We are seeking a Social Services Director to join our team! The Social Services Director is a member of the interdisciplinary and management team of the nursing center and directly supervises an assistant. The Director of Social Services is responsible for fostering a climate, policies, and routines that enable residents to maximize their individuality, independence, and dignity. This climate shall provide patients/residents with the highest practical level of physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being and quality of life.
Social Services Director Requirements
- Knowledge of Long Term Care facilities
- At least 2 years of Social Services experience
- Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 including Booster shots
Primary Social Services Director Responsibilities
- In fulfilling his or her primary duties and responsibilities, the nursing home social worker shall exercise professional judgment in carrying out a variety of activities that maximize the well-being and quality of life of residents
Administrative
- Review facility policies and procedures as part of the facility’s interdisciplinary team to assure compliance with state and federal regulations
- Participate in reviewing and setting policies concerning resident care and quality of life.
- Participate in developing facility social work policies
- Develop, maintain and utilize a listing of current community resources that are useful to residents and their families/significant others
- Participate in quality assurance interdisciplinary team meetings
- Understand and meet all government requirements for social service documentation
- Document progress in meeting the psychosocial needs of residents
Advocacy
- Work with the interdisciplinary team and administration to promote and protect resident rights and the psychological well-being of each resident. Prevent and address resident abuse as mandated by law and professional licensure
- Identify community changes and opportunities such as legislation, regulations and programs that affect nursing home residents
- 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 the quality of life/care for individual residents and those who live and work within the nursing home and the community at large
Clinical
- 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
- 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 of placement and facility issues in addition to referring them to the 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
- Coordinate the resident discharge planning process and make referrals for appropriate home care services prior to the resident’s return to the community
- Other duties may be assigned
The Social Service Director also:
- Generates enthusiasm and cooperation from residents, staff, facility members and outside agencies.
- Develops and maintains good interpersonal relationships with residents, staff, family members, and outside agencies.
- Develops community resource file of services.
- Assists with inquiries for Social Services as needed, collects prior stay and general information.
- Evaluates each resident according to their background, interest, ability, physical limitation and needs for the purpose of planning and implementing a meaningful social services program. Interviews residents as well as family, friends, or responsible party. Reviews transfer forms and history and physicians for appropriate and accurate information.
- Assists in the provision of the medically-related social services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident, including those services identified in F-250 of the SOM- see Social Service Policy Manual for these specific services.
- Initiates discharge planning on admission with 14-day and quarterly updates as needed.
- Completes discharge planning when indicated/ordered, including discharge plan of care.
- Assists HMOs, acute hospitals, case manager, etc., as needed and where appropriate.
- Completes initial social and emotional assessment of residents, as well as on a quarterly basis and documents any significant changes.
- Attends resident care plan conference and actively participates in creating a meaningful plan of care.
- Assists in development, review and implementation of residents’ discharge plan along with the Interdisciplinary (ID) Team. Reviews potential for discharge shortly after admission.
- Maintains membership in the Resident Care Policy Committee and the Utilization Review Committee.
- Facilitates any identified problems, e.g., dental visual, communication, etc. Assists with supplying a communication board or whatever tools necessary to ensure communication to make resident needs known.
- Coordinates regular family council meetings at least twice a year.
- Assists residents and families with death and dying issues. Along with ID Team, helps with decisions for Hospice. Assist with contact clergy, etc.
- Assists residents with financial needs if applicable, including Medi-Cal applications, banking, etc.
- Assists residents or responsible parties in processing forms or applications in the effort to obtain outside services. This includes but is not limited to Social Security, Medicaid, SSI or any other service to which the resident may be entitled.
- Maintains a file for theft and loss, with copies of concerns to the Administrator.
- Participates in the Quality Assurance Program.
- Ensures that residents receive psychosocial assessments at admission, upon condition change and/or annually.
- Directs and guides staff in conducting assessments and interventions.
- Creates, reviews and updates care plan and progress notes.
- Provides direct psychosocial intervention.
- Assists residents families in coping with skilled nursing placement, behavioral issues, physical illness, and disabilities of the resident, and the grieving process.
- Works with the patient, family and other team members to outline goals of stay at admission, the plan to meet those goals and discharge as appropriate.
- Conducts in-service programs to educate staff regarding psychosocial issues and patient rights.
- Helps residents and their families (in their social, racial, ethnic, and cultural context) cope with the immediate effects of the decision to move to the facility.
- Implements social service interventions that achieve treatment goals, address resident needs, link social supports, physical care and physical environment to enhance quality of life.
- Attends daily stand up, monthly QA, IDT meetings as necessary, behavior management, and direct psych review meetings.
- Any other assignments as directed by the Administrator.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $30.00 - $35.00 per hour
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Weekends as needed
Education:
Experience:
- Skilled nursing facility: 3 years (Required)
- Social Services Director: 2 years (Preferred)
- Long term facilty: 1 year (Required)
Work Location: In person