Under general supervision from the Social Services Department Manager, performs Ward of the Court fiduciary guardianship duties of significant importance when appointed by the SRPMIC Tribal Court. Assumes a prominent role on behalf of the Ward and provides for, and ensures, the Ward’s care, treatment, habilitation, education, support, and maintenance. This also includes intake assessment, ongoing care, service coordination, and advocacy.
This job class is treated as FLSA Exempt. This is a driving position.Essential Functions: Essential functions may vary among positions and may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics. This list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of tasks performed by all positions in this classification.
1. Ward Intake & Assessment: Upon establishment of guardianship by the SRPMIC Tribal Court, conducts an assessment of the Ward’s status and needs while incorporating input from other professional resources such as community-based agencies.
- Coordinates intake and care with other Tribal Government departments to provide various human services, hospitals, or facility social workers, home health care staff, private care managers or physicians.
- Conducts and coordinates functional assessments to measure the Ward’s functioning in areas such as orientation, behavior, health status, and communication skills.
- Make proper service referrals based on the intake assessment results.
- Implementing health status, treatment goals, and rehabilitation needs to ensure well-being.
- Documents outcomes, referrals, and dispositions in client case files.
- Intervening in crisis emergencies, including providing “on-call” crisis intervention assistance.
- Maintain regular office hours scheduled to be available to clients and other Community members.
2. Ongoing Visitation & Care: Serves as care coordinator responsible for developing and maintaining case plans for assigned Wards and monitoring provided services.
- Provides integrated health care coordination for all wards.
- Attends, and actively participates in, Intensive Supervised Probation (ISP) and other periodic evaluation meetings conducted for assigned Wards.
- Visit Wards monthly and document status.
- Coordinate medical, behavioral health, and specialty appointments to ensure the ward’s needs are met.
- Documents findings in the client case file.
- Ensures Wards are taken to all needed appointments.
- Acts as a point of contact for assigned Wards’ residential staff, family members and other parties as appropriate.
- Ensured needs and issues are addressed in a timely and effective manner.
3. Health & Safety: Evaluates the Ward’s residence for appropriateness, health and safety concerns. Helps determine whether the residence is the least restrictive alternative for the Ward.
- Coordinates the Ward’s visits to their placements monthly and documents the outcomes of the visit in the client's case file.
- Promotes the health and well-being of assigned Wards and protects them from harm to the best degree possible.
- Responds to crisis situations and the need for emergency action then documents the outcomes in the client case file.
4. Advocacy: Assumes an advocacy role for assigned Wards to ensure their health, safety, and overall well-being.
5. The guardian will advocate for the ward’s preferences when appropriate, promoting autonomy and supporting sound decision-making.
6. Outreach & Cooperation: Collaborates effectively with all necessary legal-related entities such as the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Legal Services Office (LSO), the SRPMIC Courts and the court system outside the SRPMIC. Works to ensure guardianship is conducted in accordance with all legal requirements.
- Ensures the use of quality, cost-effective ward care-related community resources including, but not limited to, case management, transportation, home-delivered meals, day treatments and senior citizen programs.
- Maintains close working relationships with the Social Services Department, Senior Services Department and the HHS medical and mental health divisions.
- Maintains a close working relationship with the Community's Public Fiduciary-Conservatorship in the Finance Department to ensure the Ward has access to maximum entitlements and that personal finances are being managed.
- Works closely with the Finance Department and the Public Fiduciary-Conservatorship regarding Ward matters of mutual concern including payment of bills and other financial obligations.
7. Documentation & Administration: Maintains documentation of all communication and incidents concerning assigned Wards in case management software & ensures input is made in a timely, accurate manner.
- Follows all departmental protocol regarding handling of Ward information and the handling of Ward cases.
- Prepares thorough, accurate guardianship reports and files with the Tribal Court at a frequency specified by the Court.
- Maintains strict confidentiality at all times.
