Social Services Manager

Social Services Manager

Reports To: Director of Clinical Services

Department: Social Services

Job Summary

Plans, organizes, and directs the operations of the Social Services Department, and coordinates with the Director of Clinical Services and Clinical Services Managers to ensure and implement day-to-day operations and program planning.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop standards, policies and procedures for Social Work, Spiritual Care, Bereavement, and Volunteer Programs.
• Develops, organizes, and directs bereavement programs.
• Participates in and interprets the integration of the department into the total services provided by the company.
• Collaborates with Social Workers, Spiritual Care, and Volunteer team members in evaluation and plan of care, and treatment of the patient and family.
• Meets with social work, spiritual counselor, and volunteer staff to review patient records and plan of care.
• Provides onsite visits with social work and chaplain team to evaluate quality of care and services provided.
• Observes safety hazards in patient's home/facility environment if onsite and takes appropriate action to ensure their safety.
• Provides consultation and education to community to increase knowledge related to the hospice and serves as information source and education resource person to community, agency personnel and volunteers as appropriate.
• Participates on committees as needed and as directed by Director of Hospice Operations and/or Director of Clinical Services.
• Provides emotional and spiritual support to staff members as needed.
• Maintains licensure by continuing education through academic studies, seminars, and workshops.
• Participates in in-service training, staff meetings and case conferences.
• Monitors and report status of departmental functioning to management on a regular basis.
• Monitors productivity standards of social workers and chaplains to ensure services remain consistent with hospice standards.
• Supervises Social Workers, Spiritual Counselors, Bereavement Counselors, and Volunteer program to ensure state, federal, and CHAP compliance.
• Assists with the interviewing, hiring functions including formal evaluations of personnel under their supervision.
• Provides orientation for new employees regarding departmental functions.
• Review the social workers and chaplain's psychosocial assessments of patients and families/caregivers related to the patient's terminal illness and environment and ensure communication findings are reported to the nurse and other members of the interdisciplinary group.
• Provides an assessment in the patient's identified residence and assistance when this is not safe, and another plan is required.
• Collaborates on social evaluations and interventions based on evaluation findings. Counsels patient and family/caregivers as needed in relationship to stress and other identified coping difficulties.
• Participates in the development of social work and chaplain individualized plans of care and attends scheduled interdisciplinary group meetings.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by the employee of this job. The employee may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

Job Requirements (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

• Master degree in Social Services or Master of Divinity from a school of theology is preferred
• Certified, licensed, or registered as appropriate.
• Supervisory and administrative experience in hospice or related health-care field.
• Oral Communication Skills
• Written Communications
• Interpersonal Relations
• Organizational Skills
• Project Management Skills
• Time Management
• Planning
• Supervisory/Training
• Compassionate
• Knowledge of Hospice Criteria

The employer for this position is The Pennant Group, Inc., a holding company of independent operating subsidiaries that provide healthcare services through home health and hospice agencies and senior living communities located throughout the US.