Family Services Specialist

Hiring Range: $53,528 to $75,542

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Additional Detail

The City of Suffolk is pleased to offer a SIGN ON BONUS for this position if eligible! - From $2,500 to $,4000 depending on experience and education!

Date Posted: 05/02/2025

Dated Closed:  05/18/2025

Salary Range: $53,528 - 75,542 depending on experience and education.

JOB DESCRIPTION: 

-Under general supervision, facilitates, coordinates, and provides counseling and case management in multiple social work service programs administered by the City Social Services Department including protective services for adults and children as well as foster care.  Position may also be assigned duties within various units of the Family Services Division, i.e., Prevention, Intake, APS, and Foster Care.  Cross-training in other areas of the Family Services division will be required.  Incumbents will be expected to perform duties throughout the division as needed.  May coordinate specific services provided by the department with overall responsibility for the daily activities and outcomes. Tasks include screening clients and explaining multiple social work service programs, determining and pursuing necessary action to meet client needs, counseling clients, and providing or assisting in obtaining access to necessary human services assistance.  Maintains various records and case files.  Prepares required reports.

-Working knowledge of social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; and social, economic, and health problems. Skilled in operating a motor vehicle and a personal computer. 
 
-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/family; 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 human services field. 
 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Complete all mandated Virginia Department of Social Services required to serve as an Family Services Worker within the mandated timeframes.  
• Conducts investigations of abuse and neglect and documents all required contacts within state mandated timeframes.
• Interviews applicants, explaining scope of multiple benefit programs and determining eligibility for assistance. Secures and verifies financial, social and employment data from applicant. Assists applicant in completing required forms, as necessary. 
• Evaluates information received from applicants for consistency, accuracy and completeness.
• Identifies needs of clients. Explains available programs, rights and responsibilities. Refers clients to other Social Services programs and ancillary agencies, including child support enforcement officials, as appropriate. 
• Explores other possible sources of income for applicants. 
• Completes mathematical computations. Determines amount and type of assistance clients may be eligible or ineligible to receive.
• Maintains contact with clients, visiting clients' homes as necessary. Receives inquiries and provides information based on detailed knowledge of multiple benefit programs or refers inquiries to appropriate personnel.
• Composes and type correspondence and forms. Assumes responsibility for correctness of spelling, punctuation, format and grammar.
• Plans and organizes caseload, establishing priorities and scheduling appointments.
• Utilizes numerous computer-driven data entry and file maintenance programs to retrieve files and other information required to determine eligibility for assistance. Performs various data entry duties.  
• Research files and records to obtain data for inclusion in periodic review of clients' eligibility status and/or re-evaluation of applications through appeals process.
• Identifies instances of fraud. Makes appropriate referrals and contacts.
• Maintains data from various sources. Performs research for completion of periodic reports. Organizes data for analysis.
• Maintains a variety of confidential records and files.
• Participates in coverage of emergency/disaster related incidents up to and including sheltering of individuals and families.
• Remains on-call for emergency after hour duties.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Employee must be willing to work disaster related assignments, including emergency shelter duty, in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. 

REQUIRED 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 (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia). Experience (typically 1-2 years) in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Possession of a BSW or MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license are desirable. Requires a valid driver’s license. 

-Prefer working knowledge of VA DARS Adult Protective Services, VA DSS Child Protective Services, Family Services Intake, and Crisis Intervention practices.

-Prefer working knowledge of VA DARS case documentation systems such as Peer Place and experience monitoring cases.

Contact: Department of Social Services, 135 Hall Avenue Suite B, Suffolk, VA  23434 or vdssjobs@suffolkva.us 

REQUIRED 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 (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia). Experience (typically 1-2 years) in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Possession of a BSW or MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license are desirable. Requires a valid driver’s license. 

-Prefer working knowledge of VA DARS Adult Protective Services, VA DSS Child Protective Services, Family Services Intake, and Crisis Intervention practices.

-Prefer working knowledge of VA DARS case documentation systems such as Peer Place and experience monitoring cases.

Contact: Department of Social Services, 135 Hall Avenue Suite B, Suffolk, VA  23434 or          vdssjobs@suffolkva.us