Definition

Specialist or intensive service worker who assists, counsels and interviews the more difficult cases such as the defective delinquent, assaultive, regressed, and severely withdrawn institution residents.

Typical Work

Counsels with and advises patients, residents, or students to assist in improving personal outlook, institutional and social adjustment; 

Interviews patients, residents, or students to secure and compile personal data and social history; 

Contacts friends, relatives, teachers and public and private agencies to secure information on client's background, personality and social adjustment; 

Contacts and assists persons and their families in contacting other agencies and organizations to arrange for employment, post‑institutional care, pensions, and similar services; 

Compiles and prepares reports on individual's progress, reactions, and overall adjustment; makes or assists in making recommendations on treatment, training and release of individual; 

Follows up on post‑institutional adjustment of those released; 

Supervision may be a function of some III level positions; 

Performs other work as required.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of:  principles and practices of interviewing; individual and group behavior; social and economic factors; laws and rules related to institutional care, custody, and treatment. 

Ability to: interview effectively, evaluate persons or situations and adopt a proper course of action; speak ant write effectively; establish and maintain successful personal relationships with others.

Legal Requirement(s)

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Desirable Qualifications

1.   A Bachelor's degree preferably involving major study in sociology or other social science. 

AND 

2.  Two years of professional counseling or casework experience. 

One year of graduate training in behavioral social sciences may be substituted year for year for experience. 

OR 

One year as an Institution Counselor II.

Class Specification History

New class Effective October 1, 1968
Revises minimum qualifications January 1, 1969
Revises minimum qualifications January 12, 1977
New class code: (formerly 35460) effective July 1, 2007.
Base range salary adjustment adopted 6/30/2017, effective 7/1/2017.