Human Service Worker III

This position is located in the Pennino Building in Fairfax, with possible weekly assignments in one of the Department of Family Services (DFS) regional offices, either in South County (Alexandria), Reston, or Annandale. Performs all tasks related to determining eligibility of families for participation in the Child Care Assistance and Referral (CCAR) program, to include child care referrals from Child Protective Services and Foster Care. Provides case management services for families enrolled in CCAR and provides information about CCAR eligibility requirements to staff from Head Start, Early Head Start, the School Age Child Care Program and other DFS programs. Trains CCAR staff in the development of case management skills; serves as a consultant to program staff and assists CCAR regional supervisors in analyzing complex eligibility issues related to state and local child care policies and procedures. Conducts monthly quality control reviews of case records to help staff maintain accuracy and timeliness in case management and assure the appropriate spending of funds. Prepares case records for appeal/fraud hearings. Serves as a resource in the development of eligibility manuals for CCAR Human Service Workers. Compiles data and is responsible for/assists with the preparation of reports. Necessary skills include the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals to include agency staff, clients and other individuals; ability to prepare reports, thoroughly document case record, consistently demonstrate organizational skills, and ability to meet deadlines timely. Participates in staff development and provides guidance to agency for continued and/or additional staff development. Duties are performed under the supervision of a Child Care Specialist III.

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
Maintains knowledge of current public assistance and employment policies and applies, explains and interprets complex federal, state, and local policies to clients, service providers, attorneys, the public, and other interested parties;
Performs client needs assessment to aid in making appropriate referrals to other services;
Works with clients to assist with gathering of information necessary to establish eligibility;
Compiles and maintains data and documents and may prepare written narratives to support eligibility determinations;
Ensures timely processing of applications to meet client needs and program policy mandates;
Authorizes public assistance (e.g., medical aid, financial assistance, food stamps) based on client circumstances and public assistance program requirements;
Uses various forms of automated technology to document, obtain, and verify information, to generate reports, and to authorize benefits and services for clients, service providers, attorneys, the public, and other interested parties;
Assists clients in obtaining the resources necessary to meet emergency needs;
Assists clients in obtaining services and coordinates these with other service providers as needed;
Coordinates and manages clients' participation in a variety of services;
Participates in case staffings with other county staff or community organizations to assess and address needs of clients;
Prepares appeal documents and may represent the agency in administrative appeals filed by clients;
Develops marketing and presentation materials for the business community, the public and other human service providers;
Oversees and coordinates a program or project;
Assists the supervisor with duties that may include training, coaching, and reviewing the work of less experienced staff;
Serves as policy expert in one or more program areas, providing guidance, direction, and information to other staff;
Assist in the development of service strategies.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
Knowledge of basic human behavior and social problems;
Knowledge of social, economic, health and cultural factors that can serve as barriers to employment;
Knowledge of federal, state and local laws and policies governing public assistance and welfare reform;
Ability to read, interpret and apply complex program policies and procedures;
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
Ability to make mathematical computations;
Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficient to meet deadlines;
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
Ability to handle multiple deadlines, computer systems, high volume of client contact, high caseloads, and competing priorities;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, co-workers and other human service providers;
Ability to work effectively with people under stress and those from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds;
Ability to maintain professional ethics related to confidentiality of client information;
Ability to provide excellent customer service;
Ability to work in a team environment;
Ability to maintain flexibility.
Ability to manage a complex caseload;
Ability to identify client issues needing referral to other human service providers (e.g., substance abuse, spousal abuse);
Ability to lead and coach other professional level staff;
Ability to develop and present training programs;
Ability to develop presentations using automated technology.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree plus two years of human services or related professional work experience.

Contingent upon the area of assignment, some positions within this class may require specific certification(s) prior to employment and/or the ability to acquire necessary certification(s) within a specified time period following employment. The certifications are identified in the position description and employment advertisement.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
None.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check and a Child protective services check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree plus two years of human services or related professional work experience.
• Familiarity with principles and practices of early childhood education, child care programs, and/or family casework.
• Experience working with families and/or child care programs.
• Experience determining eligibility for benefits and services and using automated systems.
• Experience training and mentoring staff and using ECMS, the county's automated record-keeping system.
• Experience in auditing and reviewing records for accuracy.
• Able to work effectively as a leader in a team-oriented environment and to use computers and automated systems as tools for casework and generating reports.