Adult Protective Social Worker

Catawba County Social Services is committed to making living better through serving disabled adults by responding to and evaluating reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We are seeking individuals who share our common core values: Doing what’s right:

• Evaluating reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled adults, and providing protection and services to adults who have been confirmed to have been maltreated and who are in need of protection.
• Responding to crisis situations and ensuring any emergencies are appropriately addressed.

Doing what matters most:

• Serving disabled adults and our community by providing protection, support and comprehensive person-centered, assessments and services to individuals that are confirmed to have been abused, neglected, or exploited.
• Respecting that clients have the right to self-determination and ensuring that right is protected.

Doing it together:

• Working cohesively with families, court partners, and community and agency partners to ensure adults are protected and linked to services that will allow them to function at their highest possible level.

Doing it well:

• Striving for excellence in meeting all mandated standards in a fast-paced, but rewarding environment that ultimately seeks to assure adults are protected and cared for with respect, dignity, and in the least restrictive environment possible.

  RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Evaluate for allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of disabled adults
• Assess and respond (Crisis intervention) to urgent and potential danger of client
• Confirm and substantiate allegations
• Mobilize services
• Work with attorney in preparing court orders and subpoenas
• Assess client’s need for legal guardianship, and if needed, facilitate the guardianship process
• Assure clients rights to self-determination/capacity to consent
• Provide intensive social work services
• Comprehensive psychosocial assessment
• Link to services
• Assess family dynamics
• Counsel long term care decisions to maintain health and safety
• Provide on-call after hours on a rotating basis
• Provide assistance to callers/visitors through service intake on a rotating basis
• Ongoing case management in the following service areas: guardianship, representative payee, IHA Level I and MAC services.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and 1 year of social work experience; or
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and 2 years of social work experience; or
• Bachelor's degree in human services field and 3 years of social work experience; or
• Bachelors' degree in a non-human services related field and 4 years of social work experience

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid Driver’s license with a safe driving record
• Knowledge of social work principles and practices
• Knowledge of and experience in gerontology and mental health issues
• Excellent insight and judgment
• Ability to develop personal relationships in the most difficult of circumstances
• Patience with the capability of being assertive, yet supportive
• Strong logical thinking skills
• Assessment/investigative skills
• Flexibility
• Excellent communication skills
• This is considered light work; lifting up to 20 pounds.