Senior Community Worker - Spanish-Speaking Required - Limited Term (Open)

The County of San Mateo Family Health Services Division is seeking an experienced and qualified Spanish-speaking Senior Community Worker to join its evidence-based home visiting program that aims to reduce the burden of asthma in San Mateo County’s Medi-Cal eligible children. Family Health Services focuses on the health and well-being of infants, children, teens, young adults, and parents by providing services such as well-child check-ups, developmental screenings, support for children with special health needs, parenting classes, home visits, vaccine clinics, lead/asthma assessments, health education, and prevention.

The successful hire will provide services that includes providing county resources, assisting clients with linkages, and assisting with follow-up of medical care. The hire will also provide a wide variety of advanced community services of a remedial, educational, and emergency nature for socially, economically, or mentally disadvantaged persons, which may include group and individual instruction and counseling, needs assessment and plan development, outreach, case management and direct patient care services. In addition, the Senior Community Worker is expected to perform the most complex types of duties assigned to the class series, exercising a high level of autonomy, judgment, and initiative.

The current vacancy is a Full-Time, Limited Term position that is Spanish-Speaking required.

The ideal candidate for the Senior Community Worker position has experience and/or possesses the following:

• Conducted home visits with clients who are suffering from asthma to administer asthma medical assessments.
• Identified client’s current knowledge/needs, medical history, current asthma plan adherence in order to develop individual service plans.
• Provided asthma related education and self-management support, focusing on identifying asthma triggers, medication management techniques, understanding/adhering to asthma plan.
• Collaborated with community and medical providers to identify potential families, to improve access and the quality of health care and social services.
• Motivated and engaged individuals toward stated goals.
• Expertise in helping clients learn to be self-sufficient.
• Works effectively with multi-problem high-risk families.
• Problem-solve.
• Make independent judgments and ability to work autonomously.
• Assume a leadership role in community health programs.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Be flexible to adapting to a changing environment.
• Maintain healthy professional boundaries.
• Experience with Reflective Practice and Motivational Interviewing.
• Understands Trauma Informed Care / Adverse Childhood Experiences.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with use of electronic health records (EHR) is preferred.
• A basic understanding of addiction, recovery and harm reduction theories and principles.

This is a limited term, at-will position. Limited Term Employees are assigned to assignments not to exceed three years. They receive medical and dental benefits, similar to regular employees, and a defined contribution retirement plan.

Information for current County employees: Current and regular San Mateo County Employees who are interested in this assignment must submit application materials and compete in the selection process. If you are successful in the selection process and are being considered for the assignment, HR will work directly with you and/or your department for options. Please note that there is no guarantee that you will be allowed by your department to rotate into this assignment nor are your departments obligated to allow you to take on this assignment. The salary range for this position is "as is" and non-negotiable.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct home and field visits to assess and monitor client needs and ensure adherence to individual care plans.
• Assess and monitor client needs and develop individual care/recovery/support plan based on the needs of the client.
• Prepare and/or coordinate the preparation of informational and outreach materials, basic correspondence and reports, and other documents regarding program activities.
• Performs crisis intervention by arranging for special services to assist clients in addressing serious personal, financial, employment, and/or family issues; performs crisis intervention.
• Assist clients in a wide variety of daily living activities, such as completing applications and forms, budgeting, and navigating support service systems.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with community resources.
• Provide information and refer clients to appropriate social services agencies; research community resources for clients; work closely with other County staff to coordinate various functions of outreach and referrals.
• Perform outreach to provide education and information to individuals who may be at risk and unaware of services and/or prevention methods.
• Conduct outreach activities to community organizations to provide information about the program and resources and to secure health, welfare, educational, and other social service supportive programs on behalf of clients.
• Represent the division or section on internal and community committees and task forces as assigned representing the needs of the community or of individual clients; attends and participates in community events.
• Assist in planning, organizing, and conducting health education programs.
• Observe and recommend health education needs and resources.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of educational methods, techniques, and materials and recommends modifications.
• Work with community groups including parents, schools, and health organizations to create health education programs.
• Assist in the planning and preparation of educational materials such as flyers, pamphlets, exhibits, and displays.
• Perform special assignments, projects, or other related duties as required.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way of gaining the knowledge and skills is two years of experience providing community services of a remedial and educational nature which includes experience counseling and conducting outreach to the client population served.

