Social Services Coordinator

The Social Services Coordinator plays a vital role in providing coordination of resources to support patients and families under hospice care. This position will ensure that patients and their families receive comprehensive support services, resources, and counseling during their end-of-life journey. The coordinator will work closely with the interdisciplinary team to ensure that patients’ social, emotional, and practical needs are met in a compassionate and professional manner.

Essential Functions:

• Conducts phone psychosocial assessments for patients and families to identify their emotional, social, and resource needs and works jointly with the interdisciplinary group (IDG).
• Advocates for patient and family needs within the hospice organization and to external resources such as referral sources and placement coordination.
• Handles Family Medical and Leave Act (FMLA) paperwork requests when requested by families.
• Identify and connect patients and families with community resources such as financial assistance, housing support, and mental health services.
• Works closely with the hospice team to ensure coordination of services, including social, medical, and practical support.
• Develops and maintains a directory of community resources relevant to patients’ needs and work to establish partnerships with other social service organizations.
• Coordinates respite stays, communicating with field staff, families, and facility representatives.
• Processes Gestures of Grace requests, facilitating application, follow up, and other paperwork required for photo/interview release.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, including nurses, physicians, and spiritual care providers, to develop individualized care plans for each patient.
• Participates in care team meetings as needed, providing updates on the social and emotional needs of patients and families.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation of all assessments, care plans, and interventions in the electronic medical records system.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local regulations related to hospice social work services.
• Assists with the development of policies and procedures related to social services, including bereavement programs and volunteer training.
• Attends IDG meetings as needed to cover social work presence.
• Coordinates transfers between hospice agencies.
• Collaborates with the care team and the contracting department to facilitate travel contracts for patients traveling outside of our service area.
• Adjusts to changes in workload, schedules based on changing departmental/organizational priorities.
• Adheres to organizational Code of Conduct, policies and procedures and all regulatory and legal requirements.
• Adheres to the NorthStar standards to care for every person, every time, 100% of the time.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) obtained from a school of social work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education is required.
• Possession of a current license to practice social work issued by the State of Michigan is required. Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker (LBSW) is strongly preferred; however, Limited Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker (LLBSW) may be considered if there is additional experience, training, and/ or skills present.
• A minimum of one (1) year paid social work experience is preferred; hospice or related health care experience is also preferred.
• Must be able to read, write and speak English fluently and be able to effectively communicate orally and in writing in internal and external relationships for all essential job functions.
• Ability to use technology (hardware and software) required of clinicians in their practice.  
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgment, effective organizational, prioritization and follow-through skills, attention to detail, tact, dependability, emotional intelligence, and the ability to maintain confidentiality and promote positive, constructive relationships with communication and collaboration at all levels.
• The physical and sensory demands of the position include: vision, effective speech and hearing for extensive telephone contact; repetitive motion; traveling; driving or riding in motor vehicle; standing, sitting, walking, bending, reaching, and stretching; lifting up to twenty five (25) pounds unassisted and the ability to assist in lifting patients using appropriate lifting techniques and/or devices.
• Must have reliable transportation.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.