San Rafael, CA – Every day, 680,000 social workers across the nation strive to lift individuals, families, and communities out of circumstances such as abuse, homelessness, food insecurity, and poverty.
County of Marin social workers assist residents through more than a dozen programs. These are Children and Family Services social workers.
That is why “Elevate” is a fitting theme to capture this year’s
National Professional Social Work Month, celebrated every March.
In Marin County, the Social Services Division is housed within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the County government’s largest department by workforce and budget. It is comprised of approximately 350 staff members or about half of the department’s total workforce. Programs include:
- Medi-Cal (the State Medicaid program), a public health insurance program that provides medical coverage for low-income individuals that are disabled, 65 years of age or older, those under 21 years of age, and the parents of children deprived of parental support due to unemployment, absence, disability, or death of a parent.
- CalWORKs (the state TANF program) provides cash aid and services to families.
- General Relief provides cash aid and services to adults with no dependent children living with them.
- CalFresh (the state SNAP program) allocates monthly food benefits to individuals and families.
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act helps job seekers secure the employment, training and supportive services necessary to succeed in the labor market. It also supports local businesses recruit talent, stay competitive and utilize available training for their internal staff.
- In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) gives support for some domestic and personal care services for seniors and for disabled individuals of all ages so they can remain safely in their homes.
- Adult Protective Services seeks to protect, prevent and remedy abuse of elders and dependent adults.
- Information and Assistance social workers answer calls from the public regarding the full range of social services and related resources available to Marin county residents.
- Ombudsman Program monitors the care of people in long-term residential care homes and skilled nursing facilities to ensure residents are receiving quality care and being treated with dignity and respect.
- Children and Family Services delivers an array of supportive programs including (but not limited to) children’s health insurance, emergency response for suspected child abuse, and parenting classes.
- Veterans Services helps military veterans, their spouses and children obtain all types of veterans’ benefits.
- Public Guardian’s Office manages the property, finances and personal care needs of individuals who are substantially unable to provide for themselves
- The West Marin Service Center an integrated service center that is focused on providing culturally competent social, public, and behavioral health services to the West Marin rural community.
- The Special Investigations Unit is responsible for maintaining the integrity of public assistance programs. Welfare fraud investigators are charged with deterring, detecting and prosecuting fraud.
“Social workers serve a variety of functions for vulnerable populations,” said Kari Beuerman, Director of Social Services for Marin HHS. “They perform assessments, coordinate resources, give referrals, assist with acquisition of benefits, and provide counseling and advocacy.”
With most of the Social Services workforce commuting from beyond Marin, HHS is focusing recruitment efforts to the local community. The County hopes to bring diversity to its workforce by targeting its recruitment efforts to a variety of geographic locations, populations, and age groups within Marin. Additionally, those living locally face shorter commute times, thereby cutting down on road congestion and carbon emissions. Those already housed in Marin are also more likely to be retained than staff members who leave to find jobs closer to home.
One area where the County is always hiring is in the eligibility worker classification. Eligibility workers make a profound difference in the lives of individuals and families by linking eligible clients with food, and medical and financial public benefits. To get more information or to apply, visit the Career Opportunities page on the County’s website.
Some additional pathways into the County include becoming and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) caregiver. An IHSS caregiver assists seniors and adults with disabilities with a variety of daily living activities from preparing meals and light housework to personal care. To find out more, visit www.pamarin.org.
Lastly, another pathway to consider is becoming a foster or resource family. Providing a loving and safe place to call home can have a profound, life changing impact on a child. For more information on Marin County’s foster care program, visit www.fosterourfuturemarin.org.