Hospice Social Worker

Posting Description Job Overview

This position oversees a range of clinical social work services to patients/clients and families in inpatient, ambulatory and community settings utilizing individual, family or group modalities and practicing within the guidelines of professional social work ethics and standards. Participate in multi-discipline case conferences. Consult with agency care providers regarding social service needs of clients and families.

Location
:
Community Based - Two Open Roles: Malden and surrounding area and Haverhill and the surrounding areas

Hours
:
Full-Time 8-4:30 and weekend rotation

• Master's degree in Social Work.
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW).

• Provide psychosocial assessment of the individual and family, including limitations, deficits and strengths in their current situation and environment, as well as functional level. May conduct a psychiatric social work assessment according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Develop treatment plans with appropriate and competent interventions.
• Responsible for psychosocial assessment and intervention in crisis situations that often involve issues of suicide, homicide, family violence, elder or child abuse.
• Clinically assess the patient's needs for long‑term care, evaluate the home and family situation, help the patient and family to develop an in‑home care plan, explore alternatives to in‑home care and arrange for placement if necessary.
• Provide treatment, therapy, psycho‑education and/or counseling utilizing individual, family or group modalities.
• Provide information, referral and creative resource acquisition for specific individual and family needs both within the Hospital and in the community as indicated. Assist patients/families to understand psychosocial factors impeding their maximal utilization of hospital and community resources.
• Collaborate with and provide psychosocial consultation to the health care team to promote a smooth, coordinated plan of care. Aid the team in understanding and integrating the significance of psychosocial factors in relation to patient’s illness, treatment and recovery. Identify psychosocial issues that may impede progress. Make recommendations to the team regarding patient/family care and management. Assist health care team to assist patient/family level of understanding to make informed decisions.
• Provide medical social services to the patient's family member or caregiver on a short‑term basis when necessary to remove a clear and direct impediment to the effective treatment of the patient's medical condition or rate of recovery.
• Treat patients and families with dignity and respect at all times. Offer time for questions and answers. Be empathetic in communication while working toward optimal health goals.
• Provide outreach, case finding/screening for high‑risk issues that may impact on patient’s progress, participation in plan, discharge or ability to utilize resources.
• Assist with discharge planning issues to ensure continuity of care. Formulate, coordinate and implement the psychosocial components of outpatient care.
• Consult, collaborate and communicates with a wide range of social, governmental and legal agencies, courts, schools, clinics, other hospitals, physicians and other sources.
• Serve as a patient/family advocate with a variety of systems both internally and externally as required. May be called upon to testify in court.
• Ensure clinical documentation is complete and according to departmental standards. Perform other administrative documentation and record keeping, such as accountability and statistical reports, billing forms, student intern evaluations, performance evaluations, etc. in complete and timely manner.
• Initiate policy and program development in specific service area or team, utilizing knowledge of state‑of‑the‑art programs and promoting social work values such as patient self‑determination and social justice. Initiate, participate in and support policy and program development in the Department of Social Work Services.
• Engage in regularly scheduled meetings, programs and…