Residence Requirements:

THIS EXAMINATION IS OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.  At present there is one anticipated vacancy at the Erie County Department of Social Services-Youth Services Division.  

The eligible list resulting from this examination will not supersede currently existing promotional eligible lists for this title, if any.  The duration of all promotional eligible lists is four years from date of establishment unless otherwise indicated.

 Persons who are currently employed under Section 55a, New York State Civil Service Law, and who meet all the above eligibility requirements in the non-competitive rather than competitive class may compete in this examination.

Examples of Duties:

A Detention Home Intake Worker  completes the intake process for children referred or directed into an Erie County Detention Program;

Supervises the process and completes the intake of juveniles referred or directed into an Erie County Detention program;

Completes an assessment packet and interview including reasons for referral, historical and biographical data, to include health, mental health and suicide screenings, service needs assessments, and determines possible alternatives to long-term Detention care;

Supervises all staff assigned on his/her shift and coordinates all operations at the center;

Maintains or supervises the records at the Detention Center, admissions/discharges, daily child records, critical incident review procedures, operations, maintenance, which are reviewed and utilized by the administrative and professional social work staff;

Ensures that the welfare of the residents is maintained by having sufficient staff on each shift, calls in replacement staff as needed, maintains ordered levels of supervision;

Arranges for the emergency transportation of children for medical or psychiatric care from Detention to hospitals or other facilities;

Coordinates the admissions, discharges and emergency requirements of contract Detention programs

Qualifications:

QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR TAKING THE TEST: Candidates must be permanently employed in the competitive class and must be serving and have served continuously on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class for 12 months immediately preceding the date of the written test in the position  of Job Group VI or VII  plus the following: 

Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four (4) year college or university with a Bachelor's Degree and three (3) years of post-degree experience working with defiant, aggressive or emotionally disturbed children in an agency adhering to acceptable standards.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Candidates must:

Possess a valid New York State Driver's License; and

Clear the New York State Child Abuse Registry; and

Section 424-a of the Social Services Law requires the local social services district to inquire whether the applicant is the subject of an indicated child abuse or maltreatment report on file with the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.

All potential employees for this position will be required to sign the necessary clearance form prior to being advised that they will be hired. Refusal to sign will be cause for an automatic non-selection.

Subject to background investigation and fingerprinting for appointment. (Applicant may be required to submit the necessary fees for the fingerprint processing.)

Notes:

NOTES:    1. * Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements. 2. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application.

All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However,candidates may find information in the publication "How to take a written test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm

Subjects of Examination:

Subjects of Examination: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas:

1. Preparing written material

These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

2. Situations and problems in supervising and counseling delinquent and/or socially maladjusted youth

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices of supervising and counseling delinquent and socially maladjusted youth. Questions may cover such topics as interviewing, counseling, supervising, and guiding youth with social adjustment problems; crisis intervention; handling emergencies; and working with staff, agencies, and families in supervising and guiding socially maladjusted youth.

3. Supervision

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

4. Working with youth

These questions test for knowledge and understanding needed to work with youth and their problems. Questions may cover such topics as: normal and abnormal adolescent behavior and development; youth perspectives and points of view; environmental factors and effects; establishing rapport with youth.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  It is recommended that candidates use a quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculator.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", “Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books or other reference materials.

INFORMATION FOR PROMOTION CANDIDATES

Unless otherwise indicated, the eligible list resulting from this examination will have a duration of four years and will not supersede existing promotional lists, if any.

RATINGS REQUIRED:  Test is rated on a scale of 100 with a passing mark at 70.  Test instructions may further divide the tests into parts and set minimum standards for each part.

Points will be added to scores of candidates who achieve a passing mark as follows: Seniority:  For each year of service in the classified service:

Less than 1 year……………………..................…0 points

1 year up to 6 years…………….…........................1 point

Over 6 years up to 11 years.....………......….........2 points

Over 11 years up to 16 years….…........….........…3 points

Over 16 years up to 21 years………..................…4 points

Over 21 years………………………..................…5 points

VETERANS:  Disabled and non-disabled veterans as defined in Section 85, New York State Civil Service Law, will have 5 and 2.5 points, respectively added to their earned scores if successful in the examination.  You must claim these credits when you file application but you have an option to waive them any time prior to appointment.  If you have already used these credits for a permanent position in NYS, you may not claim them again.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.