Discussion 5

THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKER A GENERIC JOB DESCRIPTION

A joint publication of NOHSE & CSHSE

The field of Human Services is a broadly defined one, uniquely approaching the objective of

meeting human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as

remediation of problems and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of service

populations. The Human Services profession is one which promotes improved service delivery systems by

addressing not only the quality of direct services, but by also seeking to improve accessibility, accountability,

and coordination among professionals and agencies in service delivery.

NATURE OF THE WORK

“Human services worker” is a generic

term for people who hold professional and

paraprofessional jobs in such diverse settings as

group homes and halfway houses; correctional,

and community mental health and development

disability centers; family, child, and youth service

agencies, and programs concerned with drug

abuse, alcoholism, family violence, and aging.

Depending on the employment setting and the

kinds of clients served there, job titles and duties

vary a great deal.

The primary purpose of the human

service worker is to assist individuals and

communities to function as effectively as possible

in the major domains of living.

A strong desire to help others is an

important consideration for a job as a human

services worker. Individuals who show patience,

understanding, and caring in their dealings with

others are highly valued by employers. Other

important personal traits include effective

interpersonal communication skills, a strong sense

of responsibility, and the ability to manage time

effectively.

EXAMPLES OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES OF HUMAN SERVICE WORKERS

Case Worker

Family Support Worker

Youth Worker

Residential Counselor

Eligibility Counselor

Alcohol Counselor

Adult Day Care Worker

Drug Abuse Counselor

Life Skills Instructor

Client Advocate

Probation Officer

Parole Officer

Child Advocate

Gerontology Worker

Juvenile Court Liaison

Group Home Worker

Crisis Intervention Counselor

Mental Health Worker

Community Organizer

Intake Interviewer

Community Outreach Worker

Community Action Worker

Halfway House Counselor

Case Manager

Rehabilitation Case Worker

Residential Manager

Group Facilitator

Activities Therapist

Care Coordinator

Assessment Worker

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HUMAN SERVICES

Making a Difference in People’s Lives

The following six statements describe the major generic knowledge, skills and attitudes that appear

to be required in all human service work. The training and preparation of the individual worker within this

framework will change as a function of the work setting, the specific client population served, and the level

of organization work.

1. Understanding the nature of human

systems: individual, group, organization,

community and society, and their major

interactions. All workers will have

preparation which helps them to

understand human development, group

dynamics, organizational structure, how

communities are organized, how policy is

set, and how social systems interact in

producing human problems.

2. Understanding the conditions which promote

or limit optimal functioning and classes of

deviations from desired functioning in the

major human systems. Workers will have

understanding of the major models of

causation that are concerned with both

the promotion of healthy functioning and

with treatment-rehabilitation. This

includes medically oriented, socially

oriented, psychologically-behavioral

oriented, and educationally oriented

models.

3. Skill in identifying and selecting

inter ventions which promote gr owth and goal

attainment. The worker will be able to

conduct a competent assessment and

problem analysis and to help clients select

those strategies, services or interventions

that are appropriate to helping them attain

a desired outcome. Interventions may

include assistance, referral, advocacy, or

direct counseling.

4. Skill in planning , implementing and

evaluating inter ventions. The worker will

be able to design a plan of action for an

identified problem and implement the

plan in a systematic way. This requires an

understanding of problems analysis,

decision-analysis, and design of work

plans. This generic skill can be used with

all social systems and adapted for use with

individual clients or organizations. Skill in

evaluating the interventions is essential.

5. Consistent behavior in selecting

inter ventions which are congruent with the

values of one’s self, clients, the employing

or ganization and the Human Ser vice

profession. This cluster requires awareness

of one’s own value orientation, an

understanding of organizational values as

expressed in the mandate or goal

statement of the organization, human

service ethics and an appreciation of the

client’s values, life-style and goals.

6. Process skills which are required to plan

and implement ser vices. This cluster is

based on the assumption that the worker

uses themselves as the main tool for

responding to service needs. The worker

must be skillful in verbal and oral

communication, interpersonal

relationships and other related personal

skills, such as self-discipline and time

management. It requires that the worker

be interested in and motivated to conduct

the role that they have agreed to fulfill and

to apply themselves to all aspects of the

work that the role requires.

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GENERIC HUMAN SERVICE WORKER COMPETENCIES

WHERE HUMAN SERVICE WORKERS WORK

Working conditions vary. Human services

workers in social service community-based

agencies generally spend time in the office and in

the field. Most work a 40-hour week. Some

evening and weekend work may be necessary,

depending on the work setting and target

population.

Human services workers in residential settings

generally work in shifts. Because program

residents need supervision in the evening and at

night, 7 days a week, evening and weekend hours

are required.

Despite differences in what they are called

and what they do, human services workers

generally perform under the direction of, or in

collaboration with, other professional staff. Those

employed in mental health settings, for example,

may be assigned to work with a treatment team

made up of social workers, psychologists, and

other human services professionals. The amount

of responsibility these workers assume and the

degree of supervision they receive varies a great

deal. Some workers are on their own most of the

time and have little direct supervision; others

work under close direction.

Human services workers in community,

residential care, or institutional settings provide

direct services such as leading a group, organizing

an activity, or offering individual counseling. They

may handle some administrative support tasks,

too. Specific job duties reflect organizational

policy and staffing patterns, as well as the worker’s

educational preparation and experience. The

higher the degree the more likely a worker is to be

a manager or supervisor.

Because so many human services jobs involve

direct contact with people who are impaired and

therefore vulnerable to exploitation, employers try

to be selective in hiring. Applicants are screened

for appropriate personal qualifications. Relevant

academic preparation is generally required, and

volunteer or work experience is preferred.

JOB OUTLOOK

Employment of human services workers

is expected to grow much faster than the average

for all occupations through the year 2010.

Opportunities for qualified applicants are

expected to be excellent, not only because of

projected rapid growth in the occupation, but

because of substantial replacement and turnover

needs.

Employment prospects should be

favorable in facilities and programs that serve the

elderly, mentally impaired, or developmentally

disabled. Adult day care, a relatively new concept,

is expected to expand significantly due to very

rapid growth in the number of people of

advanced age, together with growing awareness

of the value of day programs for adults in need

of care and supervision.

While projected growth in the elderly

population is the dominant factor in the

anticipated expansion of adult day care, public

response to the needs of people who are

handicapped or mentally ill underlies anticipated

employment growth in group homes and

residential care facilities. As more and more

developmentally disabled individuals reach the age

of 21 and thereby lose their eligibility for

programs and services offered by the public

schools, the need for community-based

alternatives can be expected to grow. Pressures to

respond to the needs of the chronically mentally

ill can also be expected to persist. For many years,

as deinstitutionalization has proceeded, chronic

mental patients have been left to their own

devices. If the movement to help the homeless

and chronically mentally ill gains momentum,

more community-based programs and group

residences will be established, and demand for

human services workers will increase accordingly.

Community based non-profit agencies will remain

a major employer of human services workers, and

replacement needs alone will generate many job

openings in the public and private sector.

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