The Adult Protection Program is seeking to fill a Senior Social Worker field investigator. This position will receive and investigate reports of vulnerable adult maltreatment referred by the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center and Adult Protection Intake Units. This position will provide protective services to resolve allegations of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Under the authority of the Minnesota Vulnerable Adult Law, field investigators interview reporters, clients, persons alleged responsible, collaterals, and other professionals to gather information to determine the vulnerable adult status of the alleged victim, the presence of immediate danger to the vulnerable adult or others, and the nature and severity of the alleged maltreatment.

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program.

Location and hours:
This position is hybrid and will require travel throughout Hennepin County to client homes, healthcare facilities, other locations providing client housing and services and remote as job duties require. Transporting clients is sometimes required. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with some flexibility. While this position is designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire.

About this position type:

This is a full-time, benefit-earning position.

This position is internally classified a Social Worker, Senior.

To view the job classification specification, click here.

In this position, you will:

• Investigate reports of vulnerable adult maltreatment referred by the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center and Adult Protection Intake Units, and provide protective services to resolve allegations of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
• Interview reporters, clients, persons alleged responsible, collaterals, and other professionals to gather information to determine the vulnerable adult status of the alleged victim, the presence of immediate danger to the vulnerable adult or others, and the nature and severity of the alleged maltreatment.
• Formulate case plans to determine appropriate services to address client needs, including emergency interventions and protective services.
• Document data to support a maltreatment finding of substantiated, inconclusive, or false.
• Conduct fact gathering on reports with self-neglect allegations to assess the safety, strengths, and needs of the adult who is vulnerable and the primary support person to determine if adult protective services are needed.
• Assess clients for commitment and conservatorship and present testimony at civil, criminal, and administrative hearings that may be adversarial in nature; prepare investigative reports and work closely with law enforcement agencies, the County Attorney’s Office, state regulatory agencies, and the courts.

Need to have:

• One of the following:
  • Licensed as a Graduate Social Worker by the Minnesota Board of Social Work.
  • Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or human services, and 18 semester (27 quarter) credits of graduate work in the below areas, and three years or more of full-time supervised experience as a social worker.
  • Master's degree or higher in social work or closely related field with course work emphasis in areas such as social work methods, human growth and behavior, and principles of social welfare.
• A valid driver's license, the ability to obtain a Hennepin County driver permit and daily access to reliable transportation sufficient to travel throughout Hennepin County to client homes, healthcare facilities, and other locations providing client housing and services. Transporting clients is sometimes required.

Nice to have:

• Two years or more of experience providing home and community-based services.
• Experience:
  • Assessing safety, providing protective services, working with involuntary services and/or conducting investigations.
  • Navigating various systems (medical, financial, housing, and additional social services) to ensure adequate and appropriate resource utilization.
  • Working with culturally diverse populations of vulnerable adults, who may have experienced trauma, have complicated family dynamics, and/or complex social situations.

• Licensure as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW).
• Proficient in the principles, techniques, and application of interviewing skills, investigative skills, the collection and analysis of evidence, and legal documentation.
• Proficiency in managing emergency situations and the ability to develop and implement protective plans and to provide supportive services.
• Knowledge of community resources, health care facilities, in-home services, medical and psychiatric disorders, and risk assessment and management.

About the department:
Human Services delivers a variety of services to individuals or families that assist with basic needs or encourage client change around specific objectives. We work with individuals as well as systems and communities in order to develop policy and advocate for the people we serve. The people we serve and our communities are connected. By helping one, we help the other.

About Hennepin County:
Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that reduce disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive.

Our employees receive a combination of competitive benefits and positive workplace culture not found at other organizations. This includes meaningful work that impacts our community, competitive pay, work-life balance, a variety of benefits and opportunities to grow. Learn more at The Bridge (login as Guest).

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the reduction of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.

Your future. Made here.

This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies.

Watch this video for application best practices and tips.

This position may have access to systems or other documentation that contains HIPAA data.

Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. Final candidates may be required to complete a drug test that may include testing for cannabis and/or a criminal background check.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Taylor Dahlberg
taylor.dahlberg@hennepin.us

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