Social Work Intern

Description

The Village of Mount Prospect Human Services Department is seeking a Bachelor or a Master of Social Work student intern for the fall placement. The intern is required to be a registered student in good standing at an accredited undergraduate/graduate level School of Social Work program. Fluency in Spanish is required. 

I. JOB DUTY SUMMARY

The Social Work Intern position provides experience in a variety of direct services and programs offered by the Human Services Department. The student intern will participate in all programs including Emergency Assistance, Entitlement Benefits, General Social Services, Police Social Work and Social Service Group Programs. A candidate with fluency in Spanish is required. The placement will primarily be located at the Community Connections Center with the opportunity to experience services provided at the Village Hall office and Mount Prospect Police Department.

II. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The following are responsibilities of the position and experiences that will be gained from each specialty program. 

General Social Services

• Provide direct services to clients during in-person office visits.
• Shadow and assist as appropriate with mental health crisis assessments.
• Conduct assessments to determine needs and provide appropriate services and referrals. 
• Conduct assessments and provide assistance to transient individuals and their families in accordance with department policy. 
• Provide short-term counseling to stabilize initial crisis and assist with linkage and referrals for long-term support. 
• Shadow and assist social workers during home visits to residents who experience mobility issues and/or      barriers to accessing services in person. 
• Network and learn about local social service agencies and understand eligibility criteria and services offered. 
• Advocate for all  residents, intervening and reducing barriers to access other social services agencies, health services, and other governmental entities.
• Learn about services and programs offered by the Public Health Nurse and refer Clients in need.

Entitlements Program 

• Assist Clients with completing eligibility-based and entitlement benefit applications including but not limited to Medicaid/SNAP, Medicare Part D, Access to Care, Benefit Access, Mobile Dental Clinic and Tax Freeze/Homeowners Exemption claims.
• Learn about the Federal and State laws that may impact clients related to social services.
• Provide case management to Clients experiencing issues with benefits. 

Emergency Assistance Program

• Work with Community Social Workers to understand community social work and role of  advocacy, linkage and referrals and assessment of needs. 
• Assist with and conduct assessments for programs within the Emergency Assistance Program including Emergency Financial Assistance, Food Pantry and Holiday Program.
• Assist with and conduct assessments for the Behavioral Health Subsidy Program. 
• Participate in the planning and distribution of the Mount Prospect Fire Department Toys for Kids program – held on a Saturday in December.
• Network with local social service agencies providing financial assistance, understand their criteria and make appropriate referrals for residents in need. 

Police Social Work

• Work with Police Social Workers to understand police and social work collaboration. 
• Observe and assist as appropriate with follow up services to residents referred by the Mount Prospect Police Department. Services may include linkage and referrals, appointments for assessing needs, court advocacy and crisis intervention. 
• Observe and participate, as appropriate, in crisis support calls when requested by the Police Department. 
• Participate in Police Ride-Along’s.
• Develop and maintain a good working relationship with the Police Department, which includes administration, officers, and non-sworn personnel. 
• Become familiar with Rolling Meadows Court House Domestic Violence courtroom, its procedures and personnel.
• Become familiar with the Writ of Detention process through the mental health courts. 

Older Adult Services

• Work with the Senior Services Social Worker to understand challenges experienced by older adults and their caregivers. 
• Conduct office and home visits with clients and their caregivers to assess needs and provide necessary follow up.
• Learn about programs offered within the Senior Activities Coordinator program and provide appropriate referrals.

Additional Duties

• Attend Department staff meetings.
• Participate in community engagement opportunities, may include Police Beat Meetings and hosting a resource table at local community event. 
• Assist the Administrative Assistant with information to maintaining the Resource Directory up-to date. 
• Participate  in social service networking meetings to enhance knowledge of local resources available to residents. 
• Participate  in social work related trainings to enhance professional and clinical skills.
• Document all client services and contacts in the client software program, Client Track.
• Assist with front desk coverage which consists of answering calls related to scheduling appointments, seeking information on services and resources and addressing concerns of walk-ins. 
• Perform other duties as required or assigned.

Requirements

III. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS – EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• Desire to experience community social work.
• Desire to work with all at-risk populations.
• Interest in developing case management, advocacy, assessment, and networking skills.
• Ability to work as  a team player.
• Willing to work flexible hours, which will include evenings. 
• Fluency in Spanish

IV. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

•  Registered and attending in good standing at an accredited undergraduate/graduate level School of Social Work.
•  Knowledge of Microsoft Office Software (Work, Excel, etc) is required.

V. WORKING CONDITIONS  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The incumbent works primarily in an indoors-working environment but may have to endure the elements of working outdoors. The incumbent is required to perform activities, which may include standing, walking, reaching, stooping, crouching, twisting, bending, crawling, climbing and lifting as necessary, which may be in tight confined spaces. All of these conditions require that the incumbent of this position be reasonably ambulatory with or without adaptive equipment and possess normal hearing [or hearing corrected to within a normal audible range], vision [corrected to 20/20 standards], and manual dexterity. 

Qualified candidates are subject to a background check including motor vehicle report, credit check and drug/alcohol physical testing.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.