Social Services Specialist III - Healthy Families
Apply NowCompany: Fairfax County, VA
Location: Fairfax, VA 22030
Description:
Salary : $70,711.26 - $117,851.76 Annually
Location : FAIRFAX (EJ27), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 25-00532
Department: Family Services
Opening Date: 02/22/2025
Closing Date: 3/7/2025 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S25
Posting Type: Open to General Public
Job Announcement
This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children, youth, and families? The Department of Family Services (DFS) is looking for a dedicated and dynamic individual to join our team as a full-time home visitor for the Healthy Families Fairfax (HFF) program within the Children, Youth, and Families Division (CYF). Discover more about DFS, our Mission, Vision, and Values
Healthy Families Fairfax is a home visiting program designed for expectant parents and families with newborns. Over 85% of the families we serve speak Spanish. Our services are free, confidential, and voluntary. We offer home visits that empower parents to foster their children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, helping them succeed in life. Healthy Families Fairfax supports parents in providing nurturing care, promoting a healthy and prosperous future for their children. Our dedicated Home Visitors assist parents in realizing and utilizing their inherent skills to become the best version of themselves.
Key responsibilities:
Documentation:
Maintain timely and accurate records of home visits ensuring that goals and focus areas are addressed.
Collaborative Environment:
Illustrative Duties
(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
Contributes to the development of protocols, policies, procedures, grants and contracts for a social services program, department, and other entities;
Manages service contracts and provide and directs other contract-related functions;
Assists the supervisor in planning and carrying out training for new staff, providing guidance to staff. May directly supervise staff, and covers for the supervisor in their absence;
Serves as a policy expert in an area of social work specialization;
Coordinates or oversees the daily activities of a program or project to include staff supervision, oversight of administrative functions/requirements associated with the program or project, evaluation of the program or project for its impact/effectiveness, and making recommendations for changes or improvements;
Conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and prepares and implements service plans;
Works with clients to develop a plan of service to meet social, health, emotional and economic needs. With the client, formulates objectives and identifies actions to resolve the clients' problems;
Conducts home visits to families for the purpose of monitoring, counseling and supervision;
Provides crisis intervention on a timely basis to clients or families whose well being is seriously and immediately threatened, to include Child Protective Services after-hours;
Conducts mediation services to families in conflict;
Makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized;
Represents the agency in court proceedings; prepares testimony and testifies in Juvenile, Circuit, Criminal, Civil and Federal Courts;
Works with the community to identify families, children and individuals needing services and to coordinate these services using a wrap-around approach;
Advocates and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, home based services, training and medical services);
Communicates and works with colleagues, clients and the community in a manner that supports the agency and program goals and objectives;
Participates as a contributing member on interagency, multi-disciplinary teams, community groups and professional organizations;
Collaborates and contributes to child specific teams on non-agency cases as assigned to assist in identifying community resources and services for families;
Participates, collaborates and contributes to Comprehensive Services Act activities for families on caseload;
Provides training and education on a variety of social work topics;
Recruits volunteers and manages volunteer services;
Uses automated technology and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts and summaries of information;
Manages and maintains program data and outcomes.
Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work;
Thorough knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues;
Thorough knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization;
Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
Ability to analyze case information and to reach sound decisions on the basis of such information;
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.;
Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines;
Ability to provide guidance, direction, supervision and coaching to less-experienced staff;
Ability to provide management and oversight of a program or project.
Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus three years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED
Valid driver's license.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.
Bilingual in English & Spanish.
This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
Works a flexible schedule to include evenings and weekends. May be required to be on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Master's degree in a field related to counseling, social work, psychology, or marriage and family therapy.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations. Ability to stand, stoop, bend, stretch, walk, climb, sit and type on a keyboard. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.
#LI-RS1
Merit Positions
Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service
For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
01
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
02
Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
03
If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list the discipline of your degree. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
04
How many years of full-time equivalent professional social work experience do you have?Note: "social work" is defined as an academic discipline and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
05
Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
06
Are you bilingual in English and Spanish?
07
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have conducting home visits? Note: "Home visit" is defined as: Home-based services with an individual or family focus that includes assessment, case planning, case management, education, and/or skill building.
08
How many years of continuous full-time child welfare or case management experience do you have?
09
Do you have at least two years of full-time equivalent professional social services or human services experience in any of the following areas? Check all that apply.
10
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with a diverse multicultural population?
11
Are you fluent in any languages other than English? Check all that apply.
12
If you answered "Other" for the previous question, please indicate the foreign language(s) that you are fluent in. If this does not apply to you, enter "N/A".
Required Question
Location : FAIRFAX (EJ27), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 25-00532
Department: Family Services
Opening Date: 02/22/2025
Closing Date: 3/7/2025 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S25
Posting Type: Open to General Public
Job Announcement
This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children, youth, and families? The Department of Family Services (DFS) is looking for a dedicated and dynamic individual to join our team as a full-time home visitor for the Healthy Families Fairfax (HFF) program within the Children, Youth, and Families Division (CYF). Discover more about DFS, our Mission, Vision, and Values
Healthy Families Fairfax is a home visiting program designed for expectant parents and families with newborns. Over 85% of the families we serve speak Spanish. Our services are free, confidential, and voluntary. We offer home visits that empower parents to foster their children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, helping them succeed in life. Healthy Families Fairfax supports parents in providing nurturing care, promoting a healthy and prosperous future for their children. Our dedicated Home Visitors assist parents in realizing and utilizing their inherent skills to become the best version of themselves.