8. Case Management: Performs other backup case management related work customarily associated with Social Workers as assigned by the Social Services Director.
9. Miscellaneous: Performs other job-related duties as assigned by the Social Services Director to maintain and enhance departmental and organizational operations.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics:- Knowledge of the culture, customs, traditions, history and government of the Salt River Pima- Maricopa Indian Community.
- Considerable knowledge of, but not limited to, the laws, rules and regulations governing guardianship, and health care issues.
- Considerable knowledge of, but not limited to, fiduciary responsibilities, entitlement statutes and the health, education and personal welfare issues and needs related to minors, the elderly, incompetents and indigents.
- Knowledge of casework management methods, practices and skills.
- Knowledge of counseling, problem-solving and conflict resolution techniques.
- Knowledge of principles of social work, sociology and psychology.
- Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques and principles.
- Knowledge of available Community resources and their appropriate utilization for referral and placement of the elderly and mentally ill.
- Skill utilizing the personal computer and related software including MS Office.
- Skill writing case histories and preparing a variety of guardianship reports.
- Skill conducting research and using standard investigative techniques and procedures.
- Skill understanding and applying complex rules, regulations, procedures and guidelines.
- Ability to communicate openly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients who lack the capacity to manage their personal affairs or estates.
- Ability to manage a caseload in an efficient and sensitive manner, organize and prioritize case management tasks and assignments.
- Ability to prepare clear, concise and comprehensive court reports.
- Ability to maintain complete and accurate case records.
- Ability to provide accurate and effective testimony in a Court on specific assigned cases as required.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, Community members, Community officials, outside agencies and SRPMIC staff.
- Ability to analyze complex administrative, personnel and organizational problems.
- Ability to work in unusually stressful relationships with elderly, disadvantaged and mentally ill while making accurate and timely decisions.
- Ability to be flexible and work well under pressure on time sensitive tasks.
- Ability to operate a variety of standard office equipment.
- Education: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Gerontology or a related behavioral science required.
- Experience: Three (3) years full-time experience providing ongoing social casework, case management and/or counseling services to the mentally ill and/or elderly in a recognized public or non-profit social services agency, conservator program hospital, Skilled Nursing Facility social work department or mental health case management organization.
- Fiduciary experience highly preferred.
- Equivalency: Any equivalent combination of education and/or experience that would allow the candidate to satisfactorily perform the duties of this position, will be considered.
- Underfill Eligibility: An enrolled Community Member whom closely qualifies for the minimum qualifications for a position may be considered for employment under SRPMIC Policy 2-19, Underfill.
- May be required to work beyond normal work hours including nights, weekends and holidays.
- Candidate must be bondable.
- Must possess and maintain a Valid Arizona Driver’s License.
- Successful completion of an extensive background investigation is required.
- Employees in, and applicants applying for, jobs providing direct services to children are subject to the “Community Code of Ordinances”, Chapter 11, “Minors”, Article X. “Investigation of Persons Working With Children”.
Prior to hire as an employee, applicants will be subject to drug and alcohol testing. Will be required to pass a pre-employment background/fingerprint check.
"SRPMIC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer" Preference will be given to a qualified: Community Member Veteran, Community Member, Spouse of Community Member, qualified Native American, and then other qualified candidate.
In order to obtain preference, the following is required: 1) Qualified Community Member Veteran (DD-214) will be required at the time of application submission 2) Qualified Community Member (must provide Tribal I.D at time of application submission),3) Spouse of a Community Member (Marriage License/certificate and spouse Tribal ID or CIB is required at time of application submission), and 4) Native American (Tribal ID or CIB required at time of application submission).
Documents may be submitted by one of the following methods:
1) attach to application
2) fax (480) 362-5860
3) mail or hand deliver to Human Resources.
Documentation must be received by position closing date.
The IHS/BIA Form-4432 is not accepted.
Your Tribal ID/CIB must be submitted to HR-Recruitment-Two Waters.
