New!
Clinical Social Worker California Correctional Health Care Services
SANTA BARBARA, CA5 days ago
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA |
| Salary | $70,118.88–$83,859.36 Per Year |
Social Service Worker
Salary
See Position Description
Location
Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, CA
Job Type
Full-time
Job Number
26-7056-01 (O)
Department
Social Services & County Health Departments
Opening Date
09/22/2026
Closing Date
10/8/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
Description
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKER SALARY: $70,118.88 - 83,859.36 Annually
plus bilingual allowance when applicable
Help Families and Individuals Thrive in your community. Join our team as a Social Service Worker.
We are accepting applications to fill current vacancies in the Department of Social Services and County Health. The Department of Social Services is currently trying to fill five vacancies in Child Welfare Service, Adult Protective Services, and In-Home Supported Services in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, or Lompoc, and County Health has one (2) vacancy at the Santa Barbara County Jail and two (2) vacancies in Santa Maria County Jail in the CalAIM Justice-Involved Initiative program.
We are also establishing a list for future vacancies in the Social Services Department, Sheriffs Office, County Health, and Public Defenders Office. Vacancies may be available in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and Lompoc. This job classification is utilized by 4 departments within the County of Santa Barbara. Please select all departments and locations you would like to be considered for current and future vacancies. Candidates interested in the Sheriffs Office or Public Defenders Office must be available and willing to work at All Locations throughout the County. To be considered for future vacancies in the Sheriffs Office or Public Defenders Office, applicants must select "All Locations" in the location section of the application as well as in the supplemental questionnaire.
BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or visit SEIU Local 721 (hyperlink).
Applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:
POSITION: Under direction, performs social work and other related duties as required.
Incumbents in the Department of Social Services will initially be working under close supervision in a training status and are expected to learn departmental organization, social service programs, case study methods, and casework services and perform without close supervision within one year. Trainees assigned to work in child/adult protective services may perform more difficult social service work. Upon completion of training, incumbents are expected to perform journey-level social service work. Incumbents carry a complex social service caseload in such areas as child protective services, adult protective services, and in-home supportive services, supplemental security income advocacy services, or in a locked facility.
Incumbents in the Public Defenders Office for this position work within the Community Defender Division. The Community Defender Division (CDD) continues to provide compassionate and tireless advocacy and services for our clients while simultaneously seeking long-term systemic changes to improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. CDD combines the knowledge and expertise of social workers, housing advocates, resource specialists and attorneys to address the entire person and all of the underlying causes for involvement with the criminal justice system.
Incumbents in the Sheriffs Office perform social work in an inmate discharge setting by assessing inmate criminogenic needs and creating release plans that will ensure proper community supports are in place to reduce reoffending, including residential treatment facilities, health care applications, housing, employment and other community resources; performs related duties as required. The ideal candidate will have experience working with justice-involved individuals.
Incumbents in County Health - Jail Health Reentry Services support individuals housed in the County Jail by conducting assessments, creating care and reentry plans, coordinating referrals to medical, behavioral health, and social-service programs, and assisting with Medi-Cal and benefit enrollment. They manage discharge planning, facilitate warm handoffs to community providers, collaborate with custody staff and partner agencies, maintain accurate documentation, and help ensure continuity of care as individuals transition back into the community.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This class is the entry-level to professional social service work. Incumbents initially work under close supervision in a training status and are expected to learn departmental organization, social service programs, case study methods, and case work services and to perform without close supervision within one year. Trainees assigned to work in child/adult protective services may perform more difficult social service work. Upon completion of training, incumbents are expected to perform journey-level social service work. Incumbents carry a complex social service caseload in such areas child protective services, adult protective services, as in-home supportive services, supplemental security income advocacy services, or in a locked facility.
