Full-time Director of Social Services presso Lexington Regional Health Center

Description

Lexington Regional Health Center
Title: Director of Social Services

Effective Date: September 18, 2025

Supervisor: Chief Operating Officer

Department: Social Services 

FLSA Status: Exempt

Principle duties and responsibilities

1. Assesses each patient’s discharge or social needs; this includes financial, emotional, spiritual, arranging of hospital equipment, referrals, etc. Rounds with the providers daily and coordinates with Interdisciplinary staff and family for the patients' needs. Provides interventions related to the patient's discharge needs. 
2. Internal referrals given by hospital staff to provide in-person assistance for discharge needs (e.g.: assistance with applications, education on community services and resources, etc). Each Observation and Inpatient patient will receive assistance from a Social Worker, unless they decline the service.
3. Supports the patient/ family to improve the patient’s health, wellness, and rehabilitation through patient and/ or family education based on need identified through the initial assessment in collaboration with the attending provider and other professional staff..
4. Assess patient/ family’s social and emotional factors to estimate their capacity and potential to cope with patient’s illness, change in lifestyle, as well as death.
5. Assists or guides application referrals for Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security Disability, and Prescription (Rx) applications when given a referral from their primary provider on an Inpatient or Outpatient basis.
6. Educates patients, families, providers and other health care professionals to help them understand health related and social issues. In addition, this worker advocates for the patient and their rights to ensure they understand their rights and help them make good ethical choices, as well as educate on patient’s illness, treatment and recovery or death.   
7. Promotes and/ or directs Interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination to achieve continuity of care, minimize fragmentation and utilize health care resources more effectively. Includes patient and their family at weekly Interdisciplinary meetings. 
8. Participates in monthly chart audits and quality indicators data and reports periodically; monitors hospital's HCAHPS scores to increase overall improvement.
9. Serves on various committees as assigned. 
10. Serves as a liaison between the hospital and/or community resources and/or referral services. Works with local agencies to facilitate financial assistance for social needs (e.g. bus ticket, food, etc.). 
11. Develops a budget for all areas of responsibility and ensures, throughout the year, that budgetary expectations are met.
12.  Assumes role and responsibility of managing Social Workers on staff.
13. Provides Critical Intervention alongside Mental Health Counseling team, if needed when referred from a provider or hospital staff; this may happen in the various areas throughout the facility.  
14. Practices and participates in Mental Health counselling, as needed or when referred within scope of practice
15. Maintains patient and staff safety through the use of patient safety tools (Teamstepps, Just Culture, etc.).
16. Regular attendance at the assigned work location is required. 
17. Performs all other duties as assigned.

Minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities

1. Ability to think critically for problem solving and understanding how to work with diverse populations. Ability to learn processes, coordination, holistic team approach, and assessment and intervention skills. Clinical understanding, psychosocial human interpersonal relationships and assessment skills as is typically acquired through a master’s degree in social work or another human related field  

1. Licensed as a Social Worker and/ or Mental Health Provider in the state of Nebraska who maintains a licensure with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Required to adhere to Continuing Education (CE) requirements as outlined by licensure and registry bodies.
2. Certified Master's Social Worker, or a Licensed Mental Health practitioner per state regulation, provisionally licensed is welcomed, preferably a fully licensed. In addition, a preferred 1+ year(s) of medical social work experience. 
3. Basic Life Support certification via American Heart Association required within six months of hire.
4. Analytical skills are necessary for maintaining Quality Measure within department.
5. Advanced communication skills to interact with terminally ill patients and patients with chronic illnesses; daily interactions with ancillary staff, department meetings, and periodic referrals to agencies based on patients' needs. Ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds. 
6. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with regard to protected and sensitive information.
7. Ability to complete reports and correspondence at a professional level.  
8. Ability to immediately respond to common inquiries and complaints from patients, employees and regulatory agencies. 
9. Ability to multi-task and pay attention to detail in dealing with discharge interventions. 

Working conditions

1. Works in a normal office work environment with little exposure noise, dust, temperature etc.
2. Works 40+ hours per work week Monday-Friday, with as needed call in for consultation 
3. Sitting, walking, standing for up to 90% of work time.
4. Comes in contact with a variety of isolation patients (up to 5% of work time), but seldom severe hazards. Follows the appropriate safety education given to prevent any at risk situations or environments. 
5. Spends up to 40% of day seated, completing paper/computer work. The rest of the 60% percent of the day is spent completing various patient-related activities, i.e. meeting with patients and caregivers. May assist during emergency situations to help transfer patients, requiring 35 pounds to pivot transfer a patient. May assist in transferring patient beds down halls, up to 35 pounds of horizontal force pounds to move bed up to 200 feet in distance. May also assist with bed and chair mobility to help assist patient into a better position. May take part in 1-2 meetings per day, whether in hospital, Emergency Room or Family Medicine Specialists clinic. Will need to ambulate around the hospital up to 30% of day to 700 feet to Family Medicine Specialists clinic. Stocks own shelves with information, lifting up to 7 pounds approximately 50 inches in height to 3 inches from floor. A cabinet contains overhead storage that may need accessed with materials 1-2 pounds in weight

Management responsibilities

1. Responsible for Medical Social Workers, Interpreter Supervisor, and Community Health Workers

Job description statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job title. They are not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.