Social Worker - Catholic Hospice in Miami, Florida at Catholic Health Services

The Social Worker provides social work services primarily on a visiting and intermittent basis in the patient's home in accordance with the policies and procedures of Catholic Hospice and Palliative Care.

• Bachelor's Degree required and Master's Degree preferred from a school of Social Work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Clear and Active Professional License to practice in the state of Florida.
• 1-2 years of social work experience in a health care setting. Hospice experience preferred.
• Knowledge of AHCA Regulations, Medicare COP's Guidelines required.
• Must have knowledge of computer office/clinical software.
• Must be able to read, write and understand the English language.

• Schedules home or hospital visits to assess patient's needs within established time frames within organizational, state and federal regulations.
• Provides individual counseling of patients and family members coping with serious and terminal illness.
• Administers individual and family psychosocial support depending on individual need and state compliance.
• Evaluates and assesses patient and family to determine coping strategies related to grief.
• Develop treatment plans in accordance with outcome of evaluation while collaborating with interdisciplinary team members.
• Completes clinical note, psychosocial and financial assessments, interdisciplinary notes, bereavement assessments, etc., and gives copies to appropriate Manager.
• Facilitates crisis intervention working with community organizations and interdisciplinary team members to ensure patient and patient-family unit psychosocial care.
• Attends group meetings, individual and family interviews during the evening hours as needed.
• Provides written weekly schedule to Clinical Care Manager in an effort to maintain compliance and deliver psychosocial support.
• Instruct, treat, observe and evaluate patients exhibiting significant social and emotional problems affecting their health status.
• Implement the Plan of Care provisions to meet their needs, which include: social service goals for alleviating problems, supportive counseling, problem solving, community referrals, etc.
• Provides coordination and liaison service between Hospice caregiver and community agencies, hospital caregivers, funeral directors, lawyers, schools, etc.
• Provides referral services for the patients and families to the community agencies for needs beyond the scope of Hospice care, such as long-term therapy, psychiatric care, financial assistance, etc.
• Provides Bereavement counseling services to families of patients who received hospice care in a variety of treatment modalities including individual, family and group.
• Complete appropriate documentation in a timely manner to assure compliance with agency policy.
• Participate in the development and periodic re-evaluation of the physician's Plan of Care (POC).
• Instruct and counsel patients and families in treating and coping with social and emotional response connected with the illness.
• Regularly assess the patient and family psychosocial needs.
• Regularly assess the pre-bereavement/anticipatory grief needs.
• *Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

• Apply concepts of agency's infection control plan and universal precaution in coordination/performing client cares activities to protect both patient and staff (OSHA).
• Demonstrates knowledge of hospice levels of care, Medicare and Medicaid Hospice Benefits by providing appropriate documentation when the need arises.
• Participates in educational and developmental programs to enhance his or her ability to provide therapeutic services to patients, families, staff and the community.
• Knowledge of community resources to make referrals to agencies and coordinate services with patient-family units.
• Implements a comprehensive discharge plan.
• Utilizes Support Services Coordinator to gain input, seek resources and to obtain clinical supervision.
• Provides community education in the form of workshops, lectures, etc.
• Participates in orientation, team meetings, staff development and other interdisciplinary meetings.
• Accounts to the Support Services Coordinator for appropriate use of work logs in providing both service to patient/families and service to Hospice Staff and community.
• Ability to participate as an integral member of the interdisciplinary team in providing supportive services to patients and families through On-Call system.
• Exhibit high comfort level in dealing with terminal illness.
• Consistently able to work calmly and maintain effectiveness in situations of high stress.
• Maintaining the ability to extend hospitality and patience while assisting patients, families, physicians and peers under stressful circumstances.
• Ability to travel to any location throughout South Florida as needed and expand territory as business needs dictate.
• Demonstrate commitment and professional growth by participating in in-service programs and maintaining/improving competency.
• Maintain the highest standards of professional conduct in relation to information that is confidential in nature.
• Share information only when recipient's right to access is clearly established and sharing of such information is in the best interest of the patient.
• Meet mandatory continuing education requirements of the agency/licensing board
• Maintain your required licenses, certifications and mandatory skill updates.
• Comply with all policies, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
• Provide other duties of healthcare team member.
• Perform other duties as assigned.