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Social and Human Service Assistants

Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care.
Related: Child, Family, & School Social Workers  Healthcare Social Workers  Marriage & Family Therapists  Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Workers  Mental Health Counselors 
Industries: Health & Counseling  Government 

  • Summary

  • Details

    • Work Activities

    • Assist clients with preparation of forms, such as tax or rent forms.
    • Assess clients' cognitive abilities and physical and emotional needs to determine appropriate interventions.
    • Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance.
    • Keep records or prepare reports for owner or management concerning visits with clients.
    • Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices.
    • Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets.
    • Transport and accompany clients to shopping areas or to appointments, using automobile.
    • Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices.
    • Inform tenants of facilities, such as laundries or playgrounds.
    • Submit reports and review reports or problems with superior.
    • Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance.
    • Keep records or prepare reports for owner or management concerning visits with clients.
    • Assess clients' cognitive abilities and physical and emotional needs to determine appropriate interventions.
    • Interview individuals or family members to compile information on social, educational, criminal, institutional, or drug history.
    • Advise clients regarding food stamps, child care, food, money management, sanitation, or housekeeping.
    • Observe and discuss meal preparation and suggest alternate methods of food preparation.
    • Explain rules established by owner or management, such as sanitation or maintenance requirements or parking regulations.
    • Develop and implement behavioral management and care plans for clients.
    • Visit individuals in homes or attend group meetings to provide information on agency services, requirements, or procedures.
    • Oversee day-to-day group activities of residents in institution.
    • Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals.
    • Consult with supervisor concerning programs for individual families.
    • Demonstrate use and care of equipment for tenant use.
    • Observe and discuss meal preparation and suggest alternate methods of food preparation.

    Skills

    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.

    Abilities

    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    Knowledge

    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    Education

    Education
    High school diploma or equivalent
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    Less than 1 month on-the-job training
    Education and Training Opportunities

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    49940/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    24.01/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    11,820
    Yearly Projected Openings
    1390

    Personality

    Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Sincerity
    • Optimism
    • Empathy
    • Social Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Integrity

    Tools

    • Automobiles or cars
    • Desktop calculator
    • Desktop computers
    • Laser fax machine
    • Laser printers
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Photocopiers
    • Special purpose telephones

    Technology

    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Voice recognition software
    • Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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