Caseworker-2 IRES

County of Northampton; Bethlehem (Northampton County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Northampton is seeking a Caseworker 2 – Information and Referral and Emergency Services to provide immediate crisis response for Northampton County residents. This full-time professional position works within the 24-hour emergency services unit under the County Casework Supervisor and collaborates with hospitals, police, and community agencies.

Responsibilities include direct counseling, coordinating admissions or commitments, and linking clients to additional services.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of current social case management principles, techniques, and methods.
• Knowledge of the basic principles and methods of program interpretation and community organization.
• Knowledge of current social, economic, and health problems and their impact on the growth and development of people.
• Ability to learn, interpret, and apply relevant laws, regulations, and policies governing agency services.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.

Responsibilities

• Provides phone, on-site, and mobile counseling for clients in crisis.
• Facilitates voluntary admissions and involuntary hospital commitments.
• Facilitates referral, admission, and transportation for crisis residential.
• Provides outreach counseling, home visits, and problem-solving until ongoing services are arranged.
• Accompanies clients to emergency facilities or hospitals as needed.
• Completes commitment forms and coordinates with authorities as required.
• Documents and reports on emergency incidents using standard forms.

Skills

Case management knowledge

Interviews

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree in Psychology or Sociology

Job description

In order to be considered for this position, applicants must successfully submit a completed application prior to the posting deadline. Applications submitted with incomplete or missing education and/or work experience sections will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. These applicants will be disqualified from consideration. The attachment of a resume to the application does not fulfill this requirement and will not prevent incomplete applications from being rejected. Education and work experience fields must be completed, regardless of the presence of an attached resume.

Once the posting closes, all applications will be reviewed. The information provided on the application will be utilized to determine whether or not each applicant meets the Minimum Requirements for this position as noted in the Job Description. We encourage all applicants to provide a comprehensive, concise history of their education, certification, licensing, and employment history. Please read the Minimum Requirements thoroughly and then demonstrate that you meet these requirements on your application.

For questions regarding this posting, please contact Kimberly Lorenzoni, Human Resources Position Specialist, [e-mail] or 610-829-6372.

Equal Employment Opportunities – It is the policy of Northampton County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, sex, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or any other status protected by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any other state, federal, or local law.

GENERAL PURPOSE

The Caseworker 2 – Information and Referral and Emergency Services position is a full‑time professional casework position within the 24‑hour emergency services unit, designed to provide immediate response to life crisis situations for those residing in Northampton County.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

This position reports directly to the County Casework Supervisor for Information and Referral and Emergency Services.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

This position does not exercise supervision over other employees.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE POSITION

