Social services assistant

General Purpose
The primary purpose of your job position is to assist in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing our facility's social service programs in accordance with current existing federal, state, and local standards, as well as our established policies and procedures, to assure that the medically related emotional and social needs of the resident are met/maintained on an individual basis.

Essential Duties

• Assist the Social Service Director/Consultant in the planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing of the social service programs of this facility.
• Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, and other related departments in planning social services, as directed
• Assist in the development, administering, and coordinating of department policies and procedures.
• Review department policies and procedures, at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes.
• Assist in developing and implementing policies and procedures for identifying the medically related social and emotional needs of the resident.
• Participate in community planning related to the interests of the facility and the services and needs of the resident and family.
• Assist residents in achieving the highest practicable level of self-care, independence and well-being.
• Assist with providing medically related social services so that the highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident is attained or maintained.
• Perform administrative requirements, such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc., and submitting such to the Director.
• Provide information to residents/families as to Medicare/Medicaid, and other financial assistance programs available to the resident.
• Provide consultation to members of our staff, community agencies, etc., in efforts to solve the needs and problems of the resident through the development of social service programs.
• Record and maintain regular Social Service progress notes indicating response to the treatment plan and/or adjustment to institutional life.
• Coordinate social service activities with other departments as necessary.
• Work with emotional problems including assisting resident/family with anxieties and stress caused by illness and admission to the facility, difficulties in coping with residual physical disabilities, fears related to helplessness and death, and the need for institutional and specialized care.
• Evaluate social and family information and assist in determining plan for social treatment.
• Meet with department personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services
• Assist in obtaining resources from community social, health and welfare agencies to meet the needs of the resident.
• Assist in making outpatient appointments as ordered and schedule on-site ancillary patient services to include optometry, podiatry, dentistry and psychiatric services.
• Assists in discharge planning with appropriate agencies, entities or individuals to include agency services, equipment and agency referrals.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with other departments within the facility, and outside community health, welfare and social agencies, to assure that social service programs can be properly maintained to meet the needs of the residents.
• Assist in the development of and participate in regularly scheduled orientation and in-service training programs in relation to the social, emotional and medical needs of the residents.
• Assist in the development of the department's budget.
• Report suspected or known incidence of fraud relative to false billings, cost reports, kickbacks, etc.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.

Supervisory Requirements
This position has no supervisor responsibilities

Qualification
Education and/or Experience

Must possess, as a minimum, a high school diploma or its equivalent Associate or Bachelor's Degree preferred but not required.

Prior Health-care Experience Preferred
Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.

Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.

Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers and employees.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Prolonged use of a desktop or laptop computer. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, and talk, read or hear. Frequent use of all office-related equipment to include; copier/scanner/fax, telephone, and calculator. May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate.

Additional Information
Note: Nothing in this job specification restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.