QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in providing for and managing the social service needs of the mentally ill to include by not limited to:
  • family, group and individual psychotherapy with adults and/or geriatric patients
  • discharge planning and case management of inpatient psychiatric patients
• Must be licensed and/or certified to perform psychotherapy and/or counseling within the State of operation. Must maintain current professional licensure and demonstrates proof to Human Resources annually.
• Certification in Basic Life Support required.
• Certification in non-violent crisis intervention.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Responsible for providing for the social service needs of patients age 18 and older who are suffering from mental illness.
• Provides clinical individual, group and family therapy as ordered by the physician.
• Assesses and reassesses social and emotional factors in order to help the patient and family cope with problems in daily living to help them follow medical recommendations to maximize the client’s health condition.
• Counsels and communicates to patients/families/primary caregivers issues concerning the facilitation of the medical plan of treatment and discharge plan.
• Recognizes and utilizes community and family resources to assist the client in long-term plans for life in the community or to learn to live with the patient’s disability.
• Develop the patient’s plan of care within required time frames and with coordination of the other members of the multidisciplinary clinical team (nursing, physician, other therapists, patient, and the family) which addresses the psychosocial difficulties that may interfere with the health and wellness continuum.
• Begins the discharge planning process with each patient upon admission.
• Develops discharge plan in conjunction with multidisciplinary clinical team, patient and family/caregiver.
• Organizes and maintains a wide-range resource data set for the hospital to assist with proper discharge planning for patients.
• Provides resource information to other hospital personnel as needed.
• Develops, prepares and maintains individualized patient care progress records with accuracy, timeliness and according to policies, submits accurate documentation within mandated time frame.
• Keeps abreast of social work trends and knowledge, obtains required annual continuing education in-services.
• Participates in the hospital’s QAPI program when directed by Director of Social services.
• Completes psychosocial assessments on all newly assigned clients and within time frames as mandated by hospital policy and regulatory standards.
• Attends and participates in weekly treatment team meetings and makes adjustments to treatment plan accordingly.
• Ensures family contact, if applicable, is made with and documented in 24 hours of admission.
• Serves as a liaison in the community as needed.
• Adheres to hospital’s infection control and safety policies.
• Assists in crisis management as necessary.