Senior Caseworker PROMOTIONAL

Modified: May 24, 2018 2:58pm

COUNTY OF ERIE - DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL
invites applications for the position of:

Senior Caseworker PROMOTIONAL

#79-315 - Promotional (for current employees only)

Salary: $41,034 - $53,100 Annually
Opening Date: March 29, 2018
Closing Date: May 30, 2018
Application fee: None

********************Amendment Issued 5-24-18********************

Please see QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE section below.

Note: Applications must be received by Erie County Personnel no later than close of business Wednesday, May 30, 2018.

 

 

Residence Requirements:

THIS EXAMINATION IS OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. At present there are three vacancies and seven anticipated vacancies at the Erie County Department of Social Services. 

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.

Examples of Duties:

A Senior Caseworker investigates the need for assistance a care at public expense, and rendering case work services, including the granting of public aid, to families and individuals in need of services.

Interviews applicants for assistance or child welfare;

Reviews existing case records for available information to use in formulating a plan of treatment;

Makes investigations by visiting applicants to determine eligibility and need for aid, and to verify information on applications;

Makes necessary collateral contacts with employers, relatives, friends, physicians, hospitals and other social service agencies;

Makes contacts with banks, insurance companies and other sources of information regarding assets of applicants for, or recipients of, public assistance;

Assesses safety and risk of all children on their caseload;

Plans the use of available resources;

Obtains settlement verification in cases having settlement outside their place of residence, also makes determination of settlement and plans for return to place of settlement;

Makes referrals to other agencies when indicated;

Formulates and carries out plans for assistance and/or service;

Interviews clients in the office to discuss problems;

Dictates case records;

Writes letters and reports as required;

Reviews cases to determine changes in client situation affecting eligibility and need for service;

Makes assignments of work for caseworkers;

Aids individual caseworkers in formulating service and work organization plans;

Acts as consultant on child welfare problems to public assistance staff and Family Court;

Holds individual and group conferences and reviews case records;

Specializes in child welfare services or specific areas;

Provides mentoring to casework staff;

Assists in training of casework staff;

Assists in supervision of casework staff;

May be required to deal with Spanish speaking clients/cases if originally appointed from the Caseworker (Spanish Speaking list);

May review cases for falsification and investigates to determine if there is overpayment of funds;

May conduct field investigations as required;

May assist in establishing accounts and arrangement of repayment schedules.

Qualifications:

********************Amendment Issued 5-24-18********************

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 24 months immediately preceding the date of the written test in the position of *****Child Protective Worker, Child Protective Worker-Spanish Speaking, Social Caseworker I,****Caseworker or Caseworker- Spanish Speaking.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Eligibility for a New York State driver license at the time of application. Possession of the license and use of a private automobile required at time of appointment.

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.

Notes:

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

Examination date:

June 9, 2018

Applications Must Be Postmarked or Hand Delivered By:

May 30, 2018

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. Interviewing

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take.

2. 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.

3. Principles and practices of social casework

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices used to provide casework services. Questions may cover such topics as developmental, mental, physical, and social disabilities and/or impairments; assessing client strengths and needs; building and maintaining relationships with clients and their support network; ability to make and advocate for appropriate service referrals; ability to provide advocacy and support; and professional and ethical concerns in casework practice.

4. 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.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators.  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

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A None 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.