Ideal Candidate will possess:
Department of Social Services additional ideal candidate quality:
Examples of Duties
All Departments:
Conducts in-home or on-site visitations to interview clients, family members and other interested parties to assess and identify needs for social services, medical, and/or behavioral health; gathers and evaluates information regarding employment history, housing situation, physical functioning, financial status, capacity for independent living and availability of domestic services; evaluates clients concerns and observes behavior; develops service plans and establishes case files.
Counsels clients on available resources, barriers to employment, independent living skills and other areas involving defined problems or concerns; explains procedures, rights and responsibilities.
Assists clients in identifying and obtaining basic services needed for independent living; identifies and makes referrals to a variety of public and community agencies providing food, shelter, clothing, medical, educational and other services; schedules client appointments; acts as client advocate in obtaining services.
Department of Social Services:
As a protective service worker, investigates reports of child or vulnerable adult abuse, neglect and/or exploitation; assesses the degree of immediate risk to the child/adult and takes necessary action to minimize the risk; coordinates activity with other agencies and involved parties including relatives, school personnel and officers of the court.
Develops service and treatment plans, evaluates client and/or family behavioral adjustment and monitors client progress toward delineated objectives; counsels clients using a variety of counseling modalities.
Manages assigned caseload; prepares narrative and statistical reports, documents and correspondence regarding client status; documents case files; prepares and serves legal documents; testifies in court and State Hearings.
Identifies and assesses suitability for out-of-home care placements and conducts on-site visits to assess living conditions.
Sheriffs Office:
Performs social work in an inmate discharge setting by assessing inmate criminogenic needs and creating release plans that ensure proper community supports are in place to reduce reoffending, including residential treatment facilities, health care applications, housing, employment, and other community resources.
Public Defenders Office:
Provides case management and advocacy services within the Community Defender Division (CDD), collaborating with attorneys, housing advocates, and resource specialists to address the underlying causes of clients involvement with the criminal justice system.
County Health:
Supports individuals housed in the County Jail by conducting assessments, creating care and reentry plans, and coordinating referrals to medical, behavioral health, and social-service programs, and assisting with Medi-Cal and benefit enrollment; manages discharge planning, facilitates warm handoffs to community providers, collaborates with custody staff and partner agencies, maintains accurate documentation, and helps ensure continuity of care as individuals transition back into the community.
Employment Standards
International degrees must include documentation from an evaluation service that shows the U.S. education equivalency along with unofficial transcripts at the time of application submittal. A list of evaluation services may be found at http://www.naces.org/members.html
Additional Qualifications: The ability to read, write, and converse fluently in English and Spanish is required for some positions.
Note: If you indicated on your application that you are bilingual, Human Resources will place you on the employment list for a job requiring bilingual skills. Hiring departments may test you on your fluency. If you do not demonstrate sufficient fluency, your name may be withheld from future certifications or removed from the employment list, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 7.
Additional Requirements:
Possession of or ability to obtain a valid California Class C Drivers License is required at the time of appointment.
Independent travel, including transportation of client, within the county, throughout California, out of state, or country is required.
May be required to work outside normal business hours and be available on call.
Positions allocated to this class may require bilingual skills.
The following Additional Requirements apply only to the Department of Social Services:
Selectees for employment in this class must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code relating to child abuse reporting and Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to dependent adult abuse reporting.
Selectees for positions in this class assigned to Child Welfare Services are subject to being fingerprinted for the purpose of criminal record clearance, as authorized under Section 11105.3 of the California Penal Code and Section 16501 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
Knowledge of: basic functions of social service systems, public assistance or non-profit social services; practical application of human behavior and child development/parenting or aging principles; socioeconomic/psycho-social factors affecting individual behavior, independent living social functioning and social abnormalities; organizational and time management methods; report writing principles including rules of correct grammar, punctuation and sentence structure; basic computer skills and word processing applications.
