Social Worker, Mental Health

Social Services JOB DESCRIPTION

• Reports to the Director of Social Services
• Reporting to this position Social Worker, Social Services Assistant, Social Services Designee

• All facilities must provide medically-related social services to residents. In the state of Connecticut, a skilled nursing facility is required to employ qualified social work service staff in accordance with Connecticut Regulations (Conn. Agencies Regs § 19-13-D8t).
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social work or another human services field to include, but not limited to, sociology, gerontology, special education, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology.
• One year of supervised social work experience in a health care setting working directly with individuals.

The Social Worker is responsible to meet and assist residents in attaining or maintaining their highest practicable well-being. This includes identifying the need for medically-related social services and ensuring that these services are provided in accordance with State and Federal regulations.

The Social Worker will be responsible for the completion of the social services component of the comprehensive assessment. The Social Worker will also contribute to approaches to the comprehensive care plan. These goals and interventions will be individualized to match the skills, abilities, and interests/preferences of each resident in compliance with Federal and State regulations, to include identifying and promoting individualized, non-pharmacological approaches to care that meet the mental and psychosocial needs of each resident.

Social worker will be responsible for completing preadmission services for inbound residents, to include participation in interdisciplinary evaluation of residents needs for institutional care and completion of the PASARR Level I.

The Social Worker will facilitate residents’ safe transition back into the community through interdisciplinary discharge planning and arrangement of community based services and follow-up care. The Social Worker will also assist residents and their representatives in locating and accessing financial, legal, and other community resources.

The Social Worker will coordinate implementation and oversight of procedures to ensure social services actions and interactions are adequately documented in each resident’s medical record, and that legal, ethical, and professional standards of social work practice and being upheld in written recordings.

The Social Worker will oversee the process of Advance Care Planning for each resident upon admission, and make sure that any Advance Directives are reviewed with the resident/ resident representative on a regular basis. The Social Worker will ensure that staff members are made aware of the resident’s code status and end-of-life wishes and will assist with informing and educating residents and their representatives about health care options and ramifications.

The Social Worker will assist residents in voicing and obtaining resolution to grievances. The Social Worker will review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written report indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance.

The Social Worker ensures that staff members are knowledgeable about Resident’s Rights and encourages staff to maintain and enhance each resident’s dignity in recognition of each resident’s individuality. The Social Worker will also advocate for residents and assist them in assertion of their rights within the facility. When there is an allegation of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation, the Social Worker will report to the Administrator and appropriate State agency, as well as will lead a thorough investigation into the allegation.

The Social Worker will ensure that residents who display mental illness, or psychosocial difficulties such as coping with grief and loss, will have access to appropriate treatment and resources.

• Treats all residents with dignity and respect. Promotes and protects all residents’ rights.
• Follows appropriate safety and hygiene measures at all times to protect residents…