Social Services Specialist

Social Services Specialist – Hillcrest Firethorn

Hillcrest Health & Living is looking for a compassionate, organized, and relationship-focused Social Services Specialist to join our team at Hillcrest Firethorn in Lincoln, NE.

This role is an important part of helping patients and families navigate the transition from admission through discharge and into the next level of care. The Social Services Specialist works closely with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary care team to identify psychosocial needs, coordinate resources, support safe transitions, and make sure each patient's preferences and goals are part of the plan.

At Hillcrest, our mission is simple:
Inspiring people to live their best lives. As a Social Services Specialist, you will help bring that mission to life by supporting patients and families through complex care transitions with compassion, advocacy, and clear communication.

As a Social Services Specialist, you will help coordinate social services and transition planning from admission through discharge.

• Meet with new patients and families at the time of admission and assist with required admission paperwork.
• Help communicate patient and family needs to the care team.
• Work closely with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate social services and transition planning.
• Begin discharge and transition planning early in the patient stay.
• Help develop transition plans that reflect care-team recommendations and patient preferences.
• Coordinate patient referrals and supportive services as appropriate.
• Assist patients and families in understanding available resources and next-step care options.
• Coordinate family communication regarding care recommendations and transition planning.
• Complete required admission and discharge documentation accurately and on time.
• Complete assessments, progress notes, care plans, social histories, and other required documentation.
• Provide education and counseling to patients and families regarding personal, social, and care-related needs.
• Advocate for patient rights and help ensure concerns are appropriately addressed.
• Educate care teams on how to recognize social-service needs and connect patients with available resources.
• Assist with concerns raised by patients and families and communicate those concerns to leadership.
• Help patients and families understand financial and insurance-related responsibilities, including copayments, insurance denials, and Medicare or Medicaid notifications.
• Participate in meetings, committees, and interdisciplinary discussions as assigned.
• Work closely with the Director of Patient Transitions and other leaders to support safe and successful transitions.

We are looking for someone who can balance empathy with organization and knows how to guide patients and families through complicated situations.

The right candidate will be a strong communicator, a thoughtful problem-solver, and someone who can remain calm when patients or families are dealing with uncertainty, frustration, or difficult decisions.

Ideal candidates will have:

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
• A compassionate and patient-centered approach.
• Experience supporting patients and families through care transitions.
• Strong organization and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Comfort working with interdisciplinary care teams.
• Strong documentation and attention-to-detail skills.
• Ability to remain calm and professional in stressful or emotional situations.
• Knowledge of resources available to aging adults and post-acute patients.
• Strong advocacy skills and respect for patient rights and preferences.
• Ability to explain complex information clearly to patients and families.
• A collaborative approach to problem-solving and transition planning.

• Bachelor's degree in a healthcare-related field preferred.
• At least two years of experience in Social Work, Case Management, or a related field.
• At least two years of experience performing social services, discharge planning, or care transitions in a post-acute or acute-care setting preferred.
• Knowledge of the social-service needs of the aging population.

Care transitions can be overwhelming.

Patients and families may be trying to understand new diagnoses, determine what comes next, coordinate services, manage insurance questions, and make important decisions—all at the same time.

The Social Services Specialist helps bring those pieces together.

At Hillcrest…