Ability to: learn, apply and explain complex regulations and policies governing processes of assigned program; interview a variety of people with diverse socio-economic backgrounds and temperaments; work independently; understand and follow direction; listen; cope with unusual life circumstances; manage a caseload and recall case details; maintain confidentiality of information; write clear, accurate and concise reports and prepare routine statistical reports; organize and prioritize work assignments; make decisions and independent judgments; determine the appropriate course of action in emergency or stressful situations; understand program objectives in relation to departmental goals and procedures; deal firmly and fairly with clients; maintain accurate records and document actions taken; identify and make referrals to local and regional providers of social, medical and/or other specialized services; act on behalf of client to obtain needed services; operate a computer in the completion of assignments; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.
Supplemental Information
APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:
Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.
VETERANS PREFERENCE POINTS: Veterans preference credit is applicable for this recruitment (5 points for veterans, 10 points for disabled veterans). To be eligible for this credit, you must be applying for this position within five years from your most recent date of: (1) honorable discharge from active military service; or, (2) discharge from a military or veterans hospital where treatment and confinement were for a disability incurred during active military service; or, (3) completion of education or training funded by a Federal Educational Assistance Act. No time limit exists for veterans with 30% or more disability. To receive veterans preference points, you must: (1) check the Veterans Preference Points box on the employment application form, (2) submit a copy of your Form DD214 to the Human Resources Department on or before the application deadline, and (3) pass all phases of the examination process. The preference points will be added to your final test score.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.
BACKGROUND CHECK AND MEDICAL EVALUATION: Sheriffs Office, Public Defenders Office, and County Health will conduct a background investigation. Current or excessive use of drugs, sale of drugs, serious criminal history, or deception relating to employment history may bar employment. Other departments may require an extended background check including credit history; this is at the discretion of each department.
The following process is only used for the Sheriffs Office and County Health:
Candidates who pass the PHQ and are in the top certified group, their names will be sent to the hiring department for consideration. Top candidates will be invited to a selection interview. Selected candidate will advance to the next step in the hiring process, which includes the following:
BACKGROUND DISQUALIFIERS FOR THE SHERIFFS OFFICE:
County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health) requires all employees working in direct contact with patients or clients in a high-risk environment to comply with the County Health Employee Immunizations policy. This can be accomplished by providing documentation of immunizations, submitting laboratory immune titers demonstrating adequate immunity, or obtaining required vaccinations. A list of requirements, based on the specific program, will be sent at the time an offer letter is presented to the selected candidate(s) and initial documentation will be required at this time.
Employment in this position also requires successful completion of the County Health Credentialing & Privileging process. This includes verification and approval of all required licenses and certifications, as well as enrollment and clearance through Medi-Cal. Continued employment is contingent upon maintaining all credentials in good standing.
Conditional Job Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. The appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.
Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.
Disaster Service Workers: Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a longstanding practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.
APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: 10/8/26, 5:00 PM PST. Postmarks will not be accepted. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.
DSS Recruiter: Jasmine Gaytan, email at Jgayta@countyofsb.org
Retirement Plans
Health Benefits
Paid Time Off
Miscellaneous Benefits
Compensation Summary
01
Below is a list of departments that utilize the Social Service Worker job classification. Please select the department(s) you are interested in for current and future vacancies. Please keep in mind that during the life of the employment list, some of these departments may not have vacancies. This is your only opportunity to make your selection. Please note that the current vacancies are in the Social Services Department and County Health.
02
Please keep in mind, if you are interested in working with the Sheriffs Office, you will be required to complete and pass a Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ), Polygraph, and Background Investigation. If you fail any portion of this process with the Sheriffs Office, you can still be considered for the other departments selected. but NOT in lieu of a completed application and supplemental questionnaire.
03
If you selected Public Defenders Office and/or the Sheriffs Office, these positions require that you are willing to work at All Locations within the County of Santa Barbara and you are agreeing to these terms, regardless of your selection on your application. For the Public Defenders Office, locations would include Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Lompoc. All candidates hired can be placed at any location and transferred to another location during your employment with the County.
