Social Services Coordinator

Summary: Provides social and support services to children of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) by coordinating admissions and discharges, facilitating communication and visitation with parents/guardians, and providing child specific information to all departments necessary for each child’s programming.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assists families in completing applications for admissions including requesting medical, social, education, therapy, and other applicable records.
• Schedules and coordinates placement screenings. Maintains up-to-date list of referrals and waiting for placement.  
• Communicates to CRC departments regarding scheduled admissions and discharges, concerns and needs of individuals served, current approved visitors and contact lists including emergency contacts, and current list of publicity releases.  
•  Coordinates admissions including admission paperwork and orientation for children and their parents/guardians. 
•  Completes social history for each child upon admission and annually, thereafter.  
•  Serves as primary liaison between parents/guardians and CRC departments. Maintains documentation of family/guardian contacts and coordinates and sends monthly newsletter to parents/guardians.  
• Serves as primary contact for questions about admissions or individuals served for the Department of Human Services (DHS), Social Security Administration, Department of Developmental Disabilities, and other regulatory state and federal agencies. Communicates as needed, important information, concerns or questions to Assistant Administrator and/or Administrator. Seeks assistance if unable to provide requested information.
• Maintains expenditure documentation including approvals for each child’s Personal Funds Accounts (PFA). Sends monthly statements of accounts to parents/guardians      
• Coordinates monthly visits of Provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity (PASSE) Care Coordinators and prepares information about individuals served for Care Coordinators at each visit.
• Ensures discussions about discharge planning begin at admission. Proactively initiates waiver referral upon admission and timely referral to appropriate long-term housing options depending on discharge plan.
• Initiates and coordinates discharges of individuals served from the Center and assists families in transitioning to individual’s home or to other placement.  
• Conducts follow-up inquiries regarding the status of individuals after discharge to insure continuation of needed services.
• Attends Admission Review Committee, Quality Assurance Committee, and other committees as assigned.  
• Attends IPP conferences and weekly Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) meetings as assigned.
• Coordinates and supports Family/caregiver training and education opportunities.
• Maintains current knowledge of community resources and provides training to families regarding resources available to them and their child.
• Facilities community outreach through meetings with referral sources, local businesses or civic groups, and participation in job fairs and health fairs to share program facts and success stories, provide education about the types of individuals served, and to discuss program needs.  
• Maintains demographics spreadsheet for all admissions and discharges to the Center 
• Routes requests for information to the appropriate staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities:                

No supervisory responsibilities. 

Compliance/HIPAA:

While performing the duties of this job, employee will comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to Easterseals Arkansas.

Employee has access to all client protected health information within his/her program. Employee will not attempt to access any other protected health information unless otherwise approved by Supervisor or Privacy Officer.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:                    

Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field or at least two (2) years of related experience  required. Working knowledge of Medicaid Waiver and PASSEs preferred. Proficiency in both  English and Spanish languages preferred, but not required. 

Competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaboratively with individuals and parents/guardians receiving services with diverse ability levels.
• Ability to be self-directed, creative and to take initiative.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and use hands to maneuver, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Easterseals Arkansas has designated this position as “non-safety sensitive” position under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment.