Social Worker, Family Advocacy & Support Services

social worker - 52613 job overview

applicants must be permanent in the social worker, be permanent in a comparable title eligible for 6.1.9 title change or be immediately reachable on exam no. 4091.

the office of the ombudsman provides independent and impartial assistance to dhs shelter clients and provides them with a wide array of information and services on shelters and various dhs/hra programs.

under the general supervision of the ombudsman deputy director, with some latitude for independent judgment and decision making, the social worker is charged with meeting with clients in person and accessing clients that may exhibit mental challenges or illness.

the office of the ombudsman handles around 2,400 walk‑in clients a year, many of whom have a history of mental illness. The social worker will utilize his or her clinical advanced knowledge through alternative dispute resolution methods, including mediation between the clients, shelter management and ohs program administrators to help resolve clients’ concerns and crises, provide effective conflict resolution, educate clients on community‑based services and resources, and maintain a comprehensive data tracking and reporting system.

The social worker will actively engage clients in a meaningful manner and empower them to participate in decisions that affect their lives.

the social worker works in partnership with dhs’s adults and family services divisions by assessing the client’s needs, determining service eligibility, or providing additional services.

• maintain records, detailing and tracking ongoing and completed cases and activities in the iq system. Generate reports detailing and/or aggregating activities on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
• develop and maintain various resources that support the needs of clients such as a list of nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups that can help the clients with various concerns or issues.
• work with the shelter and various internal dhs/hra departments to plan for client transition to permanent housing, making the transition to permanent housing within the community.
• handle all channels of constituent service within the office of the ombudsman: calls (office, mobile, hotline), iq correspondence‑tracking system workflows, walk‑ins, correspondence, etc.
• research cases as comprehensively as needed, in order to thoroughly understand the concern(s) raised.
• liaise with appropriate internal and external partners, in order to achieve a successful resolution.
• participate in or lead constituent meetings and conferences, both internal and external; lead field visits, as required, to support the needs of constituents and inform and further the goals of the ombudsman office and dss/hra/dhs.
• update supervisor while in the field in a timely fashion and as frequently as needed.
• provide a supportive client experience through effective and compassionate listening and timely client‑focused case management; direct counseling and/or outreach services; refer to other public agencies or community resources as needed.
• supervise volunteers or other auxiliary personnel in their work assignments by distributing/scheduling work, providing training/instruction/guidance and reviewing work/monitoring performance.
• maintain records, detailing and tracking ongoing and completed cases and activities in the iq system.
• generate reports detailing and/or aggregating activities on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis; frequently enter data into relevant databases when they are developed.
• provide initial assessment within 72 hours of acquiring a case. Communicate information that is relevant, accurate, clear, and thorough to all relevant parties.
• review responses received from shelters, program administrators, and the analyst to determine comprehensiveness and appropriateness of the response as well as to follow up with the constituent to discuss the resolution and close the case.
• target closing cases within 7 days of sending email notification to shelter director or program administrator; develop an action plan to resolve and close cases approaching 15 days old, which will be flagged for review with the supervisor; address all cases in…