MONTGOMERY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Code No. 2807

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND Grade 23

CLASS SPECIFICATION

SOCIAL WORKER II

DEFINITION OF CLASS:

This is professional social work at the full performance level. Employees provide a wide range of social work services in a residential facility, local health clinic, school, or local social services environment. Personal contacts are with individuals both in and outside the County Government for the purposes of providing professional advice, discussing unusual case situations, or for coordinating systems of service delivery with other units or agencies. Employees in this class provide direct professional assistance or care to clients involving intense interaction and counseling therapy.

Social workers may function on an interdisciplinary team and perform therapeutic activities which require knowledge and skill in a wide range of social work principles and methods. Social workers also coordinate a social support system to promote satisfactory adjustment in the community. In a clinic or local health program, social workers are responsible for social work planning and treatment including individual, family and group intervention, long range therapeutic counseling or other support services to assist clients and to help them in obtaining a more satisfactory social, economic, emotional or physical adjustment. Employees in this class plan and carry out the successive steps required to accomplish objectives, in accordance with Agency policies, professional training and/or accepted practices in the field. Guidelines for the work, such as State/County Codes, program regulations, and professional manuals are available but do not cover unusual aspects of the work. The work is usually supervised by a higher level social worker who evaluates case records and provides guidance or advice for unusual or difficult problems through periodic conferences. The work consists of duties involving a variety of processes and methods including client casework, community intervention, family therapy, and/or group counseling. The work involves treating a variety of psychosocial problems, crises, and situations in accordance with established criteria. The work of this class is generally performed in an office environment but may require occasional visits to clients' homes to render social work services. There are no unusual physical demands associated with this work.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

Obtains pertinent data from clients, members of their families and others to assess socioeconomic, emotional or health problems.

Identifies and recommends appropriate resources to minimize problems and develops, with the client, a plan of action for services and follow-up;

Provides counseling to clients and members of their families to aid them in achieving a more satisfactory social functioning.

Provides preventive, protective or supportive services to individuals or groups threatened by situations detrimental to their well being or that of the community.

Participates in conferences concerning treatment plans for individuals.

Participates in discussions of policies and procedures relating to eligibility and coordination of community services.

Works in close cooperation with staff in other social, health, education and related agencies to meet the needs of clients.

Interprets the social service program to applicants, clients and other professional staff.

Composes reports and recommendations for courts and other agencies regarding individual cases.

Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Possession of a master's degree in social work from an accredited college or university that meets the criteria of a graduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Experience: One year experience rendering social work services.

License: Candidates must be licensed by the Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners prior to appointment.

Notes:

1. Pertinent volunteer and/or part-time experience is acceptable.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Some knowledge (at a graduate professional level) of social work principles and methods; of current social, economic and health problems and resources; of individual, family and group behavior; of ways of working effectively with adults and children who have social, emotional, economic and health problems; of normal and abnormal behavior; of methods of assessing clients' strengths, weaknesses and resources; and of methods of enhancing and developing problem solving capabilities of clients.

Knowledge of health and welfare resources; of medical terminology; of social work research; and of client advocacy.

Ability to work effectively with people and aid them in the constructive use of their capabilities in adjusting to their specific problems; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff, the general public and outside agencies or institutions; to express ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; to analyze case information and to make sound decisions on the basis of that information; to treat personal information discretely and confidentially; and to organize and manage a caseload.

LICENSE:

Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license when required for job-related duties.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:

Individuals appointed or promoted to this class will be required to serve a probationary period of six months, during which time performance will be carefully evaluated. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Limited Core*

* Preplacement Drug/Alcohol Screen

Date Adopted: March 9, 1963

Date Revised: June 21, 1965

Corrected: February 1984

Date Revised: July 1, 1965

Date Adopted by Montgomery County: December 1988

Date Revised: June 1995 (M)

NOTE:

This class specification is largely based on the State of Maryland class descriptions in order to ensure comparability between State and County social worker positions, and to ensure that minimum qualifications mandated by State law are met. Modifications have been made to reflect language used in the County's job evaluation system.