Social Services Assistant(Interim) Full-Time

About the role

Interim Social Services Assistant - Full-Time

Hanford Post Acute

Pay Range

• $17.50-$18.00 per hour
• Interim/Temporary Full-Time Position
• Join Our Resident-Centered Team

Hanford Post Acute is seeking a compassionate, organized, and dependable Interim Social Services Assistant to support our Social Services Department on a full-time basis.

Working under the direction of the Social Services Director or Consultant, this position helps address the medically related emotional, social, and psychosocial needs of our residents. The ideal candidate communicates with empathy, maintains confidentiality, and enjoys helping residents and families navigate the challenges associated with illness, rehabilitation, long-term care, and discharge planning.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Social Services Director or Consultant with planning, developing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the facility's social services programs.
• Help identify and address residents' medically related social, emotional, and psychosocial needs.
• Assist residents in achieving the highest practicable level of independence, self-care, and well-being.
• Provide emotional support to residents and families experiencing anxiety, illness, disability, grief, loss, or difficulty adjusting to a skilled nursing environment.
• Gather and evaluate social, family, and psychosocial information to support resident assessments and care planning.
• Participate in interdisciplinary care-plan meetings and resident conferences.
• Complete required forms, reports, progress notes, and other social services documentation accurately and promptly.
• Maintain regular social services progress notes reflecting each resident's adjustment, identified needs, interventions, and response to services.
• Assist residents and families with information regarding Medicare, Medi-Cal/Medicaid, financial-assistance programs, and community resources.
• Assist with discharge planning, including referrals for home-health services, transportation, equipment, placement, and other community resources.
• Coordinate with hospitals, physicians, healthcare providers, government agencies, and community organizations.
• Assist with scheduling outpatient appointments and on-site ancillary services, including optometry, podiatry, dentistry, and behavioral-health services.
• Help residents obtain resources from community health, welfare, and social services agencies.
• Coordinate social services activities with nursing, rehabilitation, dietary, activities, business office, and other facility departments.
• Participate in community planning related to the needs and interests of residents and their families.
• Assist with reviewing, developing, and updating departmental policies and procedures.
• Participate in orientation and in-service education related to residents' social, emotional, and medical needs.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with residents, families, employees, healthcare professionals, and community partners.
• Protect resident privacy and maintain the confidentiality of all resident information, including protected health information.
• Promptly report suspected fraud, abuse, neglect, misappropriation, or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Social Services Director, Administrator, or supervisor.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Associate or bachelor's degree in social work, human services, psychology, sociology, or a related field preferred but not required.
• Previous healthcare, skilled nursing, long-term care, social services, case-management, or administrative experience preferred.
• Familiarity with Medicare, Medi-Cal/Medicaid, community resources, and discharge planning is a plus.
• Experience with PointClickCare or another electronic health record system preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, customer-service, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to communicate with compassion and professionalism during sensitive or emotional situations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle protected information appropriately.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and work effectively with an interdisciplinary team.
• Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office.

Physical Requirements

This position requires regular sitting, standing, walking, speaking, reading, and hearing, as well as prolonged computer use. Frequent use of office equipment-including telephones, copiers, scanners, fax machines, and calculators-is required.

Work Environment

• The Social Services Assistant works in administrative and resident-care areas within a skilled nursing facility.
• The position includes regular interaction with residents, families, employees, healthcare professionals, community agencies, and visitors.
• The noise level is generally low to moderate.