Social Services Assistant-Full Time in Kingman, Arizona at Desert Highland Care Center

DESERT HIGHLANDS CARE CENTER
SOCIAL SERVICES ASSISTANT | FULL-TIME
1081 Kathleen Avenue • Kingman, Arizona 86401 • (928) 753-5580
Position Social Services Assistant
Schedule Full-time | Monday–Friday | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Compensation $23.00 per hour, based on experience
Benefits Medical, dental, and 401(k), subject to plan eligibility and terms
Department Social Services
Reports to Social Services Director / designated supervisor
Why Join DHCC?
At Desert Highlands Care Center, every resident deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Our team works together to support safe transitions, meaningful relationships, and individualized care. This position offers an opportunity to make a tangible difference for residents and families while collaborating with a dedicated interdisciplinary clinical team.
Our Mission
Our commitment is to provide compassionate, resident-centered skilled nursing and rehabilitative care that promotes dignity, safety, quality of life, and continuity of services. We strive to partner with residents, families, healthcare professionals, and community resources to support each person’s needs.
Position Summary
The Social Services Assistant supports the Social Services department in assessing nonclinical psychosocial needs, coordinating resources, documenting interventions, addressing concerns, and facilitating timely, safe discharges. The assistant works closely with nursing, therapy, case managers, providers, payers, residents, and families under the direction of the designated supervisor. This role requires exceptional follow-through, sound judgment, empathy, and the ability to manage competing priorities without compromising resident safety.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
• Assist with resident and family interviews, psychosocial assessments, care conferences, individualized care planning, and timely progress notes within assigned scope.
• Coordinate discharge planning from admission through transition, including resident/family preferences, discharge destination, transportation, caregiver readiness, referrals, and follow-up appointments.
• Before discharge, verify and document that ordered home health or outpatient services, IV antibiotics/infusion arrangements, infusion pumps, durable medical equipment, oxygen, medications, and other essential supports have been arranged and confirmed with the responsible providers and vendors, as applicable.
• Identify and promptly escalate any unresolved discharge barrier, service gap, authorization delay, or risk of treatment interruption to nursing leadership and the Social Services Director; do not represent a discharge as ready when essential arrangements remain unconfirmed.
• Work with the interdisciplinary team and receiving agencies to communicate discharge instructions, service start dates, equipment delivery details, and continuity-of-care needs, while respecting clinical staff responsibilities.
• Apply working knowledge of Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS), AHCCCS/Medicaid, Medicare, and other payer resources to assist residents and families with eligibility, coverage questions, applications, and community referrals.
• Coordinate insurance verification and prior authorization requests; gather required documentation, track submission status and approvals, follow up with payers, and escalate denials or pending approvals promptly.
• Connect residents and families to transportation, financial assistance, community support, hospice, behavioral health, and other appropriate services.
• Listen to resident concerns compassionately; document and route grievances under facility procedures, protect against retaliation, and elevate urgent rights or safety concerns.
• Maintain complete, accurate, timely records in approved systems; safeguard protected health information and follow HIPAA, confidentiality, and facility documentation policies.
• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings, discharge huddles, quality improvement activities, staff education, and assigned committee work.
• Communicate professionally with residents, families, hospital case managers, insurers, vendors, and facility leadership; provide clear status updates and close the loop on assigned tasks.
Minimum Qualifications
• High school diploma or GED required.
• Minimum three (3) years of clinical healthcare-setting experience required, preferably in skilled nursing, long-term care, rehabilitation, hospital case management, or discharge coordination.
• Demonstrated knowledge and practical experience with ALTCS and Arizona long-term care resources required.
• Insurance background with hands-on experience obtaining and tracking prior authorizations required.
• Working knowledge of safe discharge processes to home, including coordination of home health, outpatient treatment, durable medical equipment, pharmacy, and transportation.
• Comfort using electronic health records, standard office software, and documentation/tracking systems; effective written and verbal communication skills.
Professional Competencies
• Compassionate, heartfelt, patient, and respectful approach to residents and their loved ones.
• Strong critical thinking, independent problem-solving, attention to detail, and ownership of follow-through.
• Excellent multitasking, organization, prioritization, and time management in a fast-paced setting.
• Collaborative teamwork, diplomacy, conflict resolution, and professional discretion.
• Ability to recognize concerns beyond the position’s authority and promptly involve the appropriate licensed clinician or supervisor.
Compliance, Safety & Resident Rights
• Follow applicable federal and Arizona requirements, resident rights, facility policies, abuse-prevention standards, and infection-control and workplace safety practices.
• Maintain confidentiality; report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, privacy breaches, unsafe conditions, and other reportable concerns through established channels.
• Complete required orientation, annual training, competency assessments, and emergency preparedness activities.
Work Environment & Essential Functions
Work occurs in office and resident-care areas with frequent interruptions, walking, sitting, standing, computer use, and interaction with residents and families in stressful situations. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified applicants to perform essential functions. Some schedule flexibility may be needed for urgent resident needs, subject to facility expectations.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Desert Highlands Care Center is committed to equal employment opportunity and considers qualified applicants without unlawful discrimination. Employment, compensation, and benefits are governed by applicable law and facility policies.