Social Worker/Substance Use Counselor

The primary role of the Social Worker/Substance Use Counselor is to provide Social Work Services to a caseload of nursing facility residents with various medical conditions, mental illnesses, cognitive disorders, and substance use disorders and histories, and provide individual and group Substance Use Counseling for nursing facility residents with substance use disorder diagnoses and histories.

Responsibilities:

•Provide medically related social services to residents of the facility, as well as their family members and significant others as needed

•Conduct face to face resident interviews and assessments of resident cognitive function, mood, and behavioral patterns in addition to other psychosocial factors.

•Participate in planning for resident discharges. 

 •Coordinate and provide  needed collection and submission of clinical documentation required by state agencies or their contractors under direction of  the Social Work Department Director and Social Work staff (primarily PASRR / Level of Care)

•Develop, maintain and utilize a listing of current community resources that are useful to residents and their families/significant others. 

•Understands and meets all government requirements for social service documentation. 

•Document progress in meeting the psychosocial needs of residents.

•Works with the interdisciplinary team and administration to promote and protect resident rights and the psychological well being of each resident.

•Complete a social history and psychosocial assessment for each resident that identifies social, emotional, and psychological needs. 

•Provide interventions to address catastrophic events that occur during the resident’s stay in the facility. 

•Counsel residents, individually and in group sessions, to assist in overcoming substance use dependencies.

•Collaborate with facility social work, behavioral health, medical, nursing and other departments’ staff, as indicated, in determining the need for and arrangement of substance abuse counseling services for those residents in need of, and agreeable to such services.

•Complete and maintain accurate records and reports regarding the resident's Drug and Alcohol Recovery histories and progress, services provided, and other required information.

•Develop individualized resident treatment plan interventions for Drug and Alcohol Recovery related problems.

•Review and evaluate residents' progress in relation to measurable goals described in treatment and care plans.

•Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in resident status.

•Provide residents or family members with information about addiction issues and about available services and programs, making appropriate referrals when necessary, and in collaboration with the Inter-disciplinary treatment team.

•Monitor trends and patterns of known and reported episodes of substance abuse amongst the facility resident population 

•Attend training sessions in order to increase knowledge and skills.

•Plan and implement follow-up and aftercare programs for residents to be discharged from treatment programs.

•Participate in care conferences and staff meetings, as needed.

•Confer with family members or others close to residents, as needed, in order to keep them informed of treatment planning and progress.

•In collaboration with facility administration and the staff development coordinator, provide or arrange as needed staff training regarding substance abuse

•Serve as liaison with community-based substance use treatment and recovery agencies. 

Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW), preferred. Bachelor’s Degree in Social work or related human services field, required.

One (1) of the following certifications or license is preferred

• CT Certified Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate (CT DPH)

• CT Licensed Clinical Social Worker

• CT Licensed Marital and Family Therapist

• CT Licensed Professional Counselor

Must have a minimum of 2 years of having provided social work or case management in a multidisplinary health or human services setting.

Minimum of 2 years of experience in having provided group and individual substance abuse counseling services.. 

Must have experience using various software programs such as an electronic health record system, WORD and EXCEL,

Must have experience in managing caseloads, collaboration in multiple projects and work with professionals of other  disciplines.  

Must be able to speak and write the English language.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Generous salary, commensurate with experience

• Benefits program, includes health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid Time Off, including vacation, personal, and sick time

• 401(k) Retirement program

• Short and Long-term disability insurance

• Collaborative work environment

INDLP