Position Details
The Social Worker/Case Manager position provides professional level counseling and consultation, investigates abuse and neglect of children and adults, assesses and assists persons with developmental and mental disabilities, and administers a variety of social services and mental health services to Freeborn County residents. This position performs at a high rate of stress on an ongoing basis in order to maintain safety within caseloads. This entails coordination of services, coordination of transportation, scheduling visitations, locating placement, making referrals, and assisting in daily emergencies that arise with families served by the County. This position requires to maintain efficient and effective notes, and include time reporting, accurate case plans, court reports and assessments to ensure that all information is gathered accurately. Must maintain strict confidentiality with all individuals in the case is also needed as well with any communications with collateral contracts.
Duties and Responsibilities (Note: these are characteristic of the job class, but actual duties will vary depending on assigned duties. An individual incumbent will perform selected duties from this list).
- Works and builds relationships with clients in the areas of: Adult Mental Health, Child Mental Health, Adult Services, Developmental Disabilities, and Child Protection.
- Manages out of the country transportation for visits.
- Completes court reports and court hearing attendance.
- Coordinates with other counties and outside resources in other counties/ states.
- Refers clients to a variety of support services such as substance abuse providers, family counseling, mental/emotional counseling and parenting skillsdevelopment.
- Drives to and from client's home and/or school. Transports clients to visits, court, and other appointments. Travel often occurs out-of-county and out-of-state with occasional overnights.
- Collaborates with other community agencies and resources and refers clients to service providers. This also includes identifying available and developing new resources; coordinating successful services for clients and families; maintaining contact to monitor client progress to ensure needs are met; and assists clients in arranging transportation.
- Develops person-centered case plans with measurable goals, assesses client progress and evaluates service providers.
• Documents client's performance by maintaining up-to-date and accurate case notes and functional assessments. In collaboration with client, monitors and evaluates the appropriateness of client's treatment. • Works closely with county attorney's office and court administration. Petitions court when needed and assists in implementing court orders. Attends court proceedings that require attendance and completes all court documents.
- Complies with mandated reporting requirements per statutes.
- Maintains strict confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and state and federal statutes.
- Assists in locating residential and other out-of-home placements for clients.
- Coordinates with foster parents/facilities for family visits, court hearings, medical appointments, school/work meetings.
- Completes all necessary paperwork and maintains case records to meet federal, state, agency, and court requirements.
- Interprets policies and regulations to clients and families.
Additional Duties and Responsibilities (Note: these are characteristic of the job class, but actual duties will vary depending on assigned duties. An individual incumbent will perform selected duties from this list).
- Organizes and provides public education, community outreach, and public relations.
- Prepares and maintains a variety of records and paperwork ensuring compliance with federal, state, and agency requirements. Reports all actions in required computer software.
- Maintains training/educational competencies and own professional development.
- Attends all unit and agency meetings.
- Provides after-hours and on-call response to emergencies.
While these are the primary focus of the position, we believe strongly in teamwork and employees will be called upon to perform a variety of duties as part of their role with the County.
Position Requirements
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of social work, human development, and psychology.
- Knowledge and understanding of laws governing social services.
- Knowledge of social work ethics.
- Knowledge of local and regional resources, organizations, and agencies.
- Skill in individual, family and group counseling.
- Ability to interview, assess and evaluate mental and physical health and needs of clients.
- Ability to develop presentations and present to groups and individuals.
- Ability to write reports and maintain records.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and data privacy.
- Ability to deal with aggressive, uncooperative, or out-of-control behaviors.
- Ability to de-escalate crisis situations.
- Ability to work under limited supervision with general autonomy in determining how objectives are achieved.
- Ability to perform complex work requiring analytical ability and inductive thinking to adapt policies and procedures to fit situations.
- Ability to communicate and maintain relationships with clients and others to motivate behavior, enforce rules and gain trust.
Education and Experience
• Bachelor’s Degree in social work, sociology, psychology or a related field. • Or a combination of education and experience to successfully perform job duties.
Licenses/Certifications
This position will require the acquisition and maintenance of the following additional certificates/licenses:
- Bachelor’s Degree
- MN Merit Eligibility
- Driver’s License
Equipment and Tools
- Office equipment and technology
- Frequent use of County or personal vehicle
Physical and Mental Requirements
This job typically requires: sitting, standing, walking, driving, feeling, manual dexterity, grasping, talking, hearing, typing, and seeing. There is exposure to computer keyboards and video screens. This position is generally light-duty and may require the exertion up to 60 pounds of force.
The physical demands described here are representative to those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Working Conditions
Worker may be subject to odors, wetness, bodily fluids, poor illumination, and sudden temperature change. Worker may be exposed to dangerous/hazardous physical and/or environmental conditions (animals, animal waste, insects, and rodents, house in need of repair, mold, drugs, and weapons). Worker is exposed to noise, distractions, and interruptions. Worker may be exposed to hostile, physically and/or verbally abusive, and emotional or dysregulated clients.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative to those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Competencies Common to All County Positions
- Develop, maintain a thorough working knowledge of, and comply with all departmental and applicable County policies and procedures
- Demonstration by personal example the spirit of service, excellence, and integrity expected from all staff.
- Develop respectful and cooperative working relationships with co-workers, including willing
assistance to newer staff so job responsibilities can be performed with confidence as quickly as possible.
- Confer regularly with and keep immediate supervisor informed of all-important matters which pertain to the applicable job functions and responsibilities.
- Represent Freeborn County in a professional manner to the public, outside contacts and constituencies.
Addendums
Children’s Mental Health
- Completes Rule 79 case management training.
