Follow Your Calling, Find Your Career!!

Please apply by: Wednesday, September 17th, 2025

Salary Range: $52,132.00 - $65,165.00 per year. This is an exempt (salaried) position. Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

At Mecklenburg County, you’ll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are with support, inclusive culture, and technology to become the best version of you. We’re counting on YOUR unique voice and perspective to help Mecklenburg County become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a better working world for all.

Community Support Services (CSS) transforms lives and community by supporting veterans, ending homelessness, treating substance use, and preventing and intervening in community and domestic violence. As a department in Mecklenburg County’s Health and Human Services Agency, CSS maximizes community partnerships and collaborative opportunities to improve access to services and advocate for the needs of special populations.

Position Specific Information

This is a grant funded position and is currently funded annually, subject to renewal, through May 2026.

Mecklenburg County is the Lead Agency for Coordinated Entry for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Continuum of Care. Coordinated Entry is the intake for the local homeless response system. It is part of the process to access homeless resources and shelter in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

This Social Worker I position conducts Coordinated Entry (both in person and telephonically) with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, or those at imminent risk of homelessness, in order to efficiently connect them to the best available homeless shelter and/or scarce/temporary housing options in the community. It may require the provision of short-term Systems Navigation support to clients until which time they are connected to a homeless services case manager.

This position also engages clients within a strengths-based, solution focused framework to identify their service needs and goals, and to facilitate referrals to community resources so that clients have a plan of action toward enhanced self-determination.

CE clientele is diverse and brings with them a wide range of experiences and concerns; and may be in different stages of mental health, substance use, and trauma recovery. In addition to clients, the Social Worker I requires the ability to effectively engage with community partners to provide on-site CE to clients wherever they may be (in places not meant for human habitation, hospitals, treatment centers, day centers, shelters, etc.).

Primary onsite office location is 3205 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208 with standard hours of Monday – Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Subject to change, based on need.

Position Summary

Provides community-based services to clients, including evaluation, case management, counseling, and referrals. This position, under direct supervision, is responsible for determining the individual's specific problems and assisting in developing an action plan and/or mutual responsibility agreement.

Essential Functions

Assess needs of individuals and families
Interview clients, obtains family, social, and medical information
Determine clients' eligibility for financial assistance and if referrals are appropriate
Provide counseling and services in both individual and group settings
Discuss goals, expected outcomes and means with which to meet goals and expected outcomes
Assist clients in the completion of required paperwork for items that may determine program eligibility, referrals, or provide job assistance, such as job applications
Manage records and maintains history records and prepare reports of services provided
Refer clients to community resources for services and coordinates benefits and referrals to other agencies
Develop and evaluate service plans in consultation with clients, and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided
Help clients work with government agencies to apply for and receive benefits
Transport clients to appointments such as medical, job-related, or others, if appropriate
Manage records and documentation of services provided and participate in team case conferences
Act as a liaison with other staff with referrals and transitioning of clients
May be required to staff shelters in the event of a disaster

Minimum Qualifications

Experience:
Bachelor’s of Social Work from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work experience; or a qualifying internship;

or a Bachelor's degree in a related field with 15 hours of social work/counseling courses and two years of social work experience;

or Master's degree (MSW) from an accredited school of social work;

or a Master's degree in a related field with one year of social work experience.

Education: Please see experience.

Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted? No

Licenses and Certifications:
Requires a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License
Requires County Driving Privileges
Community Support Services positions: This position may perform key job functions at a community partner work site. Employment in this position is conditional upon following all policies and procedures of the community partner host agency and adhering to all requirements that the community partner agency has established to grant and maintain physical and/or virtual access to the work site. If access is revoked, employment will be terminated.

Preferred Qualifications

Bilingual skills in Spanish (both oral and written) highly preferred. County required bilingual skill assessment required in order to possibly receive bilingual premium pay.

Ability to provide quality customer service (customers include clients, host agencies and the community).

Commitment to a strength-based, solution-focused, person-centered approach to client engagement and respect the client’s right to self-determination.

Working knowledge of Housing First, Harm Reduction and Motivational Interviewing is preferred.

Experience with crisis response and de-escalation.

Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends in order to support stability of housed clients dealing with challenges to their stability.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of
General social work principles and available resources
Social services procedures, practices and methods
Social services related federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations relating to provision of public assistance, and social welfare
Case management methods and techniques
Services offered by the county and other local public and private community-based service agencies

Skills
Prioritizing work
Managing and executing multiple tasks
Maintaining various confidential records
Evaluating records to ensure accreditation standards are met
Using computers and related software applications
Exercising judgment and discretion

Abilities
Adaptability: Maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures
Building Customer Loyalty: Effectively meeting customer needs; building productive customer relationships; taking responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty
Building Partnerships: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, units, or organizations to help achieve business goals
Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
Care Management: Having the knowledge and skills to secure relevant patient care data and identify key issues and relationships in the management of patient care; understanding the relationships among assessments, interventions, and patient responses; skilled in documentation of assessments and adjusting physical and cognitive prescriptions as needed
Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
Customer Focus: Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs
Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences
Inspiring Others: Using interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals toward higher levels of performance
Managing Conflict: Dealing effectively with others in an antagonistic situation; using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people
Work Standards: Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed

Computer Skills
Proficient in applicable computer programs

Work Environment

Works in an office setting with moderate noise

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer Statement

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor’s request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.