Director of Social Services - A-Line Staffing Solutions

DIRECTOR OFSOCIALSERVICES

Cincinnati, OH

Salary - negotiable

28 bed Inpatient psychiatric facility

 

JOBDESCRIPTION

Reports to: Director of Nursing

Department: Social Services DIRECTOR OFSOCIALSERVICES

i

 

JOBDESCRIPTION

Reports to: Director of Nursing

Department: Social Services Classification: Exempt

 

Principle Functions

The incumbent offers short term therapeutic counseling and crisis intervention to patients and families with psycho-social needs, and coordinates and facilitates the development of a discharge plan of care for high-risk patient populations which includes accountability for the complex discharge process. This position ensures the experience of care for the patient and family is exceptional. Accountable for multiple performance and utilization risk components such as: (1) patient flow and throughput, (2) quality initiatives, (3) facilitating discharge planning, (4) coordination of care, (5) care transitions, (6) psychosocial support, (7) supporting clinical cost reduction. Partners with and supports physicians in all aspects of patient care and care coordination, and engages the patient and family in the plan of care. Must diligently communicate and collaborate with all members of the health care team to facilitate the episode of care so the patient receives services in a safe and timely manner, and the patient and family are provided all necessary resources and education. Displays a high level of professionalism at all times and engages leadership in problem solving as necessary

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains social service program, drafting supporting policies, procedures, and guidelines for the program.

• Conducts psychosocial assessments to document history and identify preliminary issues for treatment focus by interviewing the patient and their family members. Communicates with physicians to report patient progress, needs, concerns, and potential and actual problems.

• Works closely with all members of the health care team in development of the plan of treatment, including discharge plans, based on the psychosocial assessment and accepted social work interventions.

• Provides group and family process-oriented therapies as well as conducts educational and other didactic groups for patients and family members using various professional treatment modalities.

• Provides social work services including short-term individual counseling, community resource planning, and crisis intervention.

• Develops and coordinates an individualized discharge plan for the patient by utilizing treatment team and chart information to determine the patient's aftercare needs.

• Attends regular treatment team meetings to provide social work perspective to total case management of the patient by reading and discussing written progress notes from charts and communicating any state or local agency legal requirement for case management with the interdisciplinary team.

 

ii

• Develops and maintains thorough knowledge of referral resources throughout the service area.

• Acts as resource person for other members of the health care team, providing in-service education and consultation in understanding the social and emotional factors related to health problems.

• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party reimbursement sources.

• Maintains accurate and timely records, including clinical and progress notes, according to department policy.

• Participates in planning and implementing quality improvement activities.

• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of field by participating in continuing education activities.

• Provides positive customer relations in dealing with patients, families, physicians, fellow department employees, other hospital departments, referral resources, service agencies, and others.

• Provide backup services for incoming assessment and referral calls.

• Floats to other departments/facilites as directed and assigned.

• Maintains a professional approach with confidentiality. Assures protection and privacy of health information as attained through written, electronic or oral disclosures.

• Is prompt and efficient with minimal absences.

• Cooperates and maintains good rapport with nursing staff, medical staff, other departments, and visitors.

• Seeks guidance and remains knowledgeable of, and complies with, all applicable federal and state laws, as well as hospital polices that apply to assigned duties.

• Complies with hospital expectations regarding ethical behavior and standards of conduct.

• Complies with federal and hospital requirements in the areas of protected health information and patient privacy.

• Other duties as assigned.

 

Requirements

Education: Master’s Degree in Social Work.

Experience: Prefer 3 years relevant health care and mental health experience

Licensure: Clinical Social Worker license.

Skills: Requires knowledge of the impact of the disease process and of human behavior to provide psychosocial assessments; short-term therapeutic counseling; and crisis intervention to patients; families; and staff. Requires strong clinical assessment; planning; and goal development skills. Requires the ability to communicate and resolve conflict with physicians, other health care team members, community agencies, clients and families with diverse opinions, values and religious/cultural ideas. Requires knowledge of community resources and entitlement programs. Requires knowledge of state and county adult protective legal mandates. Requires knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span. Requires strong communication skills in giving and receiving information; providing counseling; and developing positive helping relationships with patients and families; physicians; and other members of the health team.

