Medical Social Worker II

Job Summary

The 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 patients 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.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provides psychodynamic interventions, crisis intervention, grief/bereavement counseling, problem solving, stress reduction and developing healthy coping strategies in individual/family/group settings. Provide counseling for disease acceptance and understanding.
• Responsible for developing and implementing individual Plan of Treatment which assist patients and families to cope and/or restore social, emotional, financial and environmental factors which affect and/or affected by illness.
• Completes psychosocial assessments. Partners with patient to identify needs and develop and implement individual treatment plan based on mutually agreed upon treatment plan.
• Discuss options for care proactively including Kaiser resources and external community/government resources to assist patient and family in developing short and long term care plans as appropriate.
• Team with other disciplines in assessing, planning and providing services for patients utilizing biopsychosocial information.
• Assist patient in advocating for self to receive appropriate services within Kaiser and in the community.
• Assist patient and family with care planning and discharge plans.
• Takes, reviews, evaluates and prioritizes written and oral referrals.
• Maintains documentation, records and data collections.
• Responsible for completion of required documents in a complete and timely manner.
• Functions as part of the Skilled Nursing Facility Team to assure appro priate, timely placement of Kaiser members in nursing facilities.
• Liaison between patient and Kaiser maintaining positive relationship with Kaiser and providing for continuity of care.
• Identifies appropriate levels of care and facilities for referred patients, were applicable.
• Obtains placements, where applicable.
• Collaborate with internal and external resources in Kaiser and the community to meet mutually agreed upon goals and objectives.
• Provides information and referral to community resources as requested.
• Coordinates exchange of information between Kaiser, families, members and skilled nursing facilities.
• Determines application of Kaiser, Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits to specific patient situations.
• Participates in Utilization Management/Quality Assurance activities.
• Assist in coordinating communication between regional offices, clinics, hospitals, and field staff, triaging of phone calls from members/families.
• Works with referral sources to clarify and complete required clinical and psychosocial information.
• Perform other related duties as necessary.