What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medical Social Worker II - Home Health position at Kaiser Permanente?
Hospital/ClinicThe primary role of the Medical Social Worker II is to assist patients and families/caregivers to cope with the social/emotional issues and practical arrangements related to the patient's illness. Under general direction of the Social Work Manager/LCSW, delivers age-appropriate social work care to patients and their caregivers in accordance with agency policy and procedure and state and federal regulations. The Medical Social Worker II serves as an integral member of the healthcare team providing assessments, coordination, treatment planning, information and referral to community resources and other social work services to meet the complex needs of patients and families in the hospital and clinic settings. Hospice/Home HealthThe primary role of the Medical Social Worker II in the Hospice/Home Health setting is to assist patients and families/caregivers to cope with the social/ emotional issues and practical arrangements related to the patient's illness. Under general direction, delivers age-appropriate social work care to patients and their caregivers in their place of residence in accordance with agency policy and procedure and state and federal regulations. The Medical Social Worker II serves as an integral member of the home health team providing assessments, coordination and implementation of social work services to meet the complex needs of patients in the home setting.
Essential Functions:
- Hospital/Clinic:
- Provide psychodynamic interventions, crisis intervention, grief/bereavement counseling, problem solving, stress reduction & developing healthy coping strategies in individual/family/group settings. Provide counseling for disease acceptance & understanding.
- Responsible for developing & implementing individual Plan of Treatment which assist patients & families to cope and/or restore social, emotional, financial & environmental factors which affect and/or affected by illness.
- Completes psychosocial assessments. Partners w/ patient to identify needs & develop & implement individual treatment plan based on mutually agreed upon treatment plan.
- Discuss options for care proactively including Kaiser resources & external community/government resources to assist patient & family in developing short & long term care plans as appropriate.
- Team w/ other disciplines in assessing, planning & providing services for patients utilizing biopsychosocial information.
- Assist patient in advocating for self to receive appropriate services w/in Kaiser & in the community.
- Assist patient & family w/ care planning & discharge plans.
- Takes, reviews, evaluates & prioritizes written & oral referrals.
- Maintains documentation, records & data collections.
- Responsible for completion of required documents in a complete & timely manner.
- Functions as part of the Skilled Nursing Facility Team to assure appropriate, timely placement of Kaiser members in nursing facilities.
- Liaison between patient & Kaiser maintaining positive relationship w/ Kaiser & providing for continuity of care.
- Identifies appropriate levels of care & facilities for referred patients, were applicable.
- Obtains placements, where applicable.
- Collaborate w/ internal & external resources in Kaiser & the community to meet mutually agreed upon goals & objectives.
- Provides information & referral to community resources as requested.
- Coordinates exchange of information between Kaiser, families, members & skilled nursing facilities.
- Determines application of Kaiser, Medicare & Medi-Cal benefits to specific patient situations.
- Participates in Utilization Mgmt/Quality Assurance activities.
- Assist in coordinating communication between regional offices, clinics, hospitals, & field staff, triaging of phone calls from members'/families.
- Works w/ referral sources to clarify & complete required clinical & psychosocial information.
- Perform other related duties as necessary. Hospice/Home Health:
- Provide psychodynamic interventions, crisis intervention, grief/bereavement counseling, problem solving, stress reduction & developing healthy coping strategies in individual/family/group settings.
- Provide counseling to help patients cope w/ acute/chronic/terminal illnesses.
- Responsible for developing & implementing individual Plan of Treatment which assist patients & families to cope and/or restore social, emotional, financial & environmental factors which affect and/or affected by illness.
- Completes biopsychosocial strengths based assessments.
- Partners w/ patient to identify needs & develop & implement individual treatment plan based on mutually agreed upon treatment plan.
- Discuss options for care proactively including Kaiser resources & external community/government resources to assist patient & family in developing short & long term care plans as appropriate.
- Team w/ other disciplines in assessing, planning & providing services for patients utilizing biopsychosocial information.
- Assist patient in advocating for self to receive appropriate services w/in Kaiser & in the community.
- Assist patient & family in placing patient in higher level of care as determined by team & patient, if applicable.
- Takes, reviews, evaluates & prioritizes written & oral referrals.
- Maintains documentation, records & data collections.
- Responsible for completion of required documents in a complete & timely manner.
- Functions as part of the Home Health/Hospice Team to assure appropriate, timely placement of Kaiser members in nursing facilities.
- Liaison between patient & Kaiser maintaining positive relationship w/ Kaiser & providing for continuity of care.
- Identifies appropriate levels of care & facilities for referred patients, where applicable. Obtains placements, where applicable.
- Collaborate w/ internal & external resources in Kaiser & the community to meet mutually agreed upon goals & objectives.
- Provides information & referral to community resources as requested.
- Coordinates exchange of information between Kaiser, families, members & skilled nursing facilities. Determines application of Kaiser, Medicare & Medi-Cal benefits to specific patient situations.
- Participates in Quality Assurance activities as assigned.
- Assist in coordinating communication between regional offices, clinics, hospitals, & field staff, triaging of phone calls from members'/families.
- Works w/ referral sources to clarify & complete required clinical & psychosocial information.
- Perform other related duties as necessary.
Qualifications:
Basic Qualifications:
Experience
Hospital/Clinic:
- Step I: Less than two (2) years' social work experience (M.S.W. field work not included).
- Step II: Two (2) to four (4) years of social work experience within the last five (5) years (M.S.W. fieldwork not included).
- Step III: Four (4) or more years of social work experience within the last ten (10) years (M.S.W. fieldwork not included).
At least one (1) year post MSW experience in a health care setting preferred- MSW internship may be considered.
Hospice/Home Health:
- Step I: Less than two (2) years' social work experience (M.S.W. field work not included).
- Step II: Two (2) to four (4) years of social work experience within the last five (5) years (M.S.W. fieldwork not included).
- Step III: Four (4) or more years of social work experience within the last ten (10) years (M.S.W. fieldwork not included).
- One (1) year experience providing direct service in medical or home health related setting - MSW internship considered.
Education
- Master's in Social Work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.
License, Certification, Registration
- BLS (for Hospice/Home Health).
Additional Requirements:
- Demonstrated ability to work on a multidisciplinary team.
- Must have solid psychosocial assessment skills.
- Knowledge of chronic and acute disease and how it impacts patient and family functioning.
- Demonstrated excellent oral/telephone communication skills and written documentation.
- Must be computer-literate and, preferably, experienced in automated clinical information systems.
- Must demonstrate ability to effectively and efficiently handle demanding workload involving multiple tasks.
- Demonstrated ability to function independently as a collaborative, supportive team member.
- Must be able to master detailed and complex information regarding benefits and coordination of care.
- Must be willing to work in a Labor Management Partnership environment.
- Also refer to Position Specifications outlined in the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.
Preferred Qualifications:
- LCSW preferred.
