SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISOR 1, PSYCHIATRIC

Definition

Under general supervision of a supervisory official in the Department of Health, assigns cases and supervises a psychiatric social work program of a State hospital, institution, clinic or other unit under the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Services; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• Arranges the schedule for behavior health clinic sessions within an assigned area.
• Supervises and provides guidance to any work related to psychiatric social work in the assigned specialized unit of service, and supervises the development of appropriate work methods.
• Interviews person referred to the clinic for examination, their families, the representatives of public and private agencies, schools, and police departments, and other interested persons and obtains significant social, psychological, psychiatric, data needed for diagnosis and treatment.
• Prepares complete, concise, accurate, and informative histories of patients, incorporating pertinent information supplied by outside agencies.
• Provides guidance to subordinate staff concerning the policies and procedures governing their work-related tasks and responsibilities.
• Assigns patients to examiners.
• Interprets the services and facilities provided through the clinic to patients and their families and to social workers, teachers, judges and/or other interested persons.
• Interprets the recommendations of the clinic staff to patients and their families, to social workers, teachers, and other interested persons.
• Provides guidance and assistance to persons in need of psychiatric care and counseling who may be antagonistic or afraid.
• Acts as a consultant to private and public welfare agencies and organizations which refer patients to the clinic.
• Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
• Gives assistance to patients who need help in making satisfactory progress; talks with the parents and other responsible adults in order that pediatric patients nay achieve suitable adjustments.
• Addresses professional and other groups in order to further the mental hygiene programs of the Department.
• Supervises the preparation of the budget for social services in the specialized unit, outlining and validating needs of the unit.
• Supervises undergraduate and graduate social work students in the specialized unit.
• Assigns specific subjects for research to members of the psychiatric social work staff; acts in a supervisory capacity in the development of studies.
• Keeps abreast of current literature, new developments and trends of thought in the field of social work and psychiatric social work.
• Prepares psychiatric and other reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of essential records, reports, historical and files.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or annual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
• <b>REQUIREMENTS</b>
• EDUCATION
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Social Work

Experience

Four (4) years of experience in social case work, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity in the administration of a psychiatric social service program.

License

Appointee 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 the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the methods used for the mental and emotional rehabilitation, physical welfare, social adjustment, and possible employment of mentally ill, emotionally and/or socially maladjusted clients.
• Knowledge of mental health theories, methods and practices.
• Knowledge of the methods used to collect social and psychological data on clients.
• Knowledge of the problems encountered in applying the concepts, methods and procedures of modern social work to mentally ill clients.
• Knowledge of the emotional, social, economic and other problems encountered by the client population served.
• Knowledge of the nature and symptoms of mental diseases and the more common neuroses and methods of treatment.
• Knowledge of overall function of a psychiatric facility.
• Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations and apply them to specific situations.
• Ability to assist in the organization and supervision of a social work program concerned with the mental and emotional rehabilitation, physical welfare, social adjustment, and possible employment of mental, emotional and/or socially maladjusted clients.
• Ability to provide a broad range of professional social work services.
• Ability to supervise the applications of modern social work concepts.
• Ability to provide assignments and instructions to staff and supervise the performance of their work.
• Ability to supervise student engaged in fieldwork practice, and integrate their class work with field work.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those interested or involved in the work of the unit.
• Ability to develop and supervise a program for the professional growth of social work staff.
• Ability to keep current with developments in psychiatric social work.
• Ability to gather and compile data.
• Ability to supervise the preparation of technical correspondence, and the preparation and maintenance of case histories.
• Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Ability to supervise the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files.
• Ability to learn 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, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the 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 with or without reasonable accommodation. 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.