This position is located in the D.C Department of Human Services (DHS), Family Services Administration (FSA) with-in the Youth Services Division (YSD). The Youth Services Division (YSD) offers free services and supports for youth to strengthen families, mitigate risks related to housing instability, improve school attendance and educational outcomes, stabilize youth in crisis, and decrease court involvement. YSD includes several flagship programs and engages youth, their families, community-based providers, and District agencies to address challenging behaviors and circumstances. The Youth Services Division (YSD) also leads the city’s response to youth homelessness through grants to community-based organizations in the District of Columbia (District). These organizations are valuable partners of DHS because they provide housing, street outreach, and drop-in center services for youth up to 24 years old experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness

About DHS

The mission of the District of Columbia Department of Human Services (DHS) is to provide meaningful and equitable services, supports, and access to resources for District residents to realize their goals. Our approach to preventing homelessness and supporting individuals and/or families experiencing homelessness is focused both on systems-level reforms and on the quality of the programs and supports within that system. These efforts include creating economic opportunity, making our neighborhoods safer, and providing more effective and efficient government services. The FSA helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness, people with low income, adults at-risk for abuse or neglect, teenage parents, families experiencing challenging times and refugees to become stable and fully self-sufficient through an array of social services, assessments and case-management and crisis-intervention.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent of the position conducts office, school, home and community visits to assess client needs and strengths by interviewing and observing interactions among family members and significant others with the goal of identifying support needs and potential risks. Collaborates with community and government service providers to complete assessments and to arrange necessary services to ensure clients receive appropriate care.

Develops service plans for clients facing challenges to healthy functioning, ensuring safe and appropriate long-term care plans that promote client well-being. Maintains up-to-date case plans. Responds to crisis situations and attempts to resolve immediate problems, Provides individual, group and family counseling to help clients recognize, accept, and resolve social, environmental, emotional, and medical problems.

Qualifications and Education

Degree: Social Work. Must fulfill all the requirements for the master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression.

Licenses and Certifications

Licensed Graduate Social Worker or Licensed Independent Social Worker in the District of Columbia as specified in the Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, DC Law 6-99.

Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

Working Conditions/Environment

Work is performed in an office setting, health service facility, institution or in client's homes throughout the entire City. The employee is exposed to potentially dangerous situations and is subject to possible physical attack from emotionally disturbed hostile, volatile, or uncooperative clients and from illness or contagious disease from clients. The work environment involves risk with exposure to unpredictable situations where conditions cannot be controlled, such ac; the homes of clients and in high-risk or high crime areas. Danger is not always obvious but may be visible one time and not the next. Outside communication may be non-existent. The employee is subject to unusual environmental stress from the working environment, such as being subject to possible physical attack or similar potentially dangerous situations where conditions cannot be controlled, and from continually working with severe problem situations. The high risk work environment subjects the social worker to working in an unprotected environment with rapid changes in circumstances which cannot be foreseen.

Other Significant Facts

Candidates are encouraged to upload proof of degree(s) and licensure upon completion of the application.

Tour of Duty: Monday – Friday; 8:30am – 5:00pm (Evenings, on call and flex hours),

Pay Plan, Series and Grade: CS-0185-11

Promotional Potential: None

Collective Bargaining Unit: This position is in a collective bargaining unit represented by AFSCME 2401 and union dues may be collected.

Position Designation: This position has been designated as Protection Sensitive therefore the incumbent of this position will be subject to enhanced suitability screening pursuant to Chapter 4 of DC Personnel Regulations, Suitability and as such, incumbents of this position shall be subject to criminal background checks, background investigations, and mandatory drug and alcohol testing, as applicable.

Residency Preference: When claiming residency preference, you are required, and must agree in writing, to maintain bona fide District residency for a period of seven (7) consecutive years from the effective date of employment. You will be required to present documents (proofs) to show District residency and failure to maintain bona-fide District residency for the seven-year (7-year) period will result in forfeiture of employment.

Emergency Designation: This position has been designated as Emergency. Employees occupying positions designated as Emergency are required to:

Provide advice, recommendations, and/or specific functional support necessary for the continuity of operations during a declared emergency.
Remain at their duty station, or alternate work location (approved by their supervisor), if activated, when a situation or condition occurs and results in early dismissal for nonessential/non-emergency employees.
Report to their duty station, when activated, on time and as scheduled when a situation or condition occurs during non-work hours, and results in the late arrival or closing of District government offices for non-essential/non-emergency employees.
Telework during a declared emergency, instead of remaining or reporting to his or her duty station, if directed by the agency head (or designee), supervisor or manager.

EEO Statement: The District of Columbia Government does not discriminate or retaliate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, gender identity and expression, national origin, family responsibilities, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, homeless status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, participation in a legally protected activity, parental status, matriculation, personal appearance, credit information, status as a victim or family member of a victim of domestic violence, sexual offense, or stalking, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Department of Human Services

Latest Jobs

Social Worker