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Human Services Workers

THE JOB

HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS provide many types of assistance to people in the 
community, from determining eligibility for welfare and health programs and 
counseling on child care to helping clients with physical and mental 
problems and those involved in drug and substance abuse.  They help 
determine and locate appropriate social service agencies such as those 
providing health care and physical and mental rehabilitation.  Working 
under the direction and supervision of nurses, counselors, social workers, 
psychologists, and other professionals,  and depending upon the type of 
work assignment, they may be a member of a treatment team made up of other 
human services workers and health professionals, or they may work on their 
own with little supervision.

Human Services Workers may assist clients in applying for welfare grants, 
food stamps, and other benefit and services programs by examining the 
client's financial records, check stubs, rent receipts, and prior years' 
income tax returns.  Workers may provide transportation, emotional support 
and accompany clients to medical appointments, community centers, and adult 
day care facilities.

Some Human Services Workers may lead workshops, organize group activities, 
provide individual or group counseling, manage group homes, and have 
responsibility for the completion of documents and the maintenance of case 
records and reports.  Human Service Workers may act as mediators between 
clients and service agencies, help people find the proper agencies to use 
in the community, or represent their clients before local service providers 
and government agencies.

Many Human Services Workers serve clients in hospitals, halfway houses, 
detoxification centers,  residential care facilities, rehabilitation 
centers, and outpatient clinics where they provide training in daily living 
skills, personal communications and personal and vocational counseling.

Other examples of Human Services Worker jobs:

     Gerontology Aide           Neighborhood Worker
     Child Abuse Worker         Crisis Intervention Worker
     Mental Health Aide         Community Organizer
     Residential Manager        Halfway House Counselor
     Adult Day Care Worker      Group Home Worker
     Drug Abuse Counselor       Life Skills Counselor


WORKING CONDITIONS

Human Services Workers may serve their clients in many different types of 
settings.  They may work in office buildings, community service centers, 
penal institutions, homeless shelters, adult schools, group homes, clinics, 
hospitals, private homes and many other places in the field.

Most Human Services Workers work 40-hour weeks.  Those who are assigned to 
residential care facilities or other places where client's live, may be 
required to work night shifts and on weekends and holidays since staff must 
be on hand throughout the day and night.

Human Services Workers must serve clients who may be hostile, physically or 
mentally ill, severely handicapped, and distressed.  The clients may be 
located in less than ideal environments such as homeless camps and shelters.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 
about one-fourth of the country's Human Services Workers were employed by 
state and local governments, mainly in public welfare agencies and 
facilities for mentally disabled and developmentally impaired individuals.  
About another 25 percent worked in private social or human services 
agencies which provided  services such as adult daycare, group meals, 
crisis intervention and counseling.

The following information is from the California Projections of Employment 
published by the Labor Market Information Division.

Estimated number of workers in 1993            11,780
Estimated number of workers in 2005            20,270
Projected Growth 1993-2005                        72%
Estimated openings due to separations by 2005   4,630

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.)

Job opportunities for Human Services Workers are expected to be excellent.  
It is considered one of the 50 fastest growing occupations in California 
between 1993 and the year 2005.  In the above table, approximately 8,500 
new jobs are expected to develop by the year 2005.  Nearly 4,600 
Human Services Workers jobs will open up because of workers retiring or 
leaving the occupation for other reasons.  For example, the turnover of 
staff in group homes is expected to remain high.

This occupation is also projected to be one of the fastest growing 
throughout the nation through the year 2005 because of the expected need 
for services to an increasingly older population and to the handicapped, and 
because of the anticipated growth in group homes and facilities to serve 
these groups and others such as the homeless and the chronically mentally 
ill.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Entry-level Human Services Workers can expect a pay range from around 
minimum wage to $16.00 per hour.  Experienced workers should earn up to 
$17.00 per hour, and those with three or more years with the employer may 
earn up to $20.00 an hour.

Most employers have fringe-benefit packages which include health, life and 
disability insurance plans, vacation, holiday and sick leave programs and 
pension plans.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

Employers, in general, seek workers who have good communication skills, a 
caring attitude, an ability to motivate others while being sensitive to 
their needs, and a high degree of  responsibility for the needs and care of 
clients.  Important skills for Human Services Workers include the abilities 
to interview, observe and record significant information and data, organize 
and work with groups, identify and solve problems, identify and use 
available community resources, and take the proper course of action on 
behalf of their clients.

High school students preparing for this occupation should complete classes 
in the social sciences, speech, English, and history.  Leadership in school 
activities and volunteer work in community service may provide valuable 
training and experience.

Most employers will hire Human Services Workers with college courses in 
human services, social work or one of the social sciences or behavioral 
sciences plus experience from volunteer work or work experience.  A 
bachelor's degree in an appropriate human services field is preferred by 
some employers.

Many California community colleges, universities and four-year colleges 
offer associate, certificate, and bachelor's degree and master's degree 
programs in human services and social work.

Educational and work experience requirements vary for the many different 
types of Human Service Worker jobs. Typically, high school graduates or 
those with some college education may be assigned to work directly with 
clients while college graduates may be assigned duties as counselors, 
program coordinators, case supervisors, and group home or halfway house 
managers.


ADVANCEMENT

Promotion to assignments involving more responsibility or higher skills 
requires additional training, experience, and, frequently,  the completion 
of a bachelor's degree or master's degree in human services, social work, 
social services, and rehabilitation counseling.


FINDING THE JOB

Human Services Workers should include all types of service agencies in 
their job search.  Workers should contact local, state public and private 
agencies and organizations which deal with public health, corrections, 
mental health, rehabilitation, services to senior citizens, mental 
retardation, education, social services as well as the Workforce Services Offices 
of the California Employment Development Department.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

National Organization for Human Service Education
Brookdale Community College
Lyncroft, NJ 07738
Internet Address: http://www.nohse.com


RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Social Workers                                  No. 122
Recreation Workers                              No. 357
School Counselors/Rehabilitation Counselors     No. 429


OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1)
Case Aide                195.367.010
Management Aide          195.367-014
Community Worker         195.367-018
Food-Management Aide     195.367-022
Social-Services Aide     195.367-034

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Human Services Workers                            273080


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department,
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916) 262-2162.