Bereavement Coordinator/Counselor

St. Luke's University Health Network•Bethlehem, PA

11d

About The Position

St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care. The Bereavement Coordinator/Counselor coordinates bereavement services in the home, in-patient hospice, skilled nursing facilities/nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for those with a mental health diagnosis, or other facilities as appropriate and identified, and the community. This position develops and maintains supportive counseling and educational services for families, staff and the community at large. This position is responsible for all aspects of bereavement follow-up, which includes counseling, support groups and mailings.

Requirements

Master’s level prepared in counseling psychology, divinity, education or social work with depth of knowledge and experience in bereavement or mental health related field required.
Must have and maintain valid PA or NJ Driver’s License
Must have and maintain a good driving record accepted by the Network insurance carrier
Must have and maintain motor vehicle insurance with the minimum requirements established by PA or NJ
Must obey and adhere to all motor vehicle regulations and laws while operating vehicle
Must perform routine maintenance on vehicle
Good physical and mental health.
Neat, clean, and conforms to the uniform code.
Constant standing and walking during work periods.
Turning, stooping, bending, climbing, stretching and lifting in the provision of comprehensive bereavement counseling.
Finger and hand dexterity necessary to handle equipment used in the evaluation process.
Visual and auditory acuity required to provide comprehensive bereavement counseling.

Nice To Haves

LCSW, LPC preferred.
Background experience in Hospice and Bereavement care, counseling, group facilitation and psycho-education preferred.

Responsibilities

Develops and Coordinates the Bereavement Program, including: Sympathy letter and quarterly mailings, Creation and distribution of monthly bereavement mailing, Workshops, Support groups and other grief-related support/outreach programs to the community.
Trains and supports and supervises volunteers involved in bereavement services.
Schedules, plans, evaluates and participates in support groups, workshops and grief related support/outreach programs in the community.
Works as a collaborative member of the Bereavement team along with Family Service Manager
Delivers Counseling services, including: Ongoing assessment and development of the Bereavement Plan of Care for individuals grieving loss of Hospice patient; Telephone calls to the bereaved; Individual and family short term grief counseling, in their home or at office; Referral to community professionals for long term counseling services and crisis management assistance.
Works under supervision and in consultation with Family Services Manager.
Plans and implements new programs for the hospice bereaved and the community based on based on identified needs (i.e. grief in the workplace, biblio-therapy group, memoir writing).
Educates medical and lay community on grief process and supportive measures.
Assures that high standards of bereavement care are maintained through satisfaction surveys, audits and benchmarking.
Supports hospice team in dealing with multiple losses.
Participates in regional bereavement programs.
Is available for emergency on-call service.
Uses own transportation to provide services: Must have and maintain valid PA or NJ Driver’s License; Must have and maintain a good driving record accepted by the Network insurance carrier; Must have and maintain motor vehicle insurance with the minimum requirements established by PA or NJ; Must obey and adhere to all motor vehicle regulations and laws while operating vehicle; Must perform routine maintenance on vehicle.