Deputy Public Guardian Conservator II/III (Open & Promotional)

The Aging and Adult Services Division of San Mateo County Health is seeking a full-time Deputy Public Guardian Conservator II/III (DPG). Deputy Public Guardians manage the income and assets and coordinate the care, including the arrangement of placement and treatment, of elderly and gravely disabled persons under the jurisdiction of the Public Guardian as appointed by the Superior Court.  Deputy Public Guardians visit clients on a regular basis, which includes travel to various locations both within and outside of San Mateo County.
 
The current vacancy is in the LPS (Lanterman Petris Short Act) conservatorship unit; however, this recruitment may be used to fill vacancies in either Probate or the LPS conservatorship unit.
 
DPG II is at the journey level with responsibility for managing estates and providing casework services. DPG II administers complex property and litigation cases and may develop comprehensive care plans. DPG III also provides lead direction to other deputies, serves as liaison with specific County and State facilities, handles those cases that present the greatest liability to the client and/or the County, and may provide 24-hour emergency response services. All DPGs must accept very diverse roles in the areas of estate management and care coordination.
 
This person will report to the Supervising Deputy Public Guardian of Aging and Adult Services.
 
The ideal candidate will be able to develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with a variety of organizations; have strong assessment, motivational interviewing, investigative, oral and written communication skills; have familiarity working with Adult Protective Services (APS), law enforcement, San Mateo County Superior Court system, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, San Mateo Medical Center and an understanding of the Probate Code. The ideal candidate should also have experience conducting psychosocial assessments and meeting the needs of persons suffering from serious mental illness, as well as experience with asset management and knowledge of various public benefits programs. Lastly the ability to be politically astute, perform client engagement/ case management tasks from a strength-based, culturally sensitive, and racially equitable framework, is ideal as well as the ability to perform duties in a fast-paced environment and exercise discernment and critical thinking to problem-solve immediate client-centered challenges.
 
 Examples of Duties:
 
 Finance:
  

• Manages and protects the assets, including making and liquidating investments and arranging for sale of real and personal property as appropriate.
• Collects all income due to the person, secures appropriate benefits and monitors accuracy of benefit amount.
• Pays all lawful debts.
• Creates viable solutions to address financial hardships experienced by LPS clients – for example when liquid assets have been depleted.

For example, a client may own real property vested in Trust and live in the residence with 24-hour home health care services in place. The client's liquid assets have depleted. The Deputy Public Guardian may have to facilitate application for a reverse mortgage, identify and marshal Trust and conservatorship assets, and reconcile these two separate legal entities, as well as develop an estate plan, while ensuring that the client receives care appropriate to his/her needs.
 
 Client Care Coordination:
  

• Arranges for the person's care and protection.
• Decides where the person will live.
• Makes arrangements for health care, meals, clothing, personal care, housekeeping, transportation, and recreation.
• Makes placement decisions that allows for clients to be at the least restrictive placement while ensuring the safety of the public.
• Represents or arranges representation in all legal matters.
• Performs de-escalation and motivational interviewing interventions on an as needed basis.
• Collaborates with the case managers, psychiatrists, social workers, and facility administrators to put together a plan to address emergent and/or behavioral issues and find alternative placement options, as needed.

For example, a client in a board and care home or locked facility may be having a behavioral problem. The Deputy Public Guardian will work with the case manager, psychiatrist, social worker, and facility administrator to put together a plan to address the client's behavioral issues and may also need to work with the treatment team on finding alternative placement, if needed.
 
 Court:

• Arranges appropriate representation in all legal matters.
• Carries out legal and regulation requirements pertaining to the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS).
• Period reviews of LPS reports to ensure quality assurance/performance.
• Prepares and submits comprehensive reports to the Probate Court providing updates and/or addressing financial, social, placement and medical matters.

Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS) requires the review of client's current needs based on documentation of visits and care conferences, as well as annual report writing regarding that information. Probate requires a review of the past two years of care through the writing of a comprehensive report on financial transactions, social interactions, and medical conditions.
 
 SALARY
 DPG II:   $6,564.13 - $8,205.60/month
 DPG III:  $7,741.07 - $9,673.73/month
 
NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

 

Qualifications

License:
California driver license or equivalent.

Education and Experience: 
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is: DPG II: Two years of experience coordinating the care and managing the income and assets of elderly and gravely disabled persons; DPG III: Three years of experience coordinating the care and managing the income and assets of elderly and gravely disabled persons.

Knowledge of: DPG II/III:
Principles, policies, and procedures used in conducting comprehensive assessments of mentally and functionally disabled persons, the elderly, and their families; principles, policies, and procedures used in developing care plans for mentally and functionally disabled persons and the elderly; Welfare and Institutions Code, Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, Probate Code, and other applicable laws and regulations relating to person and estate management; regulations governing Federal Assistance, Social Security benefits, Veterans Administration benefits, and other entitlements; principles and techniques used in estate and financial investigation to determine conservatees' assets, including real property, stocks, bonds, and bank deposits; functions and procedures of the court system; social and community resources available; and psycho-social, medical, and economic interrelationships that result in individual and social abnormalities; and multi-cultural and ethnic diversity. DPG III: Basic principles and practices of lead work.

Skill/Ability to: DPG II/III:
Assess problems and take appropriate action, particularly in emergency and/or difficult situations; develop and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with County staff, service providers, assigned agencies, and individuals contacted in the course of the work; work effectively with mentally and emotionally disabled persons, the elderly, and their families; maintain complete and accurate case records; prepare clear, concise written reports; read, interpret, and implement complex written materials; communicate effectively, including speaking clearly and concisely; develop and implement comprehensive case plans; organize and manage large volumes of paperwork; and respond immediately to client needs in the home and/or institutional settings. DPG III: Train employees.

Application/Examination

Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, Confidential and Management extra-help/limited term, and SEIU or AFSCME represented extra help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

A supplemental application form must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. Resume or CV will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
 
The examination process will consist of an application screening (pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.
 
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
  
~TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE~ 
Final Filing Date:  Tuesday, April 30, 2024 11:59 PM   
Application Screening:  May 2, 2024
Panel Interviews:  May 20 and/or 21, 2024