Deputy Public Guardian I/II

About the Opportunity

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Deputy Public Guardian investigates individuals referred for conservatorship and administers to his/her personal needs under the jurisdiction of the Public Guardian. This individual makes more independent decisions on case management activities that are more complex or challenging.

To learn more about the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Department, https://www.stancounty.com/bhrs/ .


TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Application Deadline: May 7th, 2026 Oral Examination: May 20th, 2026

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Deputy Public Guardian position is assigned to the Public Guardian Care Coordination Team and works closely with the Estate Management Team which are both divisions of the Public Guardian Office. The Stanislaus County Public Guardian's Office provides estate and personal management for individuals under court appointed conservatorship. Individuals on conservatorship are both adults and older adults who are currently, or may have been, mental health consumers. The Estate Management Office develops and implements financial plans for individual conservatees in the Public Guardian program. This office has the legal responsibility to discover and take possession of all assets, including but not limited to cash assets, stocks, bonds, real and personal property. Subsequently, these assets are used for the care and maintenance of individuals on conservatorship. The office is also responsible for benefit application and account payables and account receivables.

The Estate Management Office holds the fiduciary duty for individuals on conservatorship and all actions must be documented and reported to the Superior Court for approval.

Typical Tasks

• Conduct investigations by interviewing relatives, friends, treatment providers, and those having business dealings with those on conservatorship, to assist in determining the extent of conservatorship obligations necessary;
• Arrange for appropriate placement of individuals in a variety of placement options for necessary medical and/or psychiatric care- Placements could include: State Hospital, locked psychiatric care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, board and care; residential homes with or without personal care;
• Develop individual care plans and monitor their implementation;
• Visit and provide support to individuals on conservatorship and their families;
• Protect the estate of individual conservatees from exploitation or loss by locating and taking control of all assets;
• Inventory all real and personal property so accurate records of all assets and liabilities can be maintained and properly accounted. Make certain that real property is insured and property taxes are current;
• Secure financial assistance for individuals on conservatorship such as Social Security Benefits,
• Manage real or personal property and financial expenditures, including arranging for the sale or purchase of personal and real property, including vehicles;
• Provide or arrange for transportation of individual conservatees to Superior Court, and/or medical or other necessary appointments;
• Attend, testify and offer recommendations at Superior Court hearings, including jury trials;
• Assist legal counsel with pretrial preparations;
• When authorized, make medical and end of life decisions for individual conservatees;
• Make funeral arrangements and arrange for disposal of assets when an individual conservatee has passed away;
• Prepare detailed written reports and correspondence and maintain detailed records;
• Conduct security checks of property owned by individuals on conservatorship;
• Coordinate the cleaning of real property including repairs, lawn care, etc., by using the bid process;
• Determine the disposition of personal property;
• Arrange for the sale or disposal of the property;
• Prepare and complete Inventory and Appraisals for the Court;
• Attend "staffing: and Planning Linking Conference (PLC) meetings for potential conservatees;
• Develop an estate plan for individual conservatees and monitor the implementation of the plan;
• Work with various County and State Agencies, such as law enforcement, Clerk Recorder's Office, District Attorney's Office, Community Services Agency, DMV, HUD and profit and non-profit agencies;
• Maintain a professional, problem-solving attitude while interacting with individuals on conservatorship, co-workers, general public, in occasional adversarial situations;
• Support and demonstrate stigma reduction;
• Deal with emergencies as necessary and manage competing time demands;
• Communicate effectively in both written and oral presentations;
• Listen well and gather essential information:
• Use conflict resolution skills in all aspects of your work;
• use a systematic, logical approach in evaluating and solving problems;
• Work easily and competently with numbers and legal language; and
• Travel as needed for field visits.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education/Experience)

KNOWLEDGE
Deputy Public Guardian I

• Appropriate interviewing methods and techniques;
• Basic Investigative procedures;
• Types and characteristics of mental and emotional disorders;
• Community resources available to physically and emotionally disabled persons;
• Financial management and record keeping principles; and
• Social and behavioral problems and issues relating to aged and/or disabled individuals.

Deputy Public Guardian II - All knowledge listed for Deputy Public Guardian I plus the following:

• Probate and Welfare and Institutions Codes and other laws and regulations as they apply to conservatorship proceedings;
• Eligibility requirements of financial assistance programs including Social Security, Medi-Cal and Veterans' benefits;
• Concepts involved in wills, insurance policies, deeds and contracts; and
• Concepts of title searches, real property recording, real estate transfers and appraisal methods and terminology.

SKILLS/ABILITIES
Deputy Public Guardian I/II

• Conduct investigations into the financial, medical and personal backgrounds of conservatorship referrals;
• Prepare clear, concise, comprehensive reports;
• Interpret complex rules and regulations including the California Probate Code and Welfare and Institutions code as they relate to conservatorship;
• Function in stressful or confrontational type situations;
• Locate, inventory, maintain and disperse personal property of individuals on conservatorship; and
• Relate and work effectively with agency staff, elderly and impaired clients.

