Supervisory Social Worker, Grade N26

Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $89,721 to $139,951, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

WHO WE ARE

Montgomery County is located adjacent to Washington, D.C., and with over one million residents, is the most populous County in the State of Maryland. The County is also the most diverse County in the State and ranks among the top ten most diverse Counties in the nation. Montgomery County contains many major U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses.

The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for delivery of the County’s public health and human services that meets the needs of our community’s most vulnerable children, adults and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at more than 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest County Department.

As a department, we believe the health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Adult Protective Services Program with the Adult Protective Services and Case Management Services Section of Aging & Disability Services is currently recruiting for an enthusiastic Supervisory Social Worker dedicated to providing protective services to older adults and adults with disabilities.  The employee in this position must have strong leadership and social work clinical skills, be skilled in electronic case management tools, in addition to experience with programmatic and fiscal oversight.  

Adult Protective Services (APS) is a mandated social services program to assist vulnerable adults who are unable to provide for their basic living needs or access necessary professional services or protect their own interests and are subject to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect. The Adult Protective Services supervisor is responsible for supervising up to 8 employees who provide investigative and protective services, crisis intervention, and case management, as well as assigned administrative staff. This position oversees the management, supervision, and delivery of core Adult Protective Services in the Assessment, APS, and Case Management Services Section as mandated by the Code of Maryland Regulations and the Department of Human Services. This position will provide direct and regular clinical supervision to the social workers and nurses assigned to this APS investigations unit. Meetings with APS staff will occur individually and as a group for both administrative and clinical meetings. The APS Supervisor assists and guides the APS social worker in developing safe and efficient service plans that assure the immediate well-being and safety of the individual at risk. This may involve consultation with the APS nurse on health and wellness of the client, leading toward an appropriate safety plan. This may also involve the authorization to provide emergency services such as home care, alternative living arrangements, hospitalization, voluntary as well as involuntary, and collaboration with law enforcement and public safety officials monthly (minimal) by regular participation in the Montgomery County Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse Task Force (EVAATF) and related work groups. When concerns over client capacity and competency present themselves, exploration of alternate (surrogate) decision-making mechanisms, including guardianship, is explored. This position is also expected to provide APS updates to unit and section staff and to actively participate in interdisciplinary staffing and regular EVAATF meetings.

The APS Supervisor will coordinate, encourage staff participation, and further develop an integrated practice through daily interaction and planning with various internal and external service partners including all Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services service areas, the Maryland State Departments of Human Services, Health, and Aging; county, local and state law enforcement; the County State’s Attorney’s Office; the County Attorney’s Office; the judicial system; the shelter system; local hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, medical providers, senior centers, Fire and Rescue Services, and Housing and Community Affairs. The APS Supervisor will consult, plan, and train internal and external partners on the purpose and scope of APS and will actively participate in the annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event. 

The APS Supervisor will contribute to and assist with program planning, training, administration, utilization of pertinent technology (i.e. Enterprise Integrated Case Management System (eICM), Child, Juvenile, Adult Management System (CJAMS), Eligibility and Enrollment (E&E) etc.), business process and quality improvement, and program evaluation. This APS Supervisor is expected to regularly collaborate and support the other two APS Investigation teams and their supervisors. This position is also responsible for ensuring proper use of APS flex funds, APS emergency funds for short-term placement, utilization of APS cab services, as well as the Home Hazard fund.

Lastly, this supervisor will work with the Department’s ESF#6 Disaster/Mass Care team to ensure the emergency response of Aging & Disability staff when responding to victims of either natural or technological disaster, emergency, or other catastrophic events. A key element for HHS is ensuring staff coverage of emergency shelters administered by HHS, in partnership with the American Red Cross. An expectation of this supervisor is to provide leadership as either a County Lead Representative (CLR) with the Department’s Disaster/Mass Response Teams (including emergency shelters), and/or encourage section staff to actively participate with sheltering and emergency response activities and training.

This position will travel throughout the County to perform essential job duties.  The selected candidate will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment background check, medical exam, and drug screening.

Education: Possession of a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited college or university that meets the criteria of a graduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Experience: Four (4) years of full-time experience performing advanced journey-level social work case management duties (see Note below) in a public sector, health, mental health, social services, housing, or community- based services related program of which one (1) year was in a supervisory or lead capacity supervising, training, or orienting lower-level social workers, students, interns, or other staff.

Equivalency: See requirements of the Maryland Board of Social Worker Examiners and the Code of Maryland (COMAR); see especially 10.42.01 (Regulations Governing Licensure); 10.42.06 (Continuing Education); and, 10.42.08 (Supervision). The Montgomery County Office of Human Resources must follow COMAR in providing qualifications credit and accepting substitutions or equivalents. See Chapter 8 (Supervision), Subtitle 42 of Title 10. See COMAR 10.42-08.04 for positions in this class that involve clinical supervision of LMSWs and LCSWs seeking advanced licensure.

Note: Qualifying social work case management includes direct case work management, such as: assessment and evaluation; conducting investigations of abuse and neglect; preparing court reports; responsibility for a long term caseload, monitoring compliance through home calls and other personal contact; collaboration with other agencies and linking clients to resources and programs; development of a case plan and modification of case plans as needed/required; and authority to impose sanctions or implement actions that impact services. Education, experience or training must indicate the ability to perform successfully as a first level supervisor such as the ability to plan/assign/review work, deploy personnel, monitor work operations, obtain effective results and perform a full array of supervisory HR management and EEO functions.

License:

At application possession and maintenance at all times:

• A license as a Licensed Certified Social Worker – Clinical – LCSW-C by the Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners prior to appointment for a supervisory position that involves clinical supervision

• Licensed as a Maryland Board Approved Supervisor

• A valid driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence.

• Experience in and knowledge of Health and Human Services principles, theories, and methods required to be effective in providing a wide range of services to adults with disabilities and the frail elderly; and experience in using diagnostic/clinical skills related to interventions and services of this population. 

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of protective services, case management, and court/legal testimony and process. 

• Demonstrated experience of at least 2 years with supervision or lead capacity of health and human service professionals who provide direct services to adults with intellectual and/or physical disabilities or the frail elderly. 

• Demonstrated administrative experience managing a program budget, or grant funds, and/or tracking expenditures against allocations. 

• Demonstrated experience and success with interdisciplinary teaming, community outreach and customer service.