Full Text
Caseworker Page 1 I 3 Jurisdiction: Cortland County Jurisdictional Class: Competitive Adopted: 10/20/05 Amended: 6/19/09; 12/11/12; 10/12/22; 6/18/24; 5/1/25; 7/25/25 CASEWORKER DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The work involves responsibility for providing casework services to individuals, including children, families and/or caregivers. An incumbent assists clients with economic, emotional, social and environmental difficulties by making the necessary service referrals and providing direct assistance to address the social problems identified throughout the course of a case. The Caseworker, in consultation with a higher level supervisor, formulates and carries out plans to meet individual and/or family problems of the cases assigned. The work is performed under the general supervision of a higher level supervisor, with extensive mandated training provided through the State and the agency. The work requires contacts to be in the field visiting families in their homes and in other community settings. Does related work as required. TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only) Investigates reports of abuse or neglect of children or adults assesses the safety of the environment and provides the necessary interventions, such as placement out of the home, or Family Court, when warranted; Responsible for after hours oversight and weekend on-call services; Locate families at addresses and visit homes in unannounced and planned manners; Provides direct assistance to caretakers in unsafe homes by assisting with mitigation of unsafe conditions and circumstances; Assess safety of calling on a home with unknown circumstances and react accordingly when a threat exists to themselves or any occupants in the home/place of visit; Provides social work counseling to motivate individuals, families and children to increase their capacity and confidence in their ability to problem solve and make better choices for themselves and/or family; Gathers information regarding children, families and adults by interviewing neighbors, family members, school personnel, physicians and any others familiar with the family; Reviews existing case records and available information for use in formulating a plan of treatment; Makes the necessary community service referrals on behalf of the individual, children and families assigned; Monitors service plans with individuals and/or families by maintaining on-going contact with service providers and routinely updates supervisor of progress; Develops service plan with parents, relatives and/or foster parents for the care and reunification of the children with their parents; Conducts service plan reviews with individuals, families, and service providers to update the service goals and report progress; Establishes a relationship with individuals and families to persuade them to allow them into their homes and to avail themselves of recommended social services; Recruits and trains prospective foster and adoptive parents; Conducts home study evaluations to include certification and placement recommendations of prospective foster boarding homes, adoptive homes and/or relative homes; ---PAGE BREAK--- Caseworker Page 2 I 3 Assesses the placement needs of children and determines whether a child’s needs can best be met in a foster home, group home, or an institution and makes the referral on their behalf; Visits the homes of parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, family daycare providers, institutions or other agencies and coordinates the delivery of service in accordance with rules and regulations; Petitions, testifies, and reports to Family Court; Maintains professional relationships with various community agencies to which individuals and families can be referred for services; Periodically reviews cases to determine change in the individual’s or family’s situations affecting the need for services; Provides casework counseling in a number of areas including disability benefits, medical benefits, available community services, financial management and parenting; Prepares and maintains a variety of reports, case notes, service plans, and court summaries on a personal computer; Conducts searches by retrieving data stored in a state wide computer system; May identify and place children in adoptive homes and assists them through the adoption process by making service referrals and providing casework counseling until finalization. FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of State and Federal laws and rules governing social services program; Good knowledge of community service agencies and programs; Good knowledge of interviewing techniques and practices; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; Ability to counsel individuals in the areas of economic, social, emotional and vocational problems; Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; Ability to operate a personal computer and utilize common office software programs; Ability to develop and implement a service plan for individuals, children and/or families; Ability to understand and empathize with the needs and concerns of others; Ability to analyze and organize data and prepare records and reports; Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree or higher. NOTE: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee. SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: ---PAGE BREAK--- Caseworker Page 3 I 3 Possession of a valid New York State driver’s license or privilege to drive a motor vehicle in New York State appropriate to the vehicles operated. Failure to maintain a NYS driver’s license including driving privileges throughout employment will result in disciplinary action or dismissal.