SOCIAL SERVICES COUNSELOR

Social Services Opportunities: (MSW/ISW/LSCW) Salary based on licensure & experience.
Avow has been voted Great Place to Work for 5 YEARS in a row by employees!

Job Summary:
Provides direct social services and counseling to patients and families in relation to anxieties and stress precipitated by life-threatening illness.

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate understanding of Client-Centered Practice; death, dying, and bereavement process; crisis intervention; mental and emotional dysfunction.
• Knowledge of community resources and referrals made to support needs of patient/family.
• Demonstrate knowledge of human growth and development; conducts age-appropriate psychosocial assessments using appropriate communication techniques. Uses completed assessment to set patient-specific goals and identify desired interventions for movement toward successful outcomes.
• Demonstrate awareness of multi-cultural differences; provides culturally sensitive care including awareness of family-dynamics, i.e. roles/responsibilities, attitude toward sickness and death and end-of-life rites; and utilizes translation services, as needed.
• Assess the emotional needs of the patient/family to provide the framework from which the care plan is developed. Involves patient and family in care decisions.
• Complete ongoing assessment of patient/family psychosocial needs and provides emotional support for the patient/family. Activities might include: completing cognitive assessments, assisting patient/family with Medicaid applications, funeral planning, hospice-to-hospice transfers, etc.
• Attend weekly Interdisciplinary Team Meetings to discuss patient’s plan of care with other members of the team.
• Identify patient/family educational needs.
• Provide accurate information on hospice services and hospice benefits.
• Respond calmly, quickly, and display teamwork in crisis situations. Exercise judgment in stressful conditions.
• Complete point of care patient charting and daily replication in accordance with agency policy.
• Meet Promise Model expectations in terms of Model Visit Design and Weekly Visit expectations.
• Fulfill on-call Family Support expectations (Full-Time staff).
• Routinely meet individual goals and assist the team in meeting departmental goals set by the manager.
• Available for holiday, on-call, weekend, illness and vacation coverage as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Core Values:

Innovation:
We embrace change and are always looking at creative ways to solve problems and serve new populations.

Integrity:
We are honest, hardworking, fiscally responsible professionals driven solely by the well-being of our patients, their loved ones, and the communities we serve.

Collaboration:
We know we cannot achieve everything we want without working hand-in-hand with each other, with our healthcare partners, and with the community.

Celebration:
We believe in the importance of celebrating life and relationships.

Education:
We believe it is important not only to serve the community but to educate community members about our services and the role we can play at the end of life.