EXPANDED SCOPE

FOR

DRUG COUNSELOR (SPANISH SPEAKING) OC 1,2,3

PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER OC 1,2,4,5

1. INTERVIEWING-These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take.

2. PREPARING WRITTEN MATERIAL-These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

3. PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF SOCIAL CASEWORK-These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices used in social casework. Questions may cover such topics as symptoms and treatments associated with various mental, social, and physical illnesses and disabilities; client rights and confidentiality; referral techniques; maintaining client records; establishing and maintaining relationships with clients, families, co-workers, referral agencies, and the general public; and professional and ethical concerns in casework practice.

4. DEVELOPING & IMPLEMENTING TREATMENT IN A SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM-These questions test for knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply social work concepts, theories, principles, and practices in a mental hygiene program which provides services to clients who have various mental hygiene conditions such as mental illness, developmental disabilities or addiction. Questions may cover such topics as assessment, development, and implementation of treatment; coordination of treatment; evaluation of treatment; coordination of services; social work standards; roles of treatment team members; individual, family, and group counseling; community services; behavior management; crisis intervention; and patient/client advocacy.

5. WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH-These questions test for knowledge of characteristics, causes and treatment methods associated with chronic mental illness and/or addiction. Questions cover such topics as establishing, maintaining and terminating client relationships; recognizing, interpreting, and responding to individual and group behaviors; providing access to essential services such as financial, housing, medical, educational, legal, vocational, and recreational; and eligibility criteria of programs and agencies offering such services.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication "How to Take a Written Test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available online at: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm.

USE OF CALCULATORS IS ALLOWED

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