PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL SERVICE ASSISTANT
Psychiatric Social Service Assistant is a competitive local-government title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
What it takes is 2 years of relevant experience.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
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Psychiatric Social Service Assistant is a local service title. It is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, not by State departments. Those employers set pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule, which is why most local titles carry no salary range here.
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Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under direction, performs the nonprofessional office and field work involved in obtaining and recording significant social and financial information concerning psychiatric patients and their relatives and in admitting and releasing these patients from the institutions; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
- Interviews patients who are being admitted to the psychiatric institutions.
- Gathers financial and social history from patient or relative.
- Conducts field investigations to determine home environment of patient.
- Provides information to psychiatrist on conditions of home prior to release.
- Accompanies patients to different area clinics and institutions.
- Prepares necessary release papers for patient's home visits, permanent release, or transfers to other institutions.
- Consults with other agencies in connection with social problems affecting the patient.
- Prepares case history and statistical reports covering psychiatric social services.
- Prepares reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
- Maintains necessary records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
Two (2) years of experience involving the collection, use and recording of information needed to determine a proper course of action in cases of persons socially, mentally and/or physically maladjusted.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the purpose, policies, standards and procedures involved in interviewing and investigating people to ascertain social and financial information.
- Knowledge of the objectives and activities of the organization.
- Knowledge of the procedures for keeping required records and files.
- Ability to comprehend and interpret the rules, regulations, policies, procedures and objectives of the organization.
- Ability to work cooperatively with families, individuals and social service organizations.
- Ability to make inferences and reach logical conclusions from gathered facts concerning the social relationships of individuals and their families.
- Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.