Social Services Assistant - Ahwatukee Post Acute

PACS • Phoenix, AZ

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The primary purpose of this job position is to assist in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the facility’s social service programs in accordance with current existing federal, state, and local standards, as well as established policies and procedures, to assure that the medically related emotional and social needs of the resident are met/maintained on an individual basis. This role involves assisting residents in achieving the highest practicable level of self-care, independence, and well-being, and providing medically related social services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. The position also requires performing administrative duties, providing information on financial assistance programs, and collaborating with staff and community agencies to address resident needs. A key aspect of the role is working with emotional problems, including assisting residents and families with anxieties and stress related to illness, admission, coping with disabilities, and end-of-life concerns. The Social Services Assistant will also assist in obtaining community resources, scheduling ancillary patient services, and developing discharge plans. Maintaining good working relationships with internal departments and external agencies is crucial for ensuring the proper maintenance of social service programs. The role also includes assisting in the development and participation in orientation and in-service training programs, and contributing to the department’s budget. The position requires maintaining the confidentiality of all resident care information and reporting any suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure.

Requirements

• Must possess, as a minimum, a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information 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 and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Nice To Haves

• Associate or Bachelor’s Degree preferred but not required.
• Prior health-care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Social Service Director/Consultant in the planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing of the social service programs of this facility.
• Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, and other related departments in planning social services, as directed.
• Assist in the development, administering, and coordinating of department policies and procedures.
• Review department policies and procedures, at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes.
• Assist in developing and implementing policies and procedures for identifying the 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.
• Assist residents in achieving the highest practicable level of self-care, independence and well-being.
• Assist with providing medically related social services so that the highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident is attained or maintained.
• Perform administrative requirements, such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc., and submitting such to the Director.
• Provide information to residents/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.
• Record and maintain regular Social Service progress notes indicating response to the treatment plan and/or adjustment to institutional life.
• Coordinate social service activities with other departments as necessary.
• Work with emotional problems including assisting resident/family with anxieties and stress caused by illness and admission to the facility, difficulties in coping with residual physical disabilities, fears related to helplessness and death, and the need for institutional and specialized care.
• Evaluate social and family information and assist in determining plan for social treatment.
• Meet with department personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.
• Assist in obtaining resources from community social, health and welfare agencies to meet the needs of the resident.
• Assist in making outpatient appointments as ordered and schedule on-site ancillary patient services to include optometry, podiatry, dentistry and psychiatric services.
• Assists in discharge planning with appropriate agencies, entities or individuals to include agency services, equipment and agency referrals.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with other departments within the facility, and outside community health, welfare and social agencies, to assure that social service programs can be properly maintained to meet the needs of the residents.
• Assist in the development of and participate in regularly scheduled orientation and in-service training programs in relation to the social, emotional and medical needs of the residents.
• Assist in the development of the department’s budget.
• Report suspected or known incidence of fraud relative to false billings, cost reports, kickbacks, etc.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED