Social Services Director

Indiana Fitness Works Inc.•Winchester, IN

4d•$60,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Social Services Director plans, coordinates, and oversees the facility’s social services program to support residents’ psychosocial well-being, dignity, independence, rights, and quality of life. The Director leads resident assessments, care planning, discharge planning, family communication, community resource coordination, and regulatory compliance. Working collaboratively with facility leadership, clinical and rehabilitation teams, residents, and families, the Director ensures residents receive social services appropriate to their individual needs and applicable Indiana and federal requirements. The role manages daily department operations, establishes procedures and documentation standards, and trains, supervises, and evaluates social services staff and designees as applicable. The Director coordinates psychosocial assessments and individualized care plans, advocates for resident rights, responds to grievances and concerns, and supports admissions, transfers, discharge, and relocation. The position connects residents and families with community and healthcare resources, coordinates support for dementia and behavioral health needs, and participates in quality assurance, regulatory surveys, audits, and staff education.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) or Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from an appropriately accredited program.
At least one year of supervised social services experience in a healthcare setting working directly with individuals, consistent with applicable Indiana requirements.
Knowledge of resident rights, psychosocial assessments, interdisciplinary care planning, discharge planning, and community resources.
Strong leadership, communication, organization, conflict-resolution, and documentation skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive resident and family matters professionally.
Ability to work collaboratively with residents, families, facility leadership, and interdisciplinary teams.
Applicable Indiana social work license or credential based on the duties performed; the employer should verify the appropriate credential.

Nice To Haves

Experience in skilled nursing, long-term care, rehabilitation, geriatrics, or a comparable healthcare environment.
MSW degree and relevant long-term care leadership experience.
Experience supervising social services staff or coordinating department operations.
Knowledge of the Minimum Data Set (MDS), care area assessments, and interdisciplinary care planning.
Familiarity with Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, long-term care benefits, guardianship, advance directives, and community-based services.
Experience supporting residents with dementia and other cognitive or behavioral health needs.

Responsibilities

Manage the daily operations of the Social Services Department and establish its procedures, workflows, documentation standards, and quality expectations.
Ensure appropriate staffing, coverage, and delivery of social services based on resident needs and applicable regulations.
Train, supervise, and evaluate social services staff and designees, as applicable.
Maintain department records, reports, and documentation for internal audits and regulatory surveys.
Collaborate with facility leadership to address concerns, resolve barriers to care, and improve resident outcomes.
Complete or coordinate psychosocial assessments upon admission and when required by changes in resident condition or facility policy.
Identify residents’ emotional, social, cultural, financial, behavioral, and family support needs.
Develop, implement, review, and update individualized care plans; participate in interdisciplinary care plan meetings and document social services interventions.
Support residents as they adjust to the facility, changes in independence, chronic illness, cognitive impairment, and end-of-life concerns.
Promote resident dignity, privacy, choice, autonomy, and participation in care decisions.
Respond to resident grievances, concerns, complaints, and requests for assistance; explain facility policies, resident rights, and available resources.
Assist with family concerns, communication challenges, and conflict resolution.
Follow facility procedures and applicable reporting requirements for suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other safety concerns.
Coordinate social services for admissions, transfers, discharges, and relocations.
Assess barriers to safe discharge, including housing, caregiver support, financial resources, transportation, and access to medications or follow-up care.
Coordinate referrals to home health, hospice, community agencies, behavioral health providers, and other services as appropriate.
Educate residents and families about discharge options and community resources, and document preferences, referrals, and follow-up arrangements.
Serve as a point of contact for residents’ families and representatives regarding psychosocial needs and available services; facilitate family meetings and care conferences.
Connect residents and families with Medicare, Medicaid, benefits assistance, transportation, counseling, and other community resources.
Coordinate with external agencies and healthcare providers to support continuity of care and promote family and community involvement.
Coordinate psychosocial interventions for residents living with dementia, depression, anxiety, grief, or adjustment difficulties.
Support families experiencing caregiver stress and collaborate with nursing and other disciplines on person-centered approaches to behavioral and psychosocial needs.
Refer residents for specialized assessment or treatment when needs fall outside the department’s scope of practice.
Support advance care planning and end-of-life referrals in collaboration with residents, representatives, and the interdisciplinary team.
Maintain compliance with applicable Indiana long-term care regulations, federal nursing facility requirements, resident rights protections, and facility policies.
Participate in quality assurance and performance improvement activities; monitor the timeliness and completeness of assessments, care plans, progress notes, referrals, and discharge documentation.
Assist with regulatory surveys, audits, corrective action plans, and follow-up monitoring.
Educate staff regarding resident rights, communication, psychosocial care, and social services procedures.