Social Worker I/II (Limited Term)

Social Worker I............... $29.91 to $40.07
Social Worker II ..............$32.35 to $43.45

Offices of the Public Defender

Orange County Public Defender's Office is a law firm of highly dedicated and skilled attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff who work to advance a more humane and compassionate justice system by protecting the constitutional rights and freedoms of the diverse communities of Orange County through inspired, client-centered advocacy in the courtroom and the community. In addition to clients in criminal cases, counsel is appointed to represent children in Juvenile Court Delinquency cases, parents in Dependency cases, and a variety of persons in Mental Health cases.

Please click HERE for more information about the Offices of Public Defender.

THE OPPORTUNITY 
The Limited Term Social Worker I/II position is responsible for assisting criminal defense attorneys by performing a variety of mandated legal casework under Proposition 47.  The assignment supports the Anaheim Collaborative Court: Evaluating Strategies and Solutions ("ACCESS") Program under the department's Recidivism and Reduction Unit.  ACCESS is a collaboration between the Orange County Superior Court, City of Anaheim, and the Orange County Public Defender to provide diversion opportunities to justice-involved individuals at the intersection of homelessness, substance abuse disorder, and/or mental illness. With a holistic approach, the Limited Term Social Worker I/II will tackle the underlying social and behavioral health needs of the client by providing high quality proactive assistance with respect to whole person care. This is an in-person assignment, and the duties cannot be performed remotely/virtually.

Under supervision of the Social Services Supervisor I, the Limited Term Social Worker I/II will include, but are not limited to:

• Identify clients for the ACCESS Program from existing and impending Public Defender cases
• Facilitate in-court referrals and program evaluations
• Conduct psychosocial, substance abuse, and risk/needs assessments
• Meet with clients in person and at the jail prior to release from custody/treatment
• Support clients by linking them to substance abuse treatment
• Provide clients with reentry resources, create personalized strategies to ensure clients' specific needs are being met as well as prevent problems from being overlooked
• Continue to meet and communicate with clients in order to address their unique struggles and prevent certain individuals from slipping through the cracks
• Work collaboratively on a team including a multitude of County and City stakeholders
• Provide support to the Recidivism and Reduction Unit.

Social Worker I is the entry level position of the Social Worker occupational series. There is no permanent status in this classification. Incumbents are expected to acquire the experience and knowledge as a Social Worker I in order to promote to the Social Worker II level at the end of their probation period. Incumbents who do not promote to Social Worker II by the completion of the probationary period will be subject to termination.
   
Social Worker II is the journey level classification.  
 
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to read more about the job duties and qualifications for Social Worker I, including Physical, Mental, Environmental and Working Conditions. 
Click here to read more about the job duties and qualifications for Social Worker II, including Physical, Mental, Environmental and Working Conditions.
   
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES
The Offices of the Public Defender is seeking an individual who is self-motivated, capable of multi-tasking with frequent interruptions, and within definitive timelines, in a fast-paced office, courtroom, and/or jail facilities environment. The ideal candidate will possess professional work experience and/or knowledge in the following core competencies:

Technical Knowledge/Experience

• Develop, use and collaborate with Court, City/County and community resources to meet the needs of the clients
• Use of critical thinking to plan, organize, prioritize and process work and meet deadlines in a demanding environment
• Meet deadlines and organize case work 
• Assess clients  
• Case management and records requests
• Maintain accurate records to account for department funds and resources  
• Proficient utilizing Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook  

Relationship Building

• Establish rapport with and gain cooperation of people from diverse groups and widely varying backgrounds
• Interact with department staff, clients and collaborate in a way that gives them confidence in one's motives and representations and those of the organization
• Develop relationships and maintain regular contact with various treatment programs and shelter providers
• Maintain and safeguard client's information and communication 

Communication

• Possess excellent written communication skills for gathering, evaluating, and preparing well organized reports, correspondences and other written documents using proper English grammar, spelling and punctuation
• Possess excellent oral communication skills to interact, communicate and function under stressful situations that require instructing or persuading, and conduct client interviews
• Utilize various management information systems and automation tools to maintain and access case file information and electronic communications via desktop/laptop computer systems and computer networks

Ability to

• Drive to and from court and other locations as required.

BACKGROUND VERIFICATION/ SANCTION SCREENING
Note: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.).

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer):
Public Defender Human Resources screens all application materials to identify candidates with qualities that meet minimum and/or desirable qualifications. Application materials and supplemental responses will be screened to identify qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this position based on the skills required to meet the needs of the County.   Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition. 
 
Application Appraisal Panel | Supplemental Questions Rating (Weighted 100%):
A panel of job knowledge experts will only evaluate the responses to the supplemental questions for job knowledge, competencies, and related experience described above. 

Each candidate's rating is solely based on the candidate's responses to the supplemental questions; therefore, candidates should be thorough, detailed, and complete in their responses to the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be rated, so please be descriptive and thorough in your response. "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be evaluated in lieu of the required information. Clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and your ability to follow instructions may also be considered in the evaluation process. 

This is a competitive process. Please note that the panel will also be evaluating written communication skills. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list. 

ELIGIBLE LIST
After the competitive procedures listed above have been completed, an eligible list of qualified candidates will be established. Candidates will be notified of their standing. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to an in-person selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Please note: To ensure case confidentiality, please do not provide specific identifying case names and/or case numbers within the application, all supplemental responses and in all attachments to the application.    

Based on the Agency/Department's needs, modification to the selection procedure listed above may occur. If changes in the selection procedure should occur, all candidates will receive notification.

Veterans Employment Preference Policy, Effective 09/15/2020 
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide  eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.

QUESTIONS

INTERESTED?
• Apply online as only online applications will be accepted.
• Your application should highlight all of the areas in which you have developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the specific qualifications listed above.
• In the job experience section of the application, it is imperative that you include the company name and address, position held, employment dates, full-time or part-time, duties and reason for leaving. All this information must be included for each job listed.
• Applicants are required to answer supplemental questions in addition to completing the online application. 
Note: We suggest you prepare the supplemental answers offline so you do not lose your Internet connection. Once you have completed the answers offline, copy and paste your answers in the appropriate boxes.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES

The County of Orange provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package as part of the employee total compensation.

ORANGE COUNTY AMENITIES

• 24 Parks and Trails: OC Parks & Trails
• 17 Beaches/Harbors: OC Beaches
• 7 Historical Sites: OC Historic Sites

EMAIL NOTIFICATION
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account. 
NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com," "oc.gov," and "ocpubdef.gov."  If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions. For additional information regarding employment with the County of Orange, please visit OC Human Resource Services.