What are the responsibilities and job description for the Tribal Social Worker position at Pala Band of Mission Indians?
JOB DESCRIPTION
Title: Tribal Social Worker
Department/Division: Social Services
Status: Full-Time
Salary: Hourly/ DOE
Supervisor: Lead Tribal Social Worker, Director of Social Services
Subordinates: none
POSITION SUMMARY:
Under the direction of the Lead Social Worker and the Director of Social Services, the Social Worker will be responsible for ensuring that the medically related, emotional, and social needs of the residents are met and maintained on an individual basis in accordance with policies and procedures and current federal, state and local standards, guidelines and regulations.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Performs Social Service admissions functions.
- Develops a comprehensive social history and psychosocial assessment that includes the resident’s problems and strengths and preferences, including cultural, religious and ethnic background and implications for the care plan.
- Helps residents and their families (in their social, racial, ethnic and cultural context) cope with the immediate effects of the decision to move to the facility.
- Orients residents and families to the facility, its services, its service limitations and residents’ rights.
Participates in the development of individualized resident care plans.
- Involves residents and families in care planning, encouraging their attendance at care conferences.
- Attends scheduled care conferences and identifies and interprets psychosocial needs of residents for inclusion in the care plan, addressing in particular issues of schedule, treatment, and environment that express and reinforce individuality and identity.
- Completes mandatory documentation within timelines established by applicable regulations.
Facilitates the social and psychological well-being of residents and their families.
- Empowers residents and encourages resident choice in matters affecting them, demonstrating receptive attitudes and sensitivity to choices based on racial, cultural and ethnic heritage and sexual orientation.
- Mediates issues that arise among residents, families and staff.
- Ameliorates emotional distress of residents and families.
- Provides linkage with appropriate community resources by maintaining knowledge of other systems, making referrals and identifying unmet needs.
- Provides residents and families with crisis management services.
- Assists residents and families with financial questions and makes appropriate referrals.
- Coordinates visits by facility mental health providers and makes resident referrals.
- Assists endowment residents with managing financial concerns.
- Coordinates speakers and co-facilitates Family Council meetings.
- Helps residents and family prepare for and cope with losses, including aging and death.
Meet resident’s psychosocial needs.
- Educates self regarding psychosocial needs that encompass social, ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of individual residents.
- Educate self about the resident Bill of Rights.
- Advocates on a case, policy and program level.
Attends court cases as needed.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, CERTIFICATIONS AND ABILITIES:
- Ability to function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity and the ability to work effectively with residents and support agencies.
- Ability to relate to and work with ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset and at times hostile people.
- Ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
- Ability to enter and retrieve data using computer systems, systems applications, and other office equipment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work.
- Prefer two (2) years of supervised social work experience.
- Must acknowledge and agree to maintain a Drug-Free workplace (including marijuana) as a condition of employment with the Pala Band of Mission Indians. Must pass pre-employment and random drug testing during employment.
- Must have a valid class “C” driver’s license in good standing.
- Must successfully complete and pass a background check.
- Indian preference will apply. The Pala Band of Mission Indians will give hiring preference to fully qualified applicants who are Pala Tribal Members.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
All employees are expected to follow the Tribal Employee Handbook of the Pala Band of Mission Indians and must adhere to any additional applicable addendums.
