N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:50-4.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 3A:50-4.4 - Staff qualifications and duties

(a) The executive director or administrator shall work for the agency on a full-time basis (at least 30 hours per week) and have the qualifications and responsibilities as specified below.

1. The executive director or administrator of the agency shall:

i. Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of professional experience in the human services field, two years of which shall have been in a supervisory or administrative position; or

ii. Have a master's or doctorate degree from an accredited graduate school in business or public administration or in one of the areas of study in the human services field and two years of professional experience in the human services field; or

iii. For public agencies, meet the New Jersey Civil Service Commission requirements for the title used for the function of executive director or administrator of the agency.

2. The executive director or administrator shall be responsible for:

i. Developing, implementing and maintaining policy and procedures for program and fiscal operation;

ii. Ensuring that the agency achieves and maintains compliance with the requirements of this chapter;

iii. Employing, evaluating and discharging staff members, in accordance with the agency's established personnel policies as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:50-4.2;

iv. Establishing and supervising working relationships with other social service agencies within the community; and

v. Maintaining current social services records and statistics, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:50-3.6(c).

(b) The social work supervisor shall work for the agency on a full-time basis (at least 30 hours per week) and have the qualifications and responsibilities as specified below.

1. A social work supervisor shall:

i. Meet the requirements for a licensed clinical social worker or a licensed social worker as specified in N.J.A.C. 13:44G-4.1 and 4.2 and have a minimum of two years of professional experience in services to children and families, one year of which shall be in adoption services; or

ii. Meet the requirements for a certified social worker as specified in N.J.A.C. 13:44G-4.3, and have a minimum of four years of professional experience in services to children and families, two years of which shall be in adoption services. Under this provision, the social work supervisor shall not supervise licensed clinical social workers or licensed social workers; or

iii. For public agencies, meet the New Jersey Civil Service Commission requirements for the title.

2. The social work supervisor shall be responsible for:

i. The supervision, management, training, and evaluation of all social work staff members, students, and consultants;

ii. The supervision of volunteers whose work involves direct contact with clients;

iii. The approval of all decisions regarding family and child eligibility for service, maternity and child care, transportation and placement arrangements, finalization, and any other changes in the child's legal status; and

iv. The implementation of the agency's adoption program(s) and services, and recommendations regarding changes to the program.

3. The social work supervisor shall not act as a caseload carrying social worker.

(c) A social worker and/or a staff member who provides social work services shall work for the agency on a full-time basis (at least 30 hours per week) and have the qualifications and responsibilities as specified below. The agency may choose to utilize part-time staff members in lieu of one full-time staff member, provided that these staff members have the qualifications and responsibilities as specified in (c)1 and 2 below.

1. Each social worker and each staff member who provides social work services shall either:

i. Meet the requirements for a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed social worker or a certified social worker as specified in N.J.A.C. 13:44G-4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 and have a minimum of one year of professional experience in the human services field;

ii. Meet the criteria for exemption from social worker certification or licensure as specified in N.J.S.A. 45:15BB-5; or

iii. For public agencies, meet the New Jersey Civil Service Commission requirements for the title.

2. A social worker and/or a staff member who provides social work services shall be responsible for:

i. The maintenance of up-to-date case records;

ii. The preparation of home studies for adoptive applicants;

iii. The preparation of other case reports as required by the courts, cooperating agencies, or this chapter; and

iv. Direct service provision of any pre-placement, placement, post-placement, or post-adoption services, delivered to children, birth parents, foster parents, adult adoptees, or related parties within the scope of the agency's approved program.

(d) An agency shall arrange for staff members and/or consultants to provide medical, legal, psychiatric, psychological or other professional services to birth parents, children and adoptive parents whose home studies have been approved by the agency.

1. All staff members and/or consultants shall meet the licensing, certification, or practice requirements established for their respective professions in the states and/or country in which they practice.

2. The agency shall not require clients to use medical, legal, psychological, psychiatric or other consultants used by the agency. The agency may use consultants and/or persons selected by agency clients.

(e) Agencies that utilize students for field placements shall have a written plan for using their services.

1. This plan shall describe what services the student is responsible for and what arrangement the agency has for supervising the students.

2. The agency shall give a copy of this plan to each student and his or her school and to the supervising staff members.

(f) An agency may utilize the services of volunteers provided that the agency:

1. Ensures that any volunteer who has direct contact with clients works under the supervision of a professional staff member and does not provide counseling services or make social work decisions unless the volunteer has the qualifications of a social worker, as specified in (c) above.

2. Prepares and maintains on file a written plan and job description for each category of volunteer who has direct contact with clients; and

3. Provides orientation and training to volunteers, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:50-4.3(a).

N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:50-4.4

Amended by R.1992 d.514, effective 12/21/1992.
See: 24 N.J.R. 3500(a), 24 N.J.R. 4552(a).
Hours of work and experience requirements added at (a) through (c).
Amended by R.1995 d.431, effective 8/7/1995.
See: 27 N.J.R. 661(a), 27 N.J.R. 2922(a).
Revised the educational and professional experience requirements for social work supervisors, social workers and staff members providing social work services.
Amended by R.1997 d.480, effective 11/17/1997.
See: 29 N.J.R. 3230(a), 29 N.J.R. 4857(a).
In (d)1, inserted "and/or country".
Amended by R.2011 d.245, effective 10/3/2011.
See: 42 N.J.R. 1965(a), 43 N.J.R. 2600(a).
In the introductory paragraph of (c), inserted the second occurrence of "members"; rewrote the introductory paragraph of (c)1; rewrote (c)1ii; deleted former (c)1iii; and recodified former (c)1iv as (c)1iii.
Amended by R.2016 d.052, effective 6/6/2016.
See: 47 N.J.R. 3078(a), 48 N.J.R. 103(a), 48 N.J.R. 965(a).
In (a)1iii, (b)1iii, and (c)1iii, substituted "Civil Service Commission" for "State Department of Personnel"; added (b)3; deleted former (e); and recodified (f) and (g) as (e) and (f).