Social Worker III (Adult Resources)

Social Worker III (Adult Resources)

Salary: See Position Description Location: Lillington, NC Job Type: Full-Time Regular Job Number: DSS 2388 Department: Social Services Opening Date: 03/24/2026

Description: Benefits Questions

POSITION SUMMARY Harnett County is currently recruiting for a Social Worker III position. The primary purpose of this position is to provide intensive social work and custody services to adults or legal emancipated minors who have been adjudicated incompetent and for whom the Director of Harnett County Department of Social Services has been appointed legal guardian.

Hiring Range: $59,774.00

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Guardianship (50%) The worker is responsible for case management of guardianship cases for adults and/or lawfully emancipated minors that have been legally adjudicated incompetent due to their inability to make important decisions regarding their personal welfare and/or finances; and their vulnerability to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

• Worker is responsible for making monthly contact relevant to the ward, and visiting wards at least quarterly to confirm that his/her needs are being met adequately and arranging for any services necessary to ensure the wards safety and well-being.
• The worker is responsible for completing status reports and arranging meetings with the director to advise of the wards status quarterly or more often as the need arises.
• The worker is responsible for noting any sudden changes in the wards status, and noting areas of Concern.
• Social Worker is responsible for completing any paperwork required by the state pertaining to guardianship.

Case Planning and Management Services (40%) The worker is responsible for providing this service to individuals and/or families in an effort to restructure or solidify the individuals environment. These adults are considered to be at risk of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation because of circumstances related to their inability to receive consistent care and services in the home.

• The worker must be knowledgeable of the risk factors related to abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation, and is responsible for recognizing and assessing the need for services.
• The worker explains and offers services to these adults, provides counseling and assists individuals with identifying, understanding, and coping with problems, and conflicts of daily living.
• The worker helps individuals to utilize community resources by planning and directing clients to agencies, such as mental health, medical facilities, food banks, counseling.

Briefly describe the characteristics of clients served. Include information on diagnosis, client needs/problems, and age ranged. Clients served are elderly, disabled, and handicapped adult individuals ranging from emancipated minors to 100+ years of age. Clients in this population are typically experiencing one or more of the following conditions:

• Developmental disabilities such as borderline to severe and profound mental retardation, cerebral palsy, speech defects, etc.
• Physical disabilities such as limb amputations, paralysis due to strokes, etc.
• Physical illnesses such as diabetes, cancers, heart disease, etc.
• Emotional and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, severe depressions, Alzheimers disease, etc.

Clients may have substantial resources or be impoverished and may be competent or incompetent. Clients may reside in their own home or the home of a caretaker (someone who has responsibility for the care of the client as a result of a family relationship or who has assumed responsibility for the clients care voluntarily), be a patient in a general, specialty, or psychiatric hospital, be a patient in an intermediate care or skilled nursing facility, or be a resident in an adult care facility.

Cases will be assigned based on what the area of need is.

Counseling - 10% The Worker assists clients and their families in coping with changes in roles created by the aging process, injury, or illness. Families are frequently in crisis, overwhelmed with decisions, fear, and confusion about the choices of service availability, payment, and other options. The worker provides an outlet for the family to discuss, contemplate, and finalize decisions regarding placement, in-home care, and other life altering decisions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Masters degree in social work from an accredited school of social work
• Bachelors degree in social work from an accredited school of social work
• Bachelors degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience
• Masters degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience
• Bachelors degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience
• Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their application to complex individual casework, group work, and community problems.
• Knowledge of mental, psychosocial, socioeconomic and behavioral problems and their treatment.
• Knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques.
• Knowledge of governmental and private organizations and community resources.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.
• Skill in developing rapport with clients and applying techniques of assessing behavioral and psychological aspects of clients concern.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrative superiors, coworkers, members of clients caseload and their families and with the civic, medical, social and relations organizations.
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work.
• Exceptional typing and computer skills in order to accurately complete required forms and paperwork.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Work Environment/Location/Physical Demands: This employees physical work location will be at 311 Cornelius Harnett Boulevard, Lillington NC. Work space will be provided with regular office equipment such as a copy machine, calculator, computer, scanner, tablet and other supplies.

This social worker will use close visual attention and mental concentration with talking with clients/applicants and accurately recording the information received.

Regular work hours are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday and one hour for lunch. Worker will be expected to make home visits and will work closely with community agencies, Medical Providers, clients family members and court personnel.

Employees are subject to working with agitated clients, heavy workloads, and compressed timeframes. Clients may at times become agitated, verbally abusive due to the extreme situations or their emotional problems, but generally physical harm is unlikely on an ongoing basis.

The social worker will also travel out of the county and some work will be performed in other agencies, facilities and courthouse.

Successful completion of a drug screening and criminal background check will be required as a condition of employment.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Harnett County is one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina with approximately 130,000 residents. Our "Strong Roots, New Growth," describes a county in transition, one that values its rural agricultural heritage while also embracing new growth and industry.

Harnett County is optimally located between North Carolinas capital city of Raleigh and the internationally recognized Research Triangle Park to the north, and the nations largest military installation in Fort Bragg to the south. The county is also centrally located in North Carolina and is within close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway, and to the numerous Atlantic Ocean beaches and the Outer Banks.

The county offers a wide range of training and development opportunities, a stable career in public service with a balance of work and family life. We appreciate your interest in employment opportunities with Harnett County.

Harnett County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Harnett County not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.

Harnett County participates in E-Verify to determine employment eligibility to work in the United States.

Harnett County takes pride in offering an excellent benefit package including health, dental, vision and life insurance, membership in the North Carolina Local Government retirement, free health clinic for employees and anyone in their household and other benefits. To see more information about the benefits offered by Harnett County, click here.

01 Please verify that your application includes the following information:

• Complete education history (including High School)
• Employment history including correct dates of employment, employer address and phone number, supervisors name and reason for leaving each employer.
• A minimum of 3 professional references

Applications without the above information will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. Please take a moment to review your application before submission to ensure all categories are completed. Responses to the supplemental questions are verified against the education and work experience provided in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application to determine your qualifications for this position.

I have read and understand the above statement. Yes / No

02 What is your highest level of education?

• Masters Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Associates Degree
• High School or G.E.D.
• None of the Above

03 Do you possess a BSW from an accredited school of Social Work? Yes / No

04 Do you possess a MSW from an accredited school of Social Work? Yes / No

05 If you do not possess a BSW or MSW, from the list below, please select the major coursework of your highest degree.

• Counseling
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Criminal Justice
• Special Education
• Therapeutic Recreation
• Family Studies
• Other Related Field
• Not Applicable

06 If you selected "Other Related Field" in the previous question, please list below the major coursework for your degree. (If this question does not apply please type N/A in the space provided below.)

07 This position requires to work a flexible schedule. Are you willing to meet this working requirement? Yes / No

08 Briefly describe your experience in case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning. (This information must be documented in the Work History of the application in order to receive credit. If this question does not apply, please type N/A in the space provided below.)

09 How many years of experience do you have in case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning?

• 5 + years
• 3 - 4 years
• 1 - 2 years
• Less than one year
• None

10 Do you have a valid North Carolina drivers license? Yes / No

11 This position will require assisting in emergency and/or disaster situations. Are you willing to meet this working requirement? Yes / No

12 Please indicate how you heard about this job opportunity: If referred by a Current County Employee please list their first name and last name below.

Employer: Harnett County Address: P. O. Box 778, 455 McKinney Pkwy., Lillington, North Carolina, 27546 Phone: 910-893-7567 Website: https://www.harnett.org