Social Service Director

Skilled Nursing of Pennsylvania; Milford (PA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Skilled Nursing of Pennsylvania seeks a Social Service Director to lead the facility’s social services program. You will develop and implement policies, coordinate care, and ensure compliance with regulations while supervising the Social Service staff and collaborating with medical teams.

The role emphasizes resident counseling, family support, and discharge planning, with strong documentation and regulatory adherence as core duties.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work with 2 years experience in health care setting.
• Experience coordinating social services and counseling residents and families.
• Ability to document in progress notes and care plans per licensing regulations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and coordinate social service policies, procedures, and programs.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations; take corrective action when needed.
• Complete MDS social service portion within HCFA guidelines and document care plans.
• Assess residents and provide counseling and support to residents and families.
• Document services and update care plans timely per regulations.
• Coordinate discharge planning and establish effective relationships with medical providers.
• Recruit, train, and supervise Social Service staff; conduct evaluations.
• Participate in facility and interdisciplinary team meetings.

Skills

Social Work practice

Counseling techniques

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Documentation standards

Confidentiality

Discharge planning

Education

Master's degree in Social Work

Job description

General Statement of Responsibilities:

The Social Service Director is responsible for the development, implementation, and the coordination of the facility’s social service policies, procedures, and service programs to meet the residents’ needs. The Social Service Director ensures the facility’s Social Service Department’s policies, procedures, service programs, and practices are in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The Social Service Director supervises the staff in the Social Service Department.

Bona Fide Occupational Requirement: Graduate (Master’s) degree in Social Work and 2 years experience in health care setting.

Major Job Duties:

• Develop and implement social service policies, procedures, and service programs to meet residents’ needs.
• Ensure Social Service department policies, procedures, and service programs are in compliance with federal, state and local regulations; and take immediate corrective action in the event of any cited violation.
• Complete the social service portion of the Minimum Data Set within HCFA guidelines; and document the social care component of the Comprehensive Care Plan for each resident as identified by the Interdisciplinary Team within completion of the MDS.
• Assess each resident’s needs, and develop and effective counseling/supportive relationship with residents and their families.
• Provide supportive counseling to residents and their families as needed; work with the resident and their family on social interaction, insurance issues, reality orientation, and intellectual stimulation. Counsel residents and families in dealing with death and dying and other emotional, mental, environmental or physical limitations and changes.
• Document services and contacts provided to residents and their families in progress notes; up-dates residents’ care plans as a resident’s condition changes. Documentation must be completed in a timely way and in according to federal, state, and local licensing regulations.
• Establish effective working relationships with medical community, referral sources, and community agencies
• Make referrals to community agencies and medical providers to meet the resident’s need; and ensure the resident is linked to the appropriate service, and the referral is documented
• Coordinate and implement the discharge planning process for residents, and ensure it is documented according to standards.
• Recruit, hire, and train staff. Implement a system to evaluate staff, and conduct performance evaluations on staff. Handle and resolve any personnel problems. Terminate staff appropriately when necessary.
• Provide in-service training as needed, and attend appropriate in-services, and outside training to keep current with trends, applicable laws, and regulations.
• Participate in facility meetings, and interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Be knowledgeable and comply with the facilities’ employment policies and procedures; safety regulations including infection control, etc.
• Work with the facility staff in notifying appropriate state and local agencies of transfer, discharge or death of any resident receiving Medicaid funds.
• Overall management and implementation of resident care plan, advance directives, and psychosocial needs. Act as advocate for residents.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Administrator.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities In:

Social Work practice, effective counseling techniques; death, dying, and grief issues; working with residents; working effectively with families; community networking and resourcing; training and supervision; documentation standards; working effectively in a treatment team; effective written, oral and interpersonal skills; ability to maintain confidentiality; effective discharge planning.

Physical Requirements/Abilities:

Must be able to regularly in performance of duties, stand, sit, walk, kneel, and bend. Have visual and hearing acuity sufficient to assess resident’s needs.