Key responsibilities:
- Conduct home visits to support parent-child relationships, healthy development, and
family functioning. - Promote nurturing parent-child interaction and attachment through activities and
support. - Encourage healthy childhood growth and development, including milestones, health,
safety, nutrition, and school readiness. - Enhance family functioning by building trust, supporting family well-being, and providing
resources and strategies for self-sufficiency. - Conduct virtual visits when in-person visits are not feasible due to special circumstances.
- Participate in and document group meetings as home visits when applicable.
- Collaborate with multi-disciplinary team members, ensuring proper training and
supervision.
Documentation:
Maintain timely and accurate records of home visits ensuring that goals and focus areas are addressed.
Collaborative Environment:
- Work collaboratively with team members from other Children, Youth, and Families
programs and community partners. - Partner with families and community stakeholders to strengthen community prevention
programs and build protective factors.
Illustrative Duties
(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
Contributes to the development of protocols, policies, procedures, grants and contracts for a social services program, department, and other entities;
Manages service contracts and provide and directs other contract-related functions;
Assists the supervisor in planning and carrying out training for new staff, providing guidance to staff. May directly supervise staff, and covers for the supervisor in their absence;
Serves as a policy expert in an area of social work specialization;
Coordinates or oversees the daily activities of a program or project to include staff supervision, oversight of administrative functions/requirements associated with the program or project, evaluation of the program or project for its impact/effectiveness, and making recommendations for changes or improvements;
Conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and prepares and implements service plans;
Works with clients to develop a plan of service to meet social, health, emotional and economic needs. With the client, formulates objectives and identifies actions to resolve the clients' problems;
Conducts home visits to families for the purpose of monitoring, counseling and supervision;
Provides crisis intervention on a timely basis to clients or families whose well being is seriously and immediately threatened, to include Child Protective Services after-hours;
Conducts mediation services to families in conflict;
Makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized;
Represents the agency in court proceedings; prepares testimony and testifies in Juvenile, Circuit, Criminal, Civil and Federal Courts;
Works with the community to identify families, children and individuals needing services and to coordinate these services using a wrap-around approach;
Advocates and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, home based services, training and medical services);
Communicates and works with colleagues, clients and the community in a manner that supports the agency and program goals and objectives;
Participates as a contributing member on interagency, multi-disciplinary teams, community groups and professional organizations;
Collaborates and contributes to child specific teams on non-agency cases as assigned to assist in identifying community resources and services for families;
Participates, collaborates and contributes to Comprehensive Services Act activities for families on caseload;
Provides training and education on a variety of social work topics;
Recruits volunteers and manages volunteer services;
Uses automated technology and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts and summaries of information;
Manages and maintains program data and outcomes.
Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work;
Thorough knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues;
Thorough knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization;
Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
Ability to analyze case information and to reach sound decisions on the basis of such information;
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.;
Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines;
Ability to provide guidance, direction, supervision and coaching to less-experienced staff;
Ability to provide management and oversight of a program or project.
Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus three years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED
Valid driver's license.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.
Bilingual in English & Spanish.
This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
Works a flexible schedule to include evenings and weekends. May be required to be on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Master's degree in a field related to counseling, social work, psychology, or marriage and family therapy.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations. Ability to stand, stoop, bend, stretch, walk, climb, sit and type on a keyboard. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.
#LI-RS1
Merit Positions
Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
- Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
- Group Term Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- LiveWell Program
- Flexible Spending Programs
- Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
- Paid Holidays
- Contributory Retirement Plan
- Deferred Compensation
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employees' Child Care Center
- Commuter Benefit Program
- Continuous Learning Opportunities
NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service
For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
- Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
- Flexible Spending Program
- Deferred Compensation
- No benefits
01
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
- Less than 12th grade
- High school diploma or GED
- Some college
- Associate's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- Doctorate degree
02
Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
- Counseling
- Public administration
- Human services
- Education
- Psychology
- Social work
- Other (related field)
- Other (non-related field)
- Not applicable
03
If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list the discipline of your degree. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
04
How many years of full-time equivalent professional social work experience do you have?Note: "social work" is defined as an academic discipline and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
05
Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
- Yes
- No
06
Are you bilingual in English and Spanish?
- Yes
- No
07
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have conducting home visits? Note: "Home visit" is defined as: Home-based services with an individual or family focus that includes assessment, case planning, case management, education, and/or skill building.
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
08
How many years of continuous full-time child welfare or case management experience do you have?
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
09
Do you have at least two years of full-time equivalent professional social services or human services experience in any of the following areas? Check all that apply.
- Adult protective services
- Alcohol and drug services
- Case management
- Child protective services
- Children and families
- Domestic violence
- Education
- Foster care
- Homeless shelter
- Housing
- Intellectual disabilities
- Mental health
- Older adults
- Physical disabilities
- Prevention
- Sexual assault
- None of the above
10
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with a diverse multicultural population?
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
11
Are you fluent in any languages other than English? Check all that apply.
- Spanish
- Korean
- Farsi
- Vietnamese
- Other
- None
12
If you answered "Other" for the previous question, please indicate the foreign language(s) that you are fluent in. If this does not apply to you, enter "N/A".
Required Question