04
In order to be considered for employment, all applicants must meet one of the employment standards (minimum qualifications) listed below at the time of application. Please check which employment standard you meet. All information may be verified. If your job experience and/or education within your application do not clearly reflect how you meet the employment standard you selected, your application will not be accepted
05
Applicants who are currently in their final quarter or semester of study leading to the required degree are encouraged to apply. Such applicants may compete in the examination process but may not be considered for appointment until they have attained the required degree. If you are in your final quarter or semester of study of a Bachelors degree, please provide the name of your pending degree (including major and minor, if applicable), and anticipated date of completion. Failure to provide this detailed information may lead to disqualification. You may skip this question if this does not apply to you.
06
If you have an international degree, please attach your documentation from an evaluation service that shows you meet the U.S. education standards, along with your transcripts. A list of evaluation services may be found at: http://www.naces.org/members.html. You are required to attach your evaluation service documents to your application. This is your only opportunity to provide such documentation. You may skip this question if you do not have an international degree.
07
Please check ONLY if you possess a bachelors degree in one of the following areas of study. If your degree is in one of the specified areas, you do NOT need to list coursework.
08
If you have a bachelors degree, but it is NOT in social work, psychology, counseling, sociology, child development, or geriatrics, you MUST list each of the qualifying course titles and corresponding semester or quarter units (minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter) completed in the areas of social work, psychology, counseling, sociology, child development, geriatrics, or other related behavioral or health sciences. If you do not clearly indicate courses and units that meet the requirements, your application will not be accepted. If not applicable, type N/A
09
If you DO NOT have a bachelors degree and believe you meet the Employment Standards under #2, your application must clearly indicate the required job experience equivalent to Eligibility Worker or Social Services Case Aide with Santa Barbara County AND you must clearly list below the course title(s) and the number of semester or quarter units (minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter) completed in the areas of social work, psychology, counseling, sociology, child development, geriatrics, or other related behavioral or health sciences. If you do not clearly indicate courses and semester or quarter units that meet the requirements, your application will not be accepted. If not applicable, type N/A
10
If you DO NOT have a bachelors degree and believe you meet the Employment Standards under #3, you are required to have a combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to the experience requirement listed in #2. You MUST list the title of coursework and the number of semester or quarter units completed in the areas of social work, psychology, counseling, sociology, child development, geriatrics, or other related behavioral or health sciences. In your application, you must also thoroughly describe all work experience and/or other training or experience gained that provides the knowledge and abilities required, as listed in the job bulletin. If not applicable, type N/A
11
Please select your area of experience, including any internships and/or volunteer work below:
12
For each area selected above, please describe specific details of your experience and include: agency or agencies where employed; years of experience; job title(s) and specific duties. If no experience, type N/A
13
As a Social Services Worker, you will be working closely with families or individuals in crisis, under stressful circumstances, that may be guided by Welfare & Institutions codes, laws and regulations. In order to determine if these positions are a good fit for you, weve developed a short questionnaire so you will have an idea of what the job duties entail. Although you may not have all the skills or abilities to complete some of these responsibilities at the time of hire, you will be trained in the job duties but must be willing to complete these tasks. Please read the following questions carefully and mark your answers honestly. Questions 14-34 are intended to help you get a clear picture of the job you are applying for. Your answers will also help you decide if you are willing or suited to do this type of work.
14
Are you able to work late hours outside of normal business hours?
15
Are you willing to travel out of town on day trips or overnight?
16
Are you able to work independently and reliably, with minimum supervision?
17
Are you able to work in an open office environment, amid multiple interruptions, in order to meet strict deadlines?
18
Are you able to work independently and make decisions under stressful circumstances?
19
Are you able to leave the stress from work at the work place, without internalizing it or taking it home with you?
20
Are you able to respond calmly and politely to people who may be upset, angry, hostile or uncooperative because of their individual situations?
21
Are you willing to learn a specialized computer system related to the program you will be working in?
22
Are you able to organize and prioritize your work in order to meet strict deadlines, demonstrating an ability to be flexible?
