Family Services Specialist I/II (King and Queen)

King and Queen County Department of Social Services is seeking a Family Services Specialist that enjoys working with older adults and their families in a rural community.

King and Queen County is a very rural county that was established in 1691. The county is named for King William III and Queen Mary II of England. The county has a total area of 326 square miles, of which 315 square miles is land and 11 square miles is water. Measuring 72 miles in length, it is known as the longest county in the state of Virginia. Driving through the County, there are many farms and breath-taking natural scenery to enjoy. King and Queen County contains no incorporated towns or cities, and remains one of Virginia’s most sparsely-populated counties. The population is approximately 7000. If you desire to work in the country, King and Queen County is the perfect setting for you.

This position will work primarily with Adult Protective Services and Adult Services and may work in other areas of family services, as needed by the team, such as Child Protective Services, Foster Care, and Adoption Services. This position may be filled with a Family Services Specialist I or II.

Family Services Specialist I represents the entry level employees working under close supervision while being trained in program areas such as, Adult/Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care/’Adoption, Child Care, and Employment Services. Employees perform routine- to journey-level casework activities and the casework usually is reviewed by the supervisor prior to implementing a case action.

Family Services Specialist II is the full performance level in the occupational group for Family Services. Employees are responsible for developing and implementing individualized service plans involving the application of casework methods in Employment Services and Child Care, and basic service level caseloads of Adult/Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Adoptions.  Employees may provide services in all program areas or specialize in one or several program areas. Typically employees perform all tasks independently and only seek supervisory advice on unusual situations or when policies and procedures require supervisory review or involvement.

General Work Tasks (Illustrative Only) – 

• Interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific area of responsibility;
• Monitors, coordinates and administers specific programs as assigned;
• Conducts investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities;
• Completes biopsychosocial assessments using the Virginia Uniform Assessment Instrument;
• Coordinates services within specific area of responsibility;
• Interviews and assesses customer needs and other relevant factors – such as education/skill levels, abilities, interests, and support systems;
• Presents cases to determine appropriate services and writes/implements service plans;
• Provides case management services to monitor compliance;
• Tracks expenditures, prepares/submits budget estimates and ensures payment for services;
• Completes necessary federal, state and local planning and reporting requirements;
• Coordinates with other agencies and participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers;
• Conducts overall monitoring of programs in specific area of responsibility;
• Serves as resource to clients and the community in area of expertise; and
• Provides after hours on-call coverage and responds to emergencies in adult/child protective services and/or foster care.

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services.

Some knowledge of: social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; and social, economic, and health problems.

Skill in operating a motor vehicle and personal computer with associated software.

Demonstrated ability to: communicate effectively both orally and in writing; interview, assess needs, counsel and refer clients to other resources as needed; develop and implement service plans in order to insure the delivery of appropriate services to the client; make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations; respond to the client’s emotions in order to accomplish services objectives; plan and manage own work activities including service delivery, preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities; establish and maintain effective relationships; and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.

Preferred Qualifications:

Possession of a BSW or MSW degree is desirable.

Education and/or experience in Gerontology is desirable.

Demonstrated experience and/or training in Adult Protective Services is desirable.

Demonstrated experience in working with older adults and/or adults with disabilities and their families is desirable.

Special Requirements:

All applicants are subject to a DMV driving record check, pre-employment drug screen, and CPS and criminal history search. The investigation may include: fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI); local agency checks; employment verification; verification of education (relevant to employment); credit checks; and other checks requested by the hiring authority. Employee must be willing to work in community emergency response capacity in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. Family Services Specialists are required to perform Child Protective and Adult Protective on-call duties after hours, nights, weekends and holidays in a rotation with their team members.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Applications for this position must be submitted electronically through this website. Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered applications and resumes will not be accepted. The website will provide a confirmation of receipt when the application is submitted for consideration. Consideration for an interview is based solely on the information within the application and/or resume. Please refer to your account for the status of your application and this position. This position is open until filled but applications received before January 5, 2024, will be given priority.