Social Worker - Social Worker

Social Worker

The Social Worker provides services to customers and their families/significant others to help them adjust to illness, injury, or hospitalization. The role assists the health team in understanding the significance of social, economic, emotional, and family factors in relation to the customer's illness, treatment, recovery, or dying processes. The Social Worker is responsible for facilitating timely, efficient, and appropriate discharge of customers and coordination with the next level of care, including transmission of the appropriate plan of care. They identify needed community services and coordinate appropriate services for customers in need. They participate in and implement discharge planning services for customers. The Social Worker screens and coordinates new nursing home, board care, assisted living facilities, group homes, and hospice facility referrals. They validate discharge criteria for customers and families. They follow up with customers, families, and/or facilities as indicated to ensure appropriate disposition and follow-up. The Social Worker works with socially complex customers to identify barriers to discharge. They assess customers' and families' risk factors through evaluation of prior functioning levels, appropriateness, and adequacy of support systems, and reaction to illness and ability to cope. They provide interventions in issues such as child abuse, neglect, domestic violence, guardianship, mental health placement, and elder abuse. The Social Worker intervenes with customers and families regarding emotional, social, and financial consequences of illness and/or disability. They access and mobilize family/community resources to meet identified needs. They serve as a resource person and provide support and resource information related to palliative care treatment decisions and end-of-life issues.