SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR

The Social Services Director assumes administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to provide medically-related social services which assists residents in maintaining or improving their ability to manage their everyday physical, mental, and psychosocial needs.

JOB FUNCTIONS:
Demonstrate knowledge of, and respect for, the rights, dignity and individuality of each resident in all interactions
Appreciates the importance of maintaining confidentiality of resident and facility information
Demonstrate honesty and integrity at all times in the care and use of resident and facility property
Ability to read, speak, understand English, follow directions and complete the assigned responsibilities of the
department
Support facility administration, the facilitys philosophy of care, and the policies and procedures of the facility
Ability to effectively communicate with residents, families, responsible parties, facility staff and outside resources
and agencies
Maintain a neat, clean, well-groomed professional appearance
Dependability
Other duties as assigned

PHYSICAL CAPACITIES: (With or Without the Aid of Mechanical Devices)

Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday

Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure that the requirements of this position can be fully met.

Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility which includes an annual TB
screening and physical examination.

Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.

Must be able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds.

Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
Primarily inside work, normal temperatures, some noise, occasional fumes/odors, chemical exposure, and potential exposure to
bloodborne pathogens.
This job cannot be performed without exposure to the stresses associated with an intimate, 24 hour skilled care environment
that delivers care and services primarily to disabled and cognitively impaired residents in an aging population. Examples of
these stresses include, but are not limited to: emergency health or safety response, weekend and holiday duty, unusual or
impaired behavior by residents, family reactions to having a loved one in a nursing home, death and dying, oversight of state
surveyors, ombudsmen and federal officials, presence of consultants and attorneys, and variable involvement of medical staff.
HIPAA is a law that must be followed by all healthcare personnel at every level. This position is a Mandated Reporter
regarding the suspicion of elder abuse and may have access to Protected Health Information (PHI).

Education: High School graduate or equivalent, for communities with less than 120 beds B.A. Degree in social work or human services field, for communities with more than 120 beds

License: Current SSD Certificate required or 3 years experience in Social Services in a Skilled Nursing or Assisted Living environment.

Work Experience: 1 year of supervised social work experience in a health care setting working directly with individuals Experience completing electronic medical records for all documentation and have basic computer skills, including operating on-line applications and basic Word and Excel skills

Language Skills: Must be able to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical information, and to be easily understood through verbal communication in the English language.

Mathematical Skills: Must be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to perform these operations using units of weight measurement, and volume.

Communication Skills: Must have exceptional communication and customer service skills, and be empathetic. Ability to effectively communicate with patients, families, responsible parties, staff and outside resources and agencies.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Assist, as directed, in the admission process; interviewing perspective residents, families or responsible parties
Supervise Social Services Assistant(s)
Make arrangements for obtaining needed adaptive equipment, clothing and personal items
Maintain contact with family, in consultation with the resident, to report on changes in health, current goals,
discharge planning and encourage to participate in care planning
Make referrals and obtain services from outside entities, i.e., talking books, absentee ballots, facility wheelchair
transportation
Assist residents with financial and legal matter, i.e., Medicare, Medi-Cal benefits, Social Security, VA, referrals to
funeral homes for preplanning arrangements
Assist with discharge planning, i.e., appropriate placement and arrangements, home health services, transportation
Provide or arrange provision of needed counseling services
Complete Social Service Assessment Discharge Planning and MDS section in EMR system for each resident
within seven days after admission, maintain progress notes at least quarterly or more frequently if needed
Identify and support residents individual needs and preferences, customary routines, concerns and choices
through the assessment and care planning process
Document on the residents plan of care all identified social service problems with appropriate approaches and
time measurable goals
Build relationships between residents and staff and teach staff how to understand and support residents individual
needs
Promote actions by the staff that maintain or enhance each resident(s) dignity in full recognition of each residents
individuality
Assist residents to determine how they would like to make decisions about their health care, and whether or not
they would like anyone else to be involved in these decisions
Assist staff to inform residents and those they designate about the residents health status and health care choices
and ramifications including advance directives
Find options which meet the residents physical and emotional needs
Assist to provide alternatives to drug therapy or restraints by assessment of the residents needs and recommend
plan of care to meet these needs
Meet the needs of the residents who are in a grieving process
Document on social services log all referrals to outside agencies with the reason for referral, name of
person/agency contacted and action taken
Ensure confidentiality of residents social services information by allowing access only to authorized persons
Participate in Interdisciplinary Care Plan Conferences and develop plan of care to insure that special social service
needs are met
Assist with regularly scheduled Resident and Family Group meetings as requested
Assist in resolution of grievances as voiced by resident, family, responsible party or ombudsman
Participate in Quality Assurance Programs
Participate in facility committees or conferences as directed by the Administrator
Attend in-service and staff meetings as required. Facilitate one in-service meeting annually, as required by federal
regulations
Practice infection control policies and procedures of the facility
Practice safety policies and procedures of the facility
React appropriately to emergencies and disaster situations
Be courteous, considerate and cooperative when communicating with all facility personnel, residents and staff
Promote and maintain good public relations on behalf of the facility