Social Services Case Worker

Avantara; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Avantara is seeking a Social Worker to address the medically related emotional and social needs of Guests, complying with federal, state, and local regulations. The role includes evaluation, psychosocial assessments, admissions coordination, and discharge planning with a focus on dignity and individualized care.

Responsibilities cover facilitating care conferences, coordinating transfers, and connecting Guests with community resources while maintaining documentation and QA/QAPI responsibilities.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Two years’ experience in a social services role, preferably in a health care setting.
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or similar field.
• 5 years related experience.

Responsibilities

• Keeps up-to-date evaluation documentation on each Guest’s activities in compliance with Federal, State, and Local regulations.
• Develops a comprehensive social history and psychosocial assessment that includes problems, strengths and preferences for the care plan.
• Orients Guests and families to the facility, services, limitations and Guests' rights.
• Attends care conferences and identifies psychosocial needs for inclusion in the care plan, addressing scheduling and environment to reflect individuality.
• Assists with coordination, intake, admission and Guest transfer within the facility.
• Coordinates inspection of Guest belongings for labeling and inventory.
• Attends interdisciplinary team meetings and oversees psychosocial groups and documentation.
• Completes mandatory documentation within timelines established by regulations.
• Provides consultation to Guests on problems and assists with solutions.
• Mediates issues among Guests, families and staff.
• Maintains knowledge of community resources and makes referrals as needed.
• Develops discharge plans with Guests, families and staff.
• Provides informal counseling to address issues affecting socialization and participation.
• Maintains and updates filing system for Social Services.

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in social work or similar field

Job description

Summary/Objective In keeping with our organization’s goal of improving the lives of the Guests we serve, the Social Worker ensures that the medically related emotional and social needs of the Guests are met and maintained on an individual basis and in accordance with current federal, state, and local regulations.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 1. Responsible for keeping up-to-date evaluation documentation on each Guest’s activities at the facility which complies with Federal, State, and Local regulations.
• 2. Develops a comprehensive social history and psychosocial assessment that includes the Guest's problems and strengths and preferences, including cultural, religious, and ethnic background and implications for the care plan.
• 3. Orients Guests and families to the facility, its services, its service limitations and Guests' rights.
• 4. Attends scheduled care conferences and identifies and interprets psychosocial needs of Guests for inclusion in the care plan, addressing in particular issues of schedule, treatment and environment that express and reinforce individuality and identity.
• 5. Assists with the coordination, intake, admission and Guest transfer within the facility.
• 6. Discusses the facility rules and regulations with Guests’ families and responds to questions with regard to these rules.
• 7. Coordinates the inspection of Guest’s belongings to ensure they are properly labeled and inventoried.
• 8. Attends Interdisciplinary Team and Unit Care conferences, Assesses Guests for psychosocial groups, and supervises implementation and documentation.
• 9. Completes mandatory documentation within timelines established by applicable regulations.
• 10. Provides consultation to Guests on a regular or as needed basis to discuss problems encountered by Guests and assists with the implementation of solutions.
• 11. Mediates issues that arise among Guests, families and staff.
• 12. Provides linkage with appropriate community resources by maintaining knowledge of other systems, making referrals and identifying unmet needs (e.g., recreational transportation, adaptive phone equipment, etc.).
• 13. Develops a comprehensive discharge plan in collaboration with Guests, Guests' families, multidisciplinary staff, and referral agencies.
• 14. Provides informal counseling when needed to uncover any problems which might interfere with the Guests’ socialization and participation in activities.
• 15. Establishes, develops, maintains and updates filing system for the Social Services Department.
• 16. Reports all hazardous conditions, damaged equipment, accidents/incidents and supply issues to appropriate persons.
• 17. Assure that established infection control and prevention practices and standard precautions are maintained at all times.
• 18. Follows established safety precautions when preforming tasks and using equipment and supplies.
• 19. Maintains the comfort, privacy and dignity of Guests and interacts with them in a manner that displays warmth, respect and promotes a caring environment.
• 20. Communicates and interacts effectively and tactfully with Guests, visitors, families, peers and supervisors.
• 21. Ensure each Guest receives person centered care.
• 22. Answers and respond to call lights promptly and courteously when working in Guest care areas.
• 23. Attend and participate in departmental meetings and in‑services as directed.
• 24. Recognize your role as part of the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) efforts of your organization.
• 25. Attend trainings to build understanding and capacity to undertake QAPI work.
• 26. Carry out QAPI roles and responsibilities as assigned.
• 27. Follow established policies and procedures in support of QAPI efforts.
• 28. Any noted opportunities for improvement will be shared with leadership in the organization.
• 29. Communicate to leadership upon witnessing a positive outcome of a QAPI project or detecting barriers preventing project success.
• 30. Support QAPI efforts both verbally and non‑verbally (i.e., via actions and attitude), including adjusting performance and practice in accordance with QAPI initiatives and findings.
• 31. Participate in compliance trainings as scheduled and adhere to compliance plan.

Work Environment

This job operates in a health care setting. This role requires regular walking to various locations around the facility. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This role may also come into contact with Guests who may have contagious illnesses.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This position is part of a health care facility that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Evening and weekend work as well as holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

Travel

This position may travel to and from various locations in and around the surrounding community.

Required Education and Experience

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Two years’ experience in a social services role, preferably in a health care setting.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or similar field.
• 5 years related experience.