Social Work Assistant - FT - Varied Shift
: Job Details :

HOURLY RANGE: $26.431 - $35.188 DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:The work involves providing assistance to Social Workers and Case Management staff at the Erie County Medical Center Corporation (ECMCC) to facilitate efficient utilization of resources.The incumbent provides assistance to patients and their families relative to medically related social and emotional problems.Work is performed under the direct supervision of a higher-level professional employee.Supervision is not a function of this position.Does related work as required. TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: Assists in locating facilities appropriate for patient's needs; contacts nursing homes to determine bed availability and communicates this information to social workers; Assists or arranges for post discharge care to home or facility placement; Assists the patient, families and/or community agencies to resolve barriers to discharge or successful community living; Assists patients in securing required appliances through agencies and rentals; Meets with patients and families to offer transportation options and coordinates the trip; Meets with patients and families to offer nursing home/rehabilitation options; Serves as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team and performs a variety of non-professional responsibilities; Consults and cooperates with other professionals and agency personnel to aid them in recognizing the significant social components of health care and understanding their impact on patients and their families; Facilitates and provides education (not requiring licensure) on related subject matters to individuals, groups and caregivers; Evaluates patient needs/requests; reports observations and brings urgent and/or crisis situations to the attention of the team immediately; Collects and revises information on community health and welfare resources; Makes post discharge appointment in collaboration with the patient/family; performs follow-up on post-discharge matters as required; Documents completion of patient/family tasks and interaction in medical chart; Assists in coordinating and advocating for patients to obtain housing, food, insurance, public entitlements, legal representation and other community resources or linkages as applicable to the individual's needs. IN ADDITION, IF ASSIGNED TO POPULATION HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Assists with collecting and compiling data related to client demographics, service utilization, and health outcomes; Assists in the analysis and interpretation of population health data to identify trends and areas for improvement. FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of modern principles and practices of social casework; good knowledge of social services performed in a healthcare setting; working knowledge of applicable laws, rules, regulations and accreditation standards as they relate to social casework in a healthcare setting; skill in interviewing; ability to apply social casework techniques in a health care environment; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse constituency; ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; ability to utilize a variety of electronic software applications; sound professional judgment; capable of performing the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Possession of a Bachelor's Degree** in Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Counseling, Health and Human Services or closely related field and one (1) year of experience* in social work, counseling or discharge planning in a healthcare setting; or:
• Completion of sixty (60) semester credit hours* with a major in Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Counseling, Health and Human Services or closely related field and three (3) years of experience* in social work, counseling or discharge planning in a healthcare setting; or:
• An equivalent combination of training and experience as set by the limits of (A), (B) and (C).

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Section 424-A of the Social Services Law requires that local social services district to inquire whether the applicant is the subject of an indicated child abuse or maltreatment report on file with the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment. All potential employees for this position will be requested to sign the necessary clearance form prior to being advised that they will be hired. Refusal to sign will be cause for automatic non-selection. IN ADDITION, SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT TO INPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AREA/CPEP: Possession of Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification from an ECMCC approved provider within sixty (60) days of appointment and maintenance throughout duration of appointment; and: Completion of New York State Office of Mental Health-Bureau of Education and Workforce Development (BEWD) certified safety program within three (3) months of appointment and participation in annual re-training. NOTE*: Possession of a Master's Degree** in Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Counseling, Health and Human Services or closely related field may be substituted for six (6) months of experience in social work, counseling or discharge planning in a healthcare setting. NOTE 2**: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education.If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency.A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at You must pay the required evaluation fee. NOTE 3: Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements.