Social Worker / Social Service Designee (SSD)

SUMMARY: The primary purpose of the Social Service Designee is to assist in planning, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and assisting in the overall operation of our facility’s Social Services Department in accordance with federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, our established policies and procedures, and as may be directed by the Administrator and Director of Social Services, to assure that the medically related emotional and social needs of the resident are met/maintained on an individual’s basis.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in reviewing and setting policies concerning resident care and quality of life.
• Participate in developing facility social work policies under the direction of the DSS.
• Participate in quality assurance interdisciplinary team meetings under the direction of the DSS.
• Understand and meet all government requirements for social service documentation.
• Document progress in meeting the psychosocial needs of residents.
• Work with the interdisciplinary team and administration to promote and protect resident rights and the psychological wellbeing of each resident. Prevent and address resident abuse as mandated by law and professional licensure.
• Work with residents, families, significant others and staff to provide support, information and organization for taking a more proactive role in self advocacy to improve quality of life/care for individual residents and those who live and work within the nursing home and the community at large.
• Complete a social history and psychosocial assessment for each resident that identifies social, emotional, and psychological needs.
• Participate in the development of a written, interdisciplinary plan of care for each resident that identifies the psychosocial needs/issues of the resident, the goals to be accomplished for those needs/issues, and the appropriate social worker interventions under the direction of the DSS.
• Ensure or provide therapeutic interventions to assist residents in coping with their transition and adjustment to a long-term care facility, including their social, emotional, and psychological needs.
• Ensure or provide support and education to residents’/family members/significant others to assist in their understanding or placement and facility issues in addition to referring them to appropriate social service agencies when the facility does not provide the needed services.
• Provide groups for residents’/family members/significant others as appropriate to their needs.
• Provide clinical interventions to address catastrophic events that occur during the resident’s stay in the facility under the direction of the DSS.
• Coordinate the resident discharge planning process and make referrals for appropriate home care services prior to the resident’s return to the community under the direction of the DSS.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands 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.

• Required to sit, stand, bend and walk regularly; lift and/or move up to 25
• Visual and auditory ability sufficient for written and verbal communication.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Requirements

• Long Term Care Experiencerequired
• Social Work Degree Preferred.
• Social Service Designee Certifiation Required.