SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATOR I (Guardian Ad Litem)

Fulton County, GA; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Fulton County, GA seeks a Guardian Ad Litem (SSCI) in the Family & Court Services Division to advocate for a child or incapacitated person in court proceedings. The position involves coordinating needs assessments, referrals, and essential services while ensuring compliance with county policies and court requirements.

Responsibilities include interviewing clients, evaluating psychosocial needs, preparing written reports, and liaising with judicial officers and community resources.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in behavioral science or related field and 2 years in conducting needs assessments or coordinating referral services.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates consultation, information, and referral services for clients through referrals from Judicial Officers and schedules appointments.
• Determines clients' needs and identifies appropriate community resources for referrals.
• Provides ongoing assessment and counseling; crisis intervention; and follow-up with clients and families.
• Conducts outreach activities to develop referral bases and maintain community resource networks.
• Processes documentation, including intake forms, reports, and data; maintains client records securely.
• Represents department in meetings, hearings, and presentations as required; participates in committees.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Needs assessment

Referral coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in behavioral science, psychology, social work, sociology, or related field

Job description

UNCLASSIFIED POSITION LOCATED IN JUVENILE COURT

PERFORMING AS A:

Guardian Ad Litem

The Social Services Coordinator I (SSCI) acting as a Guardian Ad Litem in the Family & Court Services Division is appointed by a court to represent the interests of a child or incapacitated person in a legal proceeding.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in behavioral science, psychology, social work, sociology, or a related field required; supplemented by two years of experience in conducting needs assessments and coordinating referral services for clients in a social service organization or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Specific License or Certification Required:

Must possess and maintain a valid Georgia driver's license.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities:

Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all county or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

EXAMINATION:

The examination will consist of an evaluation of education and experience, accomplished by analysis of the application. Application must document that the applicant possesses the minimum knowledge, skills, education and experience as listed to be rated as qualified. If selected, an official, accredited college transcript is required, at time of employment, for all degrees/course work used to qualify for this position.

Purpose of Classification:

The purpose of this classification is to perform duties related to consultation, information, and referral services to meet the needs of clients. Responsibilities include interviewing and assessing the psychological, social, housing, psychosocial, and physical needs of clients; conducting outreach activities; and linking clients with community resources.

Essential Functions:

Coordinates consultation, information, and referral services for clients through referrals from Judicial Officers: makes initial contact and schedules appointments; conducts litigant interviews, home evaluations, school evaluations, etc.; interviews collateral contacts and other necessary parties; and prepares and submits related written reports.

Determines the nature of clients' needs and examines which community resource is appropriate to meet the need and provide the most appropriate referral: collects demographic and medical information on litigants; collects required bodily fluid samples and performs tests; and submits information to court and related resource as appropriate.

Provides ongoing assessment of clients' needs and reviews progress towards achieving objectives: provides counseling service to customers and their families; provides crisis intervention immediately while litigants are involved in court process/program; follows up with clients to determine compliance with court orders; and meets with clients to discuss progress and encourage continued participation.

Conducts outreach activities to develop a greater referral base and maintain community and social services resource network: locates/hosts seminars and community meetings; evaluates community counseling agencies to determine ability to provide services.

Processes a variety of documentation associated with department/division operations, within designated timeframes and per established procedures: receives and reviews various documentation, including academic records, health records, mental health evaluations, paternity tests, social service request forms, court orders, reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate.

Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, and other documentation, including client intake forms, statistical reports, mileage reports, and requisition forms; compiles data for further processing or for use in preparation of department reports; maintains clients' data files ensuring that file contents and case documentation meet established ethical and legal standards; and maintains computerized and/or hardcopy records.

Represents department in meetings, hearings, and presentations and serves on committees as required.

Additional Functions:

Performs other related duties as required.

Performance Aptitudes:

• Data Utilization: Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.
• Human Interaction: Requires the ability to work with and apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others to coordinate programs or activities of a project, and resolve typical problems associated with the responsibilities of the job.
• Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.
• Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.
• Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership, and to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to resolve problems.
• Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

It is the policy of Fulton County that there will be equal opportunity for every citizen, employee and applicant, based upon merit without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, genetics, age, disability or sexual orientation.