicated to providing high quality, client-focused, cost-effective services and values the diversity, integrity, teamwork, leadership, and accountability of all staff in accomplishing the mission of the Department.

The Department works collaboratively at the federal, state, and local level to find creative solutions to support the health, safety, and well-being of individuals, families, and the community. To meet that goal, the Department has fostered strong relationships with other public and private sector partners, including other government agencies, community-based organizations, and business leaders. For more information regarding HSD's services please visit http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Human-Services.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing your contributions work to better our shared community. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• A hybrid telework schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending upon assignment
• Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
• May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment

• Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits directory.

This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) vacancies as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title for this position is Social Service Worker III.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.
• Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the application, examination, and department selection processes.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at: www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: EP
HR Tech: EV