23
Are you willing to document and keep detailed and accurate records of interactions you may have regarding individuals or families you are working with?
24
Are you willing to complete court documents or testify in court proceedings?
25
Are you willing to work closely with law enforcement agencies, lawyers and other community agencies?
26
Are you willing to work with people who may have different ideas or skills than you in order to ensure the safety of minor children, elderly or disabled people within our community?
27
Are you willing to conduct lengthy and in-depth interviews with people in order to obtain personal information related to family relationships, financial resources, living arrangements, marital status and other personal information?
28
Are you able to communicate verbally and in writing with people from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds?
29
Are you willing to explain complex information to people in a manner that can be easily understood?
30
Are you willing to adjust to constant changes in rules, regulations, or household situations?
31
Are you able to work within highly complex and structured requirements while maintaining a creative and problem-solving approach with clients?
32
Are you able to establish healthy relationships with clear directions and boundaries with clients?
33
Are you able to maintain cooperative working relationships both internally, with co-workers and supervisors, and externally with multiple community partners and other state agencies?
34
Are you willing to undergo a background check?
35
If you are applying for the Public Defenders Office, do you have experience working with clients who are in the criminal justice system?
36
If you are applying for the Public Defenders Office, do you have experience working with clients who are experiencing poverty, mental health concerns, or at risk of homelessness? (Full details of this experience/position(s) should be on your completed application.)
37
If you are applying for the Public Defenders Office, please select the following case management services you have experience providing to clients (full details of this experience/position(s) should be listed on your application):
38
If you are applying for the Public Defenders Office, please select which settings you have experience in or knowledge of. (Full details of this experience/position(s) should be listed on your application.)
39
Your responses to the following questions will be read and scored by a rater. The rater WILL NOT have access to your application/resume while reviewing your responses. Although you may have some of this information on your application, you will need to answer the questions completely. In order to give the rater the best opportunity to evaluate your responses, please make sure you read the question carefully and fully answer all the questions asked. This is your only opportunity to provide detailed information. Failure to provide full and complete answers may affect the outcome of your score and rank on the employment list.
40
I understand my responses to the following supplemental questions will be used as a weighted, scored selection device that will determine my ranking on the employment list for this job. For information on protest procedures for the supplemental questionnaire, please see Civil Service Rules 612 and 613: https://www.countyofsb.org/1444/Civil-Service-Rules
41
Please describe your experience(s) providing services to any of the following populations: children, adults, the homeless, families, or those involved in the criminal justice system. Please describe how your experience(s) has prepared you to be a Social Services Worker.
42
As a Social Services Worker, you will conduct in-home or on-site visits to interview clients and other family members to complete psychosocial assessments and determine the need for services. You may also interview clients to determine if a child or vulnerable adult abuse or neglect has occurred or if other life events have caused a negative impact on an adult. What situations have you encountered or studied, and how will these experiences prepare you for your first home or on-site visit to successfully engage with the client or family?
43
As a Social Services Worker, you will work with people with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. Describe behaviors you might use to demonstrate humility and openness to a familys culture and lived experience during your first interaction with a family.
44
The Social Service Worker is responsible for responding to immediate and sometimes chaotic events that come up in a clients life, often due to severe and persistent mental illness or drug and alcohol addiction. Many are caught within various complex legal and social systems and can be distrustful of treatment programs and community service providers. Please describe the experience or training that has prepared you to assist these clients and how you navigate these issues
45
Social Service Workers within the County jails play a critical role in helping individuals in custody prepare for a safe and successful transition back into the community. Please describe how you would approach developing a reentry plan for an incarcerated individual who has multiple barriers to stability (such as housing insecurity, limited family support, behavioral health needs, or lack of income). In your response, explain how you would assess their needs, coordinate with custody staff and community providers, identify realistic goals, and ensure continuity of care upon release.
Required Question
Employer County of Santa Barbara
Address 1226 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, California, 93101