Social Service Director - Mitchell Care Center

Major Duties and Responsibilities

 Administrative Functions

      ·         Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the social service programs of this facility.

·         Assist in the development, administering, and coordinating of department policies and procedures.

·         Keep abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards, and make recommendations on changes in policies and procedures to the Administrator.

·         Review department policies and procedures, at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes.

·         Develop and implement policies and procedures for the identification of medically related social and emotional needs of the resident.

·         Participate in community planning related to the interests of the facility and the services and needs of the resident and family.

·         Participate in discharge planning, development and implementation of social care plans and resident assessments.

·         Interview resident/families as necessary and in a private setting.

·         Perform administrative requirements, such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc., and submitting such to the Administrator as required.

·         Involve the resident/family in planning social service programs when possible.

·         Assist in arranging transportation to other facilities when necessary.

·         Refer resident/families to appropriate social service agencies when the facility does not provide the services or needs of the resident.

·         Provide information to resident/families as to Medicare/Medicaid, and other financial assistance programs available to the resident.

·         Provide consultation to members of our staff, community agencies, etc., in efforts to solve the needs and problems of the resident through the development of social service programs.

·         Assist in the review and updating of departmental job descriptions at least annually.

·         Assume the authority, responsibility, and accountability of directing the social service department.

·         Maintain quality working relationship with the medical profession and other health related facilities and organizations.

·         Review and evaluate the department's work force and make recommendations to the Administrator.

·         Coordinate social service activities with other departments as necessary.

·         Work with the facility's consultants as necessary and implement recommended changes as required.

·         Delegate authority, responsibility, and accountability to other responsible department personnel.

·         Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Administrator concerning the operation of the social service department.

·         Assist in standardizing the methods in which work will be accomplished.

·         Interpret the department's policies and procedures to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc.

·         Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommend to the Administrator adjustments in social services that assure the continued ability to provide daily social services.

·         Review and develop a plan of correction for social service deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such to the Administrator.

·         Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related social functions to ensure that tasks involving exposure to blood or body fluids are properly identified and recorded.

·         Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to the Administrator of action(s) taken within 5 workdays.

·         Assist the Quality Assessment & Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies.

·         Develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for the social services department.

·         Participate in surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.

·         Interview residents, or family members, as necessary, to obtain social history.

·         Assure that social service progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident's response to the service.

·         Maintain a reference library of written material, laws, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations, and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality social service.

·         Involve the resident/family in planning objectives and goals for the resident.

·         Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning social service programs and activities.

·         Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the Administrator.

 Committee Functions

      ·         Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility, (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget, Quality Assessment and                 Assurance, etc.,) as required, and as appointed by the Administrator.

·         Provide written and/or oral reports of the social service programs and activities as required, or as may be directed by such committee(s).

·         Participate in regularly scheduled reviews of Discharge Plans and make such plans available to the Utilization Review Committee as required or as may be necessary.

 Personnel Functions

      ·         Maintain a productive working relationship with other department supervisors and coordinate social services to assure that daily social services can be performed               without interruption.

·         Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest, and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the facility.

     Care Plan and Assessment Functions

      ·         Develop preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the social service needs of each resident.

·         Develop a written plan of care (preliminary and comprehensive) for each resident that identifies the problems/needs of the resident and the goals to be accomplished for each problem/need identified.

·         Insofar as practical, encourage the resident to participate in the development and review of his/her plan of care.

·         Assist in the scheduling of care plans and assessments to be presented and discussed at each committee meeting.

·         Ensure that all social services personnel are aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in providing daily social services to the resident.

·         Review nurses' notes to determine if the care plan is being followed.

·         Review and revise care plans and assessments as necessary, but at least quarterly.

·         Develop and maintain a good rapport with all services involved with the care plan to ensure that a team effort is achieved in developing a comprehensive plan of care.

 Resident Rights

·         Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information.

·         Ensure that all social services personnel are knowledgeable of the resident's rights and responsibilities.

·         Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written/oral report to the Administrator indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance within 3 work days.

·         Maintain a written record of the resident's complaints and/or grievances that indicates the action taken to resolve the complaint and the current status of the complaint.

·         Provide residents with information concerning resident rights funds, living wills, etc. Explain as necessary.