Social Services Practitioner I/II

Social Services Practitioner I/II

Salary

$48,796.80 - $76,190.40 Annually

Location

Mecca

Job Type

Regular

Job Number

26-79874-02

Department

Children & Families Commission

Division

RCC - Agency

Opening Date

10/29/2026

Closing Date

11/3/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Required: Bilingual-English/ Spanish

ALL APPLICANTS MUST UPLOAD A COPY OF THEIR OFFICIAL AND/OR UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS OF THEIR COMPLETED DEGREE AT AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.

First 5 Riverside County Children & Families Commission is recruiting for a Social Services Practitioner I/II for their location in Mecca, CA.

This is a fast-paced environment that requires excellent ability to obtain information from individuals in crisis and excellent critical thinking skills for the ability to analyze information provided, identify additional information needed and assist with appropriate response times for assistance to clients. The Social Service Practitioner I/II provides support and assistance to a Social Services Practitioner III. This position is responsible for providing assistance and support to a caseload involving clients with moderately complex social, financial, and emotional needs. The role includes interviewing clients and families, conducting home and field visits, assessing risks and support needs, and developing comprehensive service or treatment plans. The employee maintains accurate case records, assists with educational and well-being courses, makes referrals to community resources, and assists in the interpretation of department policies for clients and partners. Regular participation in staff development, case consultations, and collaborative service planning is essential. This position may also provide specialized services within healthcare facilities or Child Life programs. These responsibilities can include assessing psychosocial needs of pediatric or medically impacted patients, supporting families adjusting to illness or disability, coordinating with healthcare teams, and contributing to therapeutic programming.

The most competitive candidates will possess experience in social services, experience with community outreach and working closely within communities in relation to social services work and knowledge of linkage and linkage resources.

Meet the Team!

First 5 Riverside, the Riverside County Children & Families Commission, is primarily funded by tobacco taxes generated by Proposition 10, which passed in November 1998 to help make sure that all of our youngest Californians, from prenatal through 5 years old, get the best possible start in life. First 5 Riverside also receives state and federal funding to support community programs and initiatives to meet the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan. First 5 Riverside County invests in partnerships that promote, support and enhance the health and early development of children, prenatal through age 5, their families and communities.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Carry a caseload which includes cases with problems of moderate difficulty; interview clients and their families to assess the nature of their social and financial problems and the need for social service casework intervention or treatment; determine or recommend treatment plans to meet social needs; lead self-care, well-being and educational courses to community participants and/or staff; conduct home visits; prepare and maintain case records.
• Complete studies of patients and their families to determine the nature of their problems; learn to develop the most effective treatment methods and treatment plans according to need.
• Interview patients, families and friends to obtain information for case records.
• Identify the need for, and make referrals to, other services available to the client; assist applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources for individual needs.
• Interpret the policies, rules and regulations of the department to applicants, clients, and others; may be assigned to specialized functions.
• Participate in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work processes and achieve technical competence; receive casework consultation from professionally trained staff members; assist in conducting training activities for personnel outside the social services unit; participate in group therapy.
• Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services.
• Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove children/ adults from home and transport them, complying with all safety regulations, including the use of age appropriate California safety mandated equipment, when assisting with initial removal or facilitating a placement change, which may include managing/lifting the clients necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair).
• Maintain up-to-date electronic records of assigned aspects of client case management in a centralized database.
• Perform evaluations/assessments of client needs for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE LISTED DUTIES, ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES MAY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING:

• Assess the psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and initiate appropriate interaction accordingly.
• Coordinate and consult with medical and other healthcare staff members and with outside agencies regarding available resources.
• Learn to interpret significant emotional, social and economic factors to healthcare team members.
• Under close supervision, provide social casework services to help patients and their families adjust to social, emotional and financial problems created by illness or disability.
• Assist in conducting training of social service aspects of medical treatment for healthcare related personnel outside of the social services unit.
• Under close supervision, provide social casework services to help patients and their families adjust to social, emotional and financial problems created by illness or disability.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE LISTED DUTIES, ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN THE CHILD LIFE PROGRAM MAY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING:

• Plan, implement and evaluate the Child Life Program.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Social Services Practitioner I (Salary range $48,796.80 - $66,425.12)

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelors degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Social Services Practitioner II (Salary range $53,961.95 - $76,180.41)

OPTION I

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelors degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: One year equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner I.

OPTION II

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelors degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: One year of performing casework duties in a public or private human services agency. Experience must include assessing or determining client needs, formulating case plans, or executing case plans to support and meet client needs.

POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO A HEALTHCARE FACILITY

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelors degree in social work, counseling, psychology, sociology, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: One year equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner I.

POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THE CHILD LIFE PROGRAM

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelors degree in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, child life, child development, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: One year equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner I.

ALL OPTIONS

Knowledge of: The principles and techniques of interviewing clients and resolving individual, social and environmental problems; methods of identification, analysis and resolution of social casework problems; social service research methods; principles and techniques of interviewing and documenting social casework; principles and techniques of social work and the functions of public social services agencies; laws, rules and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies; various socioeconomic conditions affecting the work of the agency; community organizations and the services they provide; specialized aid programs; current social problems and methods of approaching those problems; general principles of public assistance policies and programs; basic computer skills.

Ability to: Establish rapport with clients and their families; effectively apply casework knowledge and skills; interpret and explain current laws, rules and regulations of public social services programs to the public; work constructively within an agency and community setting; effectively utilize appropriate resources and services; control personal bias and apply social work ethics; maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public; input and retrieve data from computerized system.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

For questions regarding this recruitment

Please Contact Joshua Roberts at 951-955-2548 or at JoRoberts@rivco.org. Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquires.

____

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veterans Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouses) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouses death certificate, a letter of spouses disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veterans Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Schedule, Overtime, Standby/On-Call, and Travel Obligations

The County of Riverside offers a variety of alternative work schedules, dependent upon department operations and needs. Certain assignments may involve overtime, standby/on-call shifts, and/or travel; however, scheduling, shift assignments, overtime work, standby/on-call duty, and travel obligations are subject to management approval, operational needs, and/or may be modified or discontinued at any time. Applicants should contact the assigned recruiter for additional information regarding the schedule, overtime and standby/on-call expectations, and travel obligations.

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the Apply link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veterans preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com.

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

BENEFIT PROGRAM: SEI

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here.

MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).

• Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
• Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
• Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

• A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
• A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
• A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,

Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If theres any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0 < 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)

4 < 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)

10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY:

Employees contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI), which provides wage replacement benefits for individuals who are unable to work due to non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. SDI also includes Paid Family Leave Benefits. The wage replacement rate is determined by current law, offering 60-70% of the wages earned during the SDI eligibility period.

Additionally, employees receive employer-paid Long-Term Disability Benefits, which cover 66.67% of pre-disability earnings, up to a maximum of $10,000 per month. There is a 365-day waiting period before these benefits become active. Employees may coordinate these benefits with other available leave balances to receive up to 100% of their regular pay.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

01

Are you a current regular or temporary employee of First Five?

• Yes
• No

02

Select the answer that best describes your current drivers license status:

• I have a valid California drivers license.
• I am able to obtain a valid California drivers license.
• I currently have a valid out-of-state drivers license, and I am able to obtain a valid California drivers license.
• I do not have and/or I am not able to obtain a California drivers license.

03

What is your highest level of completed education? (Include degrees that will be completed within 2 months of application) Upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account. If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

• None
• High School Diploma
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters degree or other Graduate degree or higher education

04

I understand that I must upload a copy of my credentials (license, certificate) and/or proof of education (degree, transcripts, certificate of completion) as an attachment to my application.

• Yes
• No

05

What is your Spanish Bilingual Level?

• I am not bilingual in Spanish
• I can speak Spanish, but cannot read or write in Spanish
• I can read, write and speak Spanish

06

How many years of experience do you possess in social services?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year or more; but less than 2
• 2 years or more

07

How many years of experience do you possess in community outreach?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year or more; but less than 2
• 2 years or more

08

How many years do you possess working closely within communities?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year or more; but less than 2
• 2 years or more

09

Please indicate your knowledge level of linkages and linkage resources

• None
• Basic - I have heard of this, but do not/have not applied this in my current or previous positions
• Intermediate - I am familiar with this and have applied some knowledge in current or previous positions
• Advanced - I have high level of knowledge of this and frequently utilize this in my current position

10

I understand the position may require incumbents to participate in a mandatory on-call schedule which may include working overtime including evenings, weekends, and holidays per department needs.

• Yes
• No

11

I am willing to drive to various locations throughout the County of Riverside as required for this position

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer County of Riverside

Address County Admin. Center P.O. Box 1569

4080 Lemon St., 7th floor

Riverside, California, 92502-1569

Phone Contact Recruiter for Job Information

Website http://www.rc-hr.com