- Preferred 2000 hours in the delivery of mental health services to children.
- Requires ongoing clinical supervision.
- At minimum, maintains consistent monthly contact with identified clients.
- Requires ongoing relationship building with clients and families.
- Collaborates with community service agencies and service providers including but not limited to; mental health centers, group homes, residential treatment centers, schools, foster homes, hospitals, substance abuse providers and respite providers. Provides ongoing advocacy for client needs.
- Attends outside meetings in order to provide ongoing support to clients. May include but is not limited to; Individualized Education Plan meetings and residential treatment staffing.
- Occasionally facilitates groups to assist clients in meeting goals. Groups may include but are not limited to skill building and outings funded by the respite grant.
- Frequently travels out of county and/or out of state in order to transport/visit clients in out of home facilities. Travel may require overnights, driving at night, driving in hazardous weather conditions and use of personal vehicle. Travel may also require driving in personal vehicle with dysregulated clients.
- Travel may require installing equipment such as car seats.
- Exposure to dysregulated clients which may include but is not limited to: clients who are emotionally dysregulated, clients who are not taking prescribed medications, clients who are physically and/or verbally abusive, clients who are under the influence of illegal substances and/or alcohol.
- Requires knowledge and implementation of S.E.L.F funds and respite funds.
- Provides case management for extended foster care and 18-21 services.
- Exposure to a high-stress environment which may require making quick, autonomous decisions that have a high-impact on clients and/or the agency.
- Manages ICWA requirements.
- Completes ICPC coordination / paperwork.
- Adoption facilitation and coordination.
- Coordinates family visit and provides transportation, as needed.
- Completes intake paperwork for facility placement referrals.
- Maintains monthly visits with clients/ fosters/ homes and other collateral contacts.
Social Worker Family Based Counselor
- Directly interfaces with families to provide professional level counseling and consultation to SED students and their families, or children at risk of out of home placement due to parenting or family system difficulties.
Mental Health Case Management
• Facilitates drug testing (blood, urine, or hair). • Monitor clients' finances as representative payee, create budget with client, monitor expenses monthly
- Meets with clients to provide on-going support, counseling and assessments to assist in determining needs, strength and goals which includes: interviewing people with mental illness, referring clients to a variety of support services such as emergency services, mental health hospitalization, IRTS facilities, adult foster homes or board and lodge services.
- Manages client through entire civil commitment process, including interviews, coordinating PPS meeting, screening process, reports to court, attending court hearing, and coordination of transportation.
- After client is committed through the courts, case manager oversees client in the community to ensure they are following requirements of provisional discharge or stay of commitment of treatment plan.
- Revocation of provisional discharge is initiated and pursued on case by case basis and dismissal of commitment is also managed by case manager. CPS
- Meets with clients to provide mandated assessment, ongoing support, professional level counseling and consultation, and case planning to assist in determining needs, strengths, and goals.
- Assesses the safety and wellbeing of children and their families to identify specific services to help reduce or eliminate presenting needs such as substance abuse; domestic violence, mental illness, developmental disabilities, poverty, neglect, abuse, criminal behaviors, delinquency, educational neglect, parent child interactions, and housing.
- Assesses/investigates child maltreatment concerns by completing intakes, screening intakes, interviewing, gathering information, completing assessments, determining imminent danger, assessing need for services, and implementing or providing those services. Develops, monitors, and enforces safety plans.
- Identified as a State mandated and essential service. This unit is mandated by statute to have 24- hour coverage, intake, screening, and response. This includes after hours work and rotating on-call for 24-hour intake, screening, and face to face contact requirements. On-call includes required response outside of normal business hours to include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- Some of the Social Worker duties and responsibilities have increased frequency and duration for Child Protection Services including: travel-including out of county, client transportation, law enforcement collaboration-including assisting with law enforcement investigations, court related responsibilities including testimony, contacts with clients and collaterals. Court related responsibilities can include court in other jurisdiction locations and court types such as juvenile, family, civil, and criminal court.
- Makes decisions regarding necessity of out of home placement, determines location and transitions child to placement. Completes out of home placement responsibilities from initial placement to reunification which includes but is not limited to scheduling and supervising visitation, providing transportation, and collaborating with parents, school, foster family/facility, and service providers. If reunification is not possible, works towards permanency which includes transfer of custody, extended foster care, termination of parental rights and adoption.
- Administers chemical use testing including but not limited to saliva, hair, urine, and sweat.
- Manages ICWA requirements.
- Completes ICPC coordination / paperwork.
- Adoption facilitation and coordination.
• Coordinates family visit and provides transportation, as needed. • Completes intake paperwork for facility placement referrals.
- Maintains monthly visits with clients/ fosters/ homes and other collateral contacts.
Additional Licenses/Certifications (CPS)
This position will require the acquisition and maintenance of the following additional certificates/licenses:
- Child Welfare Foundations Training
- CornerHouse Interviewing Training/Forensic Interviewing (Assessment Social Worker)
- ICWA training
- Signs of Safety Training
- Trauma Informed training
- Domestic Violence Training
*****You must complete both the Freeborn County and Merit applications to be considered for this position. Completed applications along with cover letter and resume are due by 12:00 PM Friday, September 4th, 2026. Please call 507.377.5400 with any questions. Salary range - $72,992 - $97,308.
You can find the Freeborn County application at www.co.freeborn.mn.us (http://www.co.freeborn.mn.us) and the Merit application at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mnmeritsystem (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mnmeritsystem)
Equal Opportunity Employer
Preferred
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Bachelors or better in Sociology or related field
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Bachelors or better in Psychology or related field
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Bachelors or better in Social Work or related field
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