We recognize your time is valuable, please only apply if you meet the following required qualifications.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

DEPUTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN I

PATTERN I

• Graduation from college, including a minimum of 30 college semester units in Social Welfare, Sociology, Psychology, Property Management, or other related course work; AND
• One (1) year of interviewing or responsible legal/financial clerical experience.

PATTERN II

• Successful completion of a minimum of 30 college semester units in Social Welfare, Sociology, Psychology, Property Management, or other related course work; AND
• One (1) year of social casework, counseling, investigation or financial management experience.

DEPUTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN II

PATTERN I

• Graduation from college, including a minimum of 30 college semester units in Social Welfare, Sociology, Psychology, Property Management, or other related course work; AND
• One (1) year of interviewing or responsible legal/financial clerical experience; AND
• A minimum of one (1) year experience equivalent to a Deputy Public Conservator I.

PATTERN II

• Successful completion of a minimum of 30 college semester units in Social Welfare, Sociology, Psychology, Property Management, or other related course work; AND
• One (1) year of social casework, counseling, investigation or financial management experience; AND
• A minimum of one (1) year experience equivalent to a Deputy Public Conservator I.

Note: Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. Proof of education is required for verification purposes at the time of application. Applicants who are unable to submit proof must call 209-525-7339 to make other arrangements before 5 pm on the final filing date. Failure to submit proof or make other arrangements before the final filing deadline will result in disqualification. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicant screening may focus on the following desirable qualifications. Please list any of these qualifications you may have within the "Duties" section of the online application.

• One (1) year of experience in conducting investigative interviews.
  

Application and Selection Procedures

APPLICATION PROCEDURES/FINAL FILING DATE Applications cannot be submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date. Make your online application as complete as possible so a full and realistic appraisal may be made of your qualifications.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Attaching your resume and cover letter are an optional feature for those who wish to do so in addition to completing the required application. Information on your resume and cover letter will not substitute for the education, work experience and required fields on the County application. The online County application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications. EXAMINATION PROCESS
Most County recruitments consists of the steps detailed below and are governed by Merit Principles. The examination process ensures that all applicants are given the same opportunity to gain employment within Stanislaus County.

• Application Review and Screening. Applications are carefully screened based on information provided. Those who submit incomplete applications that lack relevant qualifications or do not submit all required documents will not be invited to move on.
• Written Examination. Applicants will be invited to participate in a written exam that tests knowledge for the position.
• Oral Examination. Applicants are invited to a panel interview in which they will be evaluated by County subject matter experts.
• Eligible Lists. Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for six months but may be extended up to eighteen months.

GENERAL INFORMATION
CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION Unless otherwise provided, this position is part of the Classified Service of the County and is assigned to the Technical Services bargaining unit for labor relations purposes.
The Job Task Analysis provides information detailing the physical and functional demands of the classification. For the complete job task analysis, visit the Risk Management website at http://www.stancounty.com/riskmgmt/ under the "Disability" tab.
Note: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, part-time and full-time vacancies throughout Stanislaus County.
Incumbents may also be subject to overtime, standby, callback, weekend, holiday and shift assignments as identified in their MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).
RECRUITMENT ACCOMMODATIONS Arrangements may be made to accommodate disabilities and religious convictions. Applicants requiring testing accommodations are required to complete and submit the Testing Accommodations Request Form prior to the test administration date. Special arrangements for religious convictions should be included in the "Additional Information" section of the application form.
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Pass County-paid pre-employment job-related background investigation.
• Perform job duties in a manner assuring a safe working environment for oneself and others.
• Maintain confidential information according to the legal standards and/or County regulations as required.
• Some positions may be required to possess and maintain a valid California Driver’s License and meet County insurability requirements.

APPLICATION AND/OR EXAMINATION APPEAL RIGHTS Application and/or examination results may be appealed by applicants presenting facts alleging irregularity, fraud and/or error in application screening or in exam scoring. Appeals must be in writing and submitted to the Chief Executive Officer within seven (7) days after the examination results are emailed.
DISCLAIMER Stanislaus County reserves the right to revise the examination plan described in this flyer to better meet the needs of County service. The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice. The information contained in the bulletin is information which sets forth a general summary of benefits for this respective position. This information is not legally binding. The benefits and other information regarding this position may be found in the Stanislaus County Code, the Stanislaus County Personnel Policies manual, or in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding(s), and such information prevails over information contained in this flyer. Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Stanislaus County Chief Executive Office/Human Relations.

Benefits associated with this position can be found at Benefits Summary.

Closing Date/Time: 5/7/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• 

• Stanislaus County

• (209) 525-6341

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