Director of Social Services

Job Summary

The Social Worker provides supportive social services to residents and their families, such as counseling and referrals to outside community or medical services. He or she acts as an advocate for the resident and helps organize and implement referrals that will best suit the resident's needs.

Administrative Functions

• Promote the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
• Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate and direct the social service programs at the facility.
• Assist in the admission process, admission contracts, PAE, and PASSAR..
• Assist in the development, administering, and coordinating of department policies and procedures.
• Keep abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards, and make recommendations on changes in policies and procedures to the Administrator.
• Review department policies and procedures annually and participate in making recommended changes.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures for the identification of medically related social and emotional needs of the residents.
• Make arrangements for obtaining needed adaptive equipment, clothing, and personal items as necessary and appropriate.
• With resident's permission, maintain contact with the family to report on changes in health, current goals, resident's rights, discharge planning, and to encourage participation in care planning.
• Make referrals and obtain services from outside entities, such as talking books, absentee ballots, and community wheelchair transportation.
• Assist residents with financial and legal matters, such as applying for pensions, referrals to attorneys, and referrals to funeral homes for preplanning arrangements, as necessary.
• Assist with discharge planning services, such as helping to place residents on a waiting list for other facilities, arranging intake for home-care services for residents returning home, etc.
• Assist with transfer arrangements to other facilities.
• Complete discharge plan in accordance with discharge plan policy.
• Develop relationship with resident and family and provide or arrange for provision of needed counseling services.
• Build relationships between residents and staff and teach staff to understand and support residents' individual needs.
• Promote actions by staff that maintain or enhance each resident's dignity in full recognition of each resident's individuality.
• Assist residents in the decision-making process (as appropriate) concerning their own health care, and whether or not they would like anyone else to be involved in those decisions.
• Assist staff in communicating with residents and family members regarding the resident's health status and health-care choices and their ramifications.
• Provide alternatives to drug therapy and/or restraints by understanding and communicating with nursing services why residents acts as they do, what they are attempting to communicate and what needs the staff must meet.
• Counsel residents, families, and staff in dealing with feelings about grief, depression, disability, death, dying or other emotional, mental, environmental, or physical limitations.
• Find options that best meet the physical and emotional needs of the residents.
• Work with families and residents on social interaction, reality orientation, and intellectual stimulation.
• Work with families and community resources as needed to solve financial needs and promote emotional security regarding financial stability.
• Identify community services and help the resident and families utilize them when needed.
• Compile and record social histories to assist in understanding resident's backgrounds, family problems, resources, histories of illness, interests, etc.
• Record pertinent social data about medically related personal and family problems in resident's medical records.
• Assist residents in utilizing individual and group activities to their best advantage.
• Observe record and notify nursing staff of changes in attitude, behavior, or personality, especially depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and aggression.
• Develop and use skills of interviewing, nondirective counseling, and communicating with community resources.

Qualifications

• Must possess, as a minimum, a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a human services field such as, social services, sociology, psychology, special education, or rehabilitative counseling.
• Member in good standing in the National Association of Social Workers strongly preferred.