Social Work Director (Not to Exceed $100K)

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: Full-time Licensed Master Social Worker. To qualify you must have a master’s degree from an accredited school in social work or related field. Experience in long-term care and acute care is preferred. This position involves responsibility for providing professional social work services to patients/residents and their families to aid them in dealing with medically related social and emotional problems.  An employee in this position serves as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team involving medicine, nursing, dietary, rehabilitation therapies and activities personnel in identifying needs and in formulating and implementing the restorative and discharge potential of patients/residents.  The work is performed within prescribed guidelines with leeway permitted in determining the scope of social work services to be provided in helping patients/residents adjust to their medical condition and to the environment of the facility concerned.  Employees in this position are expected to consult and cooperate with professionals in other disciplines and agencies to aid them in recognizing the significant social components of health care and understanding their impact on patients/residents and their families.  The work may be performed either under the supervision of higher-level social work personnel or under the general direction of the facility administrator depending upon organizational arrangements in accordance with facility policy.  Supervision may be exercised over the work of Social Work Assistants and other subordinate employees assigned to the social services function in the facility.  The incumbent does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

· Establishes objectives in the department and assumes responsibilities for the integrated functioning of the department;

· Plans, organizes and manages the social work program under the general direction of the Nursing Home Administrator and in consultation with the medical and nursing staffs and other departments as appropriate;

·  Interviews and selects department employees and determines job objectives and performance standards;

· Coordinates department activities with those of other facility departments and with outside agencies that provide appropriate health and welfare programs for patients/residents;

· Represents the department in promoting harmonious relationships between other facility departments and with outside agencies;

·  Prepares and justifies the budgetary needs of the department to provide essential services;

· Approves orders for supplies and initiates requests for equipment and service necessary to carry out department’s function;

· Keeps abreast of hospital social work developments by reviewing professional journals, participating in appropriate societies, and attending community, inter-facility and other conferences as they relate to the department’s functioning, objective and growth;

· Maintains a departmental affiliation with area colleges for the purpose of staff development and provide internship opportunities for students;

· Promotes the maintaining and updating of social work staff skills via encouraging attendance at and participation in in-services, conferences and seminars;

·  Maintains quality improvement standards, performs studies, evaluations and appropriate follow-up action;

·  Completes quality improvement reports to clinical services quality improvement team;

·  Orients, trains and supervises department personnel;

·  Establishes and reviews departmental policies and procedures annually.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Good knowledge of the practices and procedures of social work and of the social and psychological factors related to disease and disability; working knowledge of state and federal rules, regulations and requirements related to health care facilities; ability to counsel health care facility patients and their families; ability to function as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team; ability to interpret federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding the delivery of social work services in a health care facility; ability to plan and supervise the work of others; ability to prepare records and reports related to social services activities; ability to utilize community resources effectively to meet facility patient and family social service needs; ability to confer with and provide social services consultation to other health care professionals; sympathetic attitude toward the sick and disabled; tact; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Possession of a master’s degree in social work from a graduate school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and New York State Education Department and current certification or limited permit to practice social work in New York State issued by the State Education Department.

LCHS offers a highly competitive compensation benefits package including NYS Retirement.  Applicants may forward resume to: Human Resources, Lewis County General Hospital, 7785 N. State St., Lowville, NY 13367 or Email: hr@lcgh.net. LCHS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.