Principle Functions

The incumbent offers short term therapeutic counseling and crisis intervention to patients and families with psycho-social needs, and coordinates and facilitates the development of a discharge plan of care for high-risk patient populations which includes accountability for the complex discharge process. This position ensures the experience of care for the patient and family is exceptional. Accountable for multiple performance and utilization risk components such as: (1) patient flow and throughput, (2) quality initiatives, (3) facilitating discharge planning, (4) coordination of care, (5) care transitions, (6) psychosocial support, (7) supporting clinical cost reduction. Partners with and supports physicians in all aspects of patient care and care coordination, and engages the patient and family in the plan of care. Must diligently communicate and collaborate with all members of the health care team to facilitate the episode of care so the patient receives services in a safe and timely manner, and the patient and family are provided all necessary resources and education. Displays a high level of professionalism at all times and engages leadership in problem solving as necessary

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains social service program, drafting supporting policies, procedures, and guidelines for the program.

• Conducts psychosocial assessments to document history and identify preliminary issues for treatment focus by interviewing the patient and their family members. Communicates with physicians to report patient progress, needs, concerns, and potential and actual problems.

• Works closely with all members of the health care team in development of the plan of treatment, including discharge plans, based on the psychosocial assessment and accepted social work interventions.

• Provides group and family process-oriented therapies as well as conducts educational and other didactic groups for patients and family members using various professional treatment modalities.

• Provides social work services including short-term individual counseling, community resource planning, and crisis intervention.

• Develops and coordinates an individualized discharge plan for the patient by utilizing treatment team and chart information to determine the patient's aftercare needs.

• Attends regular treatment team meetings to provide social work perspective to total case management of the patient by reading and discussing written progress notes from charts and communicating any state or local agency legal requirement for case management with the interdisciplinary team.

 

ii

• Develops and maintains thorough knowledge of referral resources throughout the service area.

• Acts as resource person for other members of the health care team, providing in-service education and consultation in understanding the social and emotional factors related to health problems.

• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party reimbursement sources.

• Maintains accurate and timely records, including clinical and progress notes, according to department policy.

• Participates in planning and implementing quality improvement activities.

• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of field by participating in continuing education activities.

• Provides positive customer relations in dealing with patients, families, physicians, fellow department employees, other hospital departments, referral resources, service agencies, and others.

• Provide backup services for incoming assessment and referral calls.

• Floats to other departments/facilites as directed and assigned.

• Maintains a professional approach with confidentiality. Assures protection and privacy of health information as attained through written, electronic or oral disclosures.

• Is prompt and efficient with minimal absences.

• Cooperates and maintains good rapport with nursing staff, medical staff, other departments, and visitors.

• Seeks guidance and remains knowledgeable of, and complies with, all applicable federal and state laws, as well as hospital polices that apply to assigned duties.

• Complies with hospital expectations regarding ethical behavior and standards of conduct.

• Complies with federal and hospital requirements in the areas of protected health information and patient privacy.

• Other duties as assigned.

 

Requirements

Education: Master’s Degree in Social Work.

Experience: Prefer 3 years relevant health care and mental health experience

Licensure: Clinical Social Worker license.

Skills: Requires knowledge of the impact of the disease process and of human behavior to provide psychosocial assessments; short-term therapeutic counseling; and crisis intervention to patients; families; and staff. Requires strong clinical assessment; planning; and goal development skills. Requires the ability to communicate and resolve conflict with physicians, other health care team members, community agencies, clients and families with diverse opinions, values and religious/cultural ideas. Requires knowledge of community resources and entitlement programs. Requires knowledge of state and county adult protective legal mandates. Requires knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span. Requires strong communication skills in giving and receiving information; providing counseling; and developing positive helping relationships with patients and families; physicians; and other members of the health team.