• Provides phone, on‑site, and mobile counseling for clients who are in a crisis situation with the goal of gathering necessary information, exploring the presenting problem, and alleviating the immediate crisis.
• Facilitates both voluntary admissions and involuntary hospital commitments. This can include transportation when deemed safe and appropriate.
• Facilitates referral, admission, and sometimes transportation for crisis residential.
• Provides direct temporary services such as outreach counseling to clients by performing home visits, daily living problem solving, or other services until community agencies can be contacted to provide on‑going services. If there is not an accountable agency, or if the emergency occurs after normal office hours including weekends, the emergency services worker will be directly involved in the procurement of services.
• Accompanies clients to a hospital emergency facility, to a short‑term inpatient hospital unit, to a receiving unit for alcoholism services, or to other locations as needed.
• Serves as a delegate to the County Mental Health Administrator. This involves completing 302 commitment forms in accordance with Mental Health enabling legislation. Individuals are committable for specific behaviors which involve dangerousness to self or others (suicidal threats/attempts, homicidal threats/attempts, self‑mutilation, or inability to care for self). The worker must establish that commitment criteria are met (i.e. person has made threats to harm self or others and is making acts in furtherance of these threats). Worker then meets with petitioner (person who has witnessed the committable behavior) and completes commitment forms including warrants to pick up and transport the patient for emergency evaluation and treatment. The majority of commitments involve direct, on‑site intervention by the Mental Health delegate either at the point when committable behavior has occurred or at facilities such as hospitals or police stations.
• Facilitates involuntary commitments by police and/or physicians in cases where on‑site delegate intervention is not required. Both types of commitment services involve a collaborative community approach with hospitals, ambulance crews, police, etc.
• Documents and reports on the process and outcome of emergency incidents through the use of standard emergency reporting forms (i.e. emergency incident sheets, mobile crisis forms, telephone logs, etc.).
• Assists in linking the client to additional services revealed necessary during the initial assessment.
• Responds to referrals regarding elderly persons being abused or living in intolerable housing conditions. Provides information and referral services as needed.
• Responds to clients who are in the state of crisis because of withdrawal from drugs and/or alcohol.
• Responds to calls regarding drug or alcohol overdoses and requests for detoxification. Facilitates referrals and provides information on appropriate treatment programs available.
• Serves as backup to Information and Referral Unit in situations when information and/or referral are requested.
• Maintains continuity of client care through supervisory consultation, review of daily log notes, and attendance at case conferences.
• Serves in a consultative and collaborative role with community personnel who are also involved in the provision of emergency services such as: emergency room physicians, nurses, police officers, ambulance crew members, staff of other community agencies, and Human Services treatment staff.
• Attends staff meetings and training programs for professional enhancement.
• *An employee assigned to this title shall perform a majority, but may not perform all, of the duties listed in this job description. Conversely, minor level duties performed on the job may not be listed. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – At least six (6) months of experience as a County Caseworker 1; OR
The successful completion of the County Social Casework Intern program; OR
Possession of a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, Social Work, or a related social science major; OR
Possession of a Bachelor's degree which includes, or is supplemented by, twelve (12) college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences; AND
At least one (1) year of full‑time professional social casework experience in a public or private social services agency. (Professional social casework experience is defined as work which involves providing services to individuals, families, or groups to help them attain a more satisfactory social, economic, emotional, or physical adjustment. The services provided would involve identifying and evaluating the client’s problems, formulating a plan of action, and implementing or directing such a plan of action.); OR
Any equivalent combination of experience and training which includes twelve (12) college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences.

Employee assigned to this title will be required to possess and maintain a valid and current motor vehicle operator’s license. Must have an acceptable driving record. Personal vehicle required for County business; employee is eligible for mileage reimbursement.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of current social case management principles, techniques, and methods.
• Knowledge of the basic principles and methods of program interpretation and community organization.
• Knowledge of current social, economic, and health problems and their impact on the growth and development of people.
• Knowledge of individual and group development and behavior and ways of working effectively with adults and children who have social, economic, emotional, or health problems.
• Knowledge of social welfare policy and law as they relate to agency function, agency purpose, and societal structures.
• Ability to work effectively with people and aid them to grow via the constructive use of their potential and adjusting to their specific problems.
• Ability to understand and accept the needs and rights of others and to work with adults and children who are physically challenged, mentally disabled, emotionally troubled, and economically disadvantaged.
• Ability to learn, interpret, and apply relevant laws, regulations, and policies governing agency services.
• Ability to learn how to conduct individual and family interviews and to use them to identify individual and family problems.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, their families, other staff, outside agencies, institutions, and the general public.
• Ability to plan and organize work, prepare adequate records and reports, set priorities, and learn to maintain a caseload in an effective and timely manner.
• Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of others.
• Ability to clearly express ideas verbally and in writing.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English to perform the duties of this position.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Telephone, personal computer (including word processing and spreadsheet software), calculator, writing implements, fax machine, copy machine, and paper shredder.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, sit, talk, and hear.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty‑five (25) pounds.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the office is moderately quiet. Employee may also work in other environments such as schools, private homes, etc. These work environments may range from quiet to loud.

SELECTION GUIDELINES

• Formal application, rating of education and experience, interview, and reference check as well as job related tests may be required.
• 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.

FLSA STATUS: FLSA NON-EXEMPT (ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME) DESIGNATION: CAREER SERVICE PAY GRADE: PS/GR35 UNION STATUS: PSSU

Updated October 2026