Licensure/Certification:
Some positions may require possession of a class C California driver license or equivalent.

Knowledge of:

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations and County program policies and guidelines.
• Problems, needs, attitudes and behavior patterns of disadvantaged individuals and of the total community served.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• Social and community resources.
• Basic techniques and dynamics of assessment and engagement.
• Techniques for group and individual counseling.
• Basic case management techniques and processes.
• Perform effectively in stressful, emotional, and confrontational situations.
• Recognize factors causing reaction or changes in a client’s condition or behavior.
• Evaluate information received and make appropriate recommendations and referrals.
• Identification, development, and utilization of social and community resources.
• Techniques for effectively representing the County in contacts with the general public, other agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, and regulatory organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, clientele, and staff.

Skill/Ability to:

• Effectively market and represent a program, its clients, and services to external agencies.
• Interpret, explain, and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Organize, maintain, and update office database and records systems.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Interpret agency programs and policies to members of the community served.
• Write clear and comprehensive reports.
• Analyze problems, formulate plans and put them into effect with a minimum of supervision.
• Stand and walk for extended periods of time and lift and carry equipment and supplies used in the course of the work.

Physical Demands:
Must possess mobility to work in the field as well as an office environment; to operate a motor vehicle for home visits, jail visits, to attend meetings, and visit various County sites; to inspect sites including client homes; vision and smell to assess environmental situations, identify conditions, and to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. The job involves fieldwork requiring frequent walking on uneven terrain, and climbing and descending structures to access client homes and interact with members of the community. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate above-mentioned tools and equipment. Positions in this classification bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb to perform work. Employees must possess the ability to lift and carry materials, objects, and children weighing up to 60 pounds, with the use of proper equipment.

Environmental Elements:
Employees frequently work outdoors and are exposed to varying weather conditions, loud or excessive noise levels, unpleasant odors, dust, fumes, allergens, vermin, parasites, or insects, toxic substances; infectious agents, and cold and/or hot temperatures. Incumbents may be exposed to blood and body fluids performing duties. Protective clothing such as gloves, masks, or gown may be necessary when performing client assessments or when supporting client job training. Employees may interact with members of the public or with staff in a highly emotional setting while interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Application/Examination

If you are interested in being considered for this limited term position the following must be submitted via e-mail:

• Cover letter with responses to Supplemental Questions (maximum of 2 pages).
• Resume

Supplemental Questions:

• This position requires possession of a valid California driver license or equivalent. Do you possess a valid driver license? (A “No” response will disqualify you as you do not meet this requirement.)
• Describe the education and training that qualify you for a position as a Senior
  Community Worker working in the Family Health Services Home Visiting Program. Include specific certificates, training and experience. Be specific.
• Describe your experience providing a variety of community services/resources such as group and individual instruction and counseling, outreach, case management and direct patient care services to the following clients, specifically experiencing issues such as: 1. Parenting and children. 2. Children with chronic illness and 3. Developmental or behavioral issues. Provide a specific example from your experience.

Please include the words "Senior Community Worker - Limited Term" in the subject line of email submission. All submitted materials must be in a Word or PDF format.

Please submit the above listed materials via email to:
Susana Flores, Clinical Services Manager II- Nursing Email: sflores@smcgov.org
Application materials will be reviewed as they are received and well-qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Apply immediately. Application materials will be accepted until position is filled. This posting is open on a continuous basis and selection may be made at any time within the process.

NOTE: Application materials are only accepted via e-mail. Materials sent via regular mail and/or fax will not be accepted. Submittals that do not include all required elements (resume and cover letter with complete responses to supplemental questions) will not be considered.
The County of San Mateo is a diverse, inclusive workplace, where employees are valued and respected for their different perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, and contributions. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
Analyst: Wendy Young (Senior Community Worker - G117)