Social Services Assistant

PACS

About The Position

The Social Services Assistant helps plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the facility’s social service programs in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local standards and facility policies. The role supports meeting and maintaining each resident’s medically related emotional and social needs on an individual basis. The assistant works with the Social Service Director or Consultant, facility administration and staff, residents and families, and community agencies to coordinate services, support resident well-being, and contribute to care and discharge planning. The position has no supervisory responsibilities. A high school diploma or equivalent is the minimum education requirement; an associate or bachelor’s degree is preferred but not required. Prior health-care experience is preferred. The role involves office work and regular use of office equipment, and may require occasional lifting or moving of up to 25 pounds and assisting with resident evacuation during emergencies.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from managers and employees.
Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to solve practical problems involving a variety of concrete variables and limited standardization.
Ability to interpret written, oral, diagrammatic, or scheduled instructions.
Must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds.
Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, read, or hear.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor’s degree.
Prior health-care experience.

Responsibilities

Assist the Social Service Director or Consultant with planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the facility’s social service programs.
Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, and other departments to plan social services as directed.
Assist with developing, administering, coordinating, and reviewing department policies and procedures, and recommend changes.
Help develop and implement procedures to identify residents’ medically related social and emotional needs.
Participate in community planning related to facility interests and resident and family services and needs.
Help residents achieve the highest practicable level of self-care, independence, and well-being.
Help provide medically related social services to support each resident’s physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being.
Complete required forms and reports and submit them to the Director.
Inform residents and families about Medicare, Medicaid, and other available financial assistance programs.
Provide consultation to facility staff and community agencies to help address resident needs and problems through social service programs.
Record and maintain regular Social Service progress notes concerning responses to treatment plans and adjustment to institutional life.
Coordinate social service activities with other departments as needed.
Assist residents and families with emotional problems, including anxieties and stress related to illness, admission, disability, helplessness, death, and the need for institutional or specialized care.
Evaluate social and family information and help determine social treatment plans.
Meet regularly with department personnel to identify and correct problem areas and improve services.
Help obtain resources from community social, health, and welfare agencies to meet resident needs.
Help make ordered outpatient appointments and schedule on-site ancillary services, including optometry, podiatry, dentistry, and psychiatric services.
Assist with discharge planning involving appropriate agencies, entities, or individuals, including agency services, equipment, and referrals.
Maintain working relationships with facility departments and community health, welfare, and social agencies to support social service programs.
Help develop and participate in regularly scheduled orientation and in-service training concerning residents’ social, emotional, and medical needs.
Assist with developing the department budget.
Report suspected or known fraud related to false billings, cost reports, kickbacks, or similar matters.
Protect the confidentiality of resident care information, including protected health information, and report known or suspected unauthorized disclosures.