SUMMARY 

The School Social Worker is a professional member of Children’s Programs and Services at Northern Tier Counseling, Inc. School Social Workers design and deliver programs that improve student outcomes. They lead, advocate, and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their School Social Work program to the school's academic mission and school improvement plan. School Social Workers deliver developmentally appropriate activities and services directly to students or indirectly for students as a result of the School Social Workers interaction with others.

To achieve the best results for students, School Social Workers regularly assess their program to: determine its effectiveness in helping all students succeed, inform improvements to their School Social Work program design and delivery, and show how students are different as a result of the school counseling program.

The School Social Workers are responsible for the provision of psychotherapeutic activities/psycho social education, crisis assessment, case management duties, among other duties, with an assigned caseload within a school district. The School Social Worker role will include providing a full range of services to students who need additional emotional support. As a key member of the school district’s student support team, this position will partner with school administrators and teachers to develop and implement plans that provide specialized emotional support for selected students throughout the course of the school year. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Individual student social and emotional goal setting

2. Provide school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards.

3. Short-term counseling to ascertain student referrals needs for long-term support resources

4. Collaboration with families/teachers/ administrators/ community stakeholders for student success

5. Advocate for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings

6. Observe, gather, and report on data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges.

7. Acting as a system change agent to improve equity and access, achievement and opportunities for all students.

8. School Social Worker will deliver developmentally appropriate activities and services directly to students or indirectly for students as a result of the School Social Worker’s interaction with others (school Administration, Teachers, Parents, guardians, etc., 

9. Help students function effectively in the school environment.

10. Communicate with parents, teachers and administrators regarding the success and challenges of the students ensuring everyone is aligned with the appropriate goals.

11. Responsible for functioning as the primary School Social Worker of record for a specified caseload within an assigned school district; duties include psychosocial intake assessment, facilitation of various social/emotional skills development groups, individual counseling and support to the student and their parents/guardians, parenting interventions and education, and assisting the school team to develop a plan to meet the emotional needs of the student to support the student in achieving their educational goal, ongoing evaluation of student needs, final discharge status and aftercare planning.

12. Participate in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process by gathering data, reporting that back to the IEP team, participating in ongoing meetings and assessments.

13. Participation in treatment team meetings.

14. Responsible under the program supervision/direction to prepare testimony for court proceedings in response to subpoenas generated by Court Systems. 

15. Responsible for keeping adequate case records in accordance with accepted facility, state, and federal regulations.

16. School Social Worker will interact with students, their parents/guardians, school Administration, and community stakeholders in a courteous and professional manner, seeking to resolve any complaints, misunderstandings, etc. of work-related issues by following the chain of command as outlined in the agency personnel policies and code of ethics.

17. Participate in ongoing in-service and educational activities to ensure that all credentialing/licensing and certification requirements are met and maintained.

18. Work in coordination with other community agencies to provide adequate treatment to assigned clients.

19. Attending staff meetings as scheduled.

20. Utilize NTC’s Electronic Health Records (E.H.R.) during tenure of employment. Initial training and on-going training will be provided to employees by the respective supervisor and/or assigned team member. 

21. Employees will be proficient in their job position within six (6) months. If at any time an employee feels they need more training/education, the employee is to submit a request for such through their supervisor, manager, and/or director. 

22. Additional duties may be added as necessary to meet the needs of the facility; other functions and duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 

1. Graduate of an accredited college or university with a master’s degree required and Pennsylvania State License (LSW, LCSW, LPC) preferred or license eligible in the behavioral or social sciences.

2. Meet the State of Pennsylvania Department of Education certification for School Social Workers or be in the process of said certification.

3. Knowledge of childhood, adolescent and adult psychopathology and basic psychotherapeutic issues, treatment techniques and methods of intervention, l year experience required.

4. Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively.

Winning Behaviors, Competencies and Skills

1. Must possess the ability to analyze complex issues and solve them correctly and creatively.

2. Must possess the ability to meet established deadlines and schedules.

3. Must be able to maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to the clients and the client’s family.

4. Must be organized and efficient in the performance of their job.

5. Must possess leadership qualities.

6. Ability to make clear and pertinent statements both orally and in writing.

7. Takes initiative - seek ways to complete assignments with a minimum of guidance.

8. Job Knowledge - consider relationship in length of time in assignment.

9. Problem Solving - take on new responsibilities and work toward solutions. 

10. Communication - effectively communicate both verbal and written format with peers, consumers, management. 

11. Commitment to continued learning - works to improve self and team members. 

12. Continuous quality Improvement - works to eliminate waste and make improvements.

13. Teamwork - acts as team player, supports team goals, can lead and follow.

14. Strong decision-making skills

15. Attendance - works as scheduled.

16. Positive Attitude - gets involved in company groups.

17. Flexibility - ability to accept new direction on short notice.

18. Cross Training - works to share knowledge with others in a helpful way.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

1. Must be able to travel if required.

2. Position may/will require use of own vehicle, valid auto insurance, and possess valid (clean) driver’s license.

3. Sedentary work: duties require exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry push, and pull articles such as files and computer binders.

4. Position requires occasional crisis intervention for protection of self and others.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

1. Works in a well-lit office environment.

LANGUAGE SKILLS 

2. Ability to write reports and correspondence.

3. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS 

1. Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as payment reimbursements and payroll labor distributions.

REASONING ABILITY 

1. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

1. Graduate of an accredited college or university with a Master's degree required and License preferred in the behavioral or social sciences.
2. Knowledge of childhood, adolescent and adult psychopathology and basic psychotherapeutic issues, treatment techniques and methods of intervention, l year experience required.
3. Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively.
4. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Trains for Clinical Staff
5. Requirement for Licensure, Certification and/or Registration

Winning Behaviors, Competencies and Skills

1. Must possess the ability to analyze complex issues and solve them correctly and creatively.
2. Must possess the ability to meet established deadlines and schedules.
3. Must be able to maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to the clients and the client’s family.
4. Must be organized and efficient in the performance of their job.
5. Must possess leadership qualities.
6. Ability to make clear and pertinent statements both orally and in writing
7. Takes initiative - seek ways to complete assignments with a minimum of guidance
8. Job Knowledge - consider relationship in length of time in assignment
9. Problem Solving - take on new responsibilities and work toward solutions
10. Communication - effectively communicate both verbal and written format with peers, consumers, management
11. Commitment to continued learning - works to improve self and team members
12. Continuous quality Improvement - works to eliminate waste and make improvements
13. Team work - acts as team player, supports team goals, can lead and follow
14. Strong decision making skills
15. Attendance - works as scheduled
16. Positive Attitude - gets involved in company groups
17. Flexibility - ability to accept new direction on short notice
18. Cross Training - works to share knowledge with others in a helpful way

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

1. Must be able to travel if required.
2. Position may/will require use of own vehicle, valid auto insurance, and possess valid (clean) driver’s license.
3. Sedentary work: duties require exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry push, and pull articles such as files and computer binders.
4. Position requires occasional crisis intervention for protection of self and others.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

1. Works in well-lit office environment.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

1. Ability to write reports and correspondence.
2. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

1. Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as payment reimbursements and payroll labor distributions.

REASONING ABILITY

1. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.