Social Worker Job Description Purpose
The function of an HDSA Chapter Social Worker is to assist individuals and families affected by Huntington’s disease and health care professionals by providing an optimum level of support through information and referrals to appropriate resources. Scope of Work Direct Clinical Services: communications/referrals, support groups. • Retrieve, answer, and log all helpline calls, emails and letters. • Complete appropriate resource searches and follow up with callers as needed. • Provide referral to appropriate mental health resources and/support groups when receiving calls from someone in crisis or need of counseling. • Initiate and maintain contact with HD affected families as needs become known through the Chapter’s phone line, email, letters, medical referral or other means. • Facilitate a minimum of 1 monthly support group. • Secure speakers for support groups, mentor potential support group leaders, and provide oversight and guidance to support group leaders. Education and Consultation: • Develop an in-service program for use at care facilities and conduct in-service training in nursing homes and other health care settings upon request or in which HD patients are served. • Provide consultation to other health care professionals on HD. • Assist with case management services when appropriate. • Coordinate the chapter’s annual educational conference with the assistance of chapter volunteers.. Family Advocacy: • Assist with nursing home placements. • Assist with applications for Social Security entitlements and other benefits. • Collaborate with other service providers to ensure optimal services for HD patients and families. Administrative: • Maintain updated Support Group Mailing List. • Develop filing system to capture relevant patient and family information according to standards provided by NASW. This includes securing information in your home office. to be kept in a secure location. • Compile and maintain a local resource guide. • Send appropriate educational materials and information when requests are made. • Attend Chapter Annual Meeting, Open Forum, and meetings of the Board upon request. • ). Serve as non-voting member on the Chapter’s Family Services Committee. • Assist the Family Services Committee in planning special interest programs geared for the HD affected community, and participate in presentations, seminars and workshops, upon request. • Submit a column for publishing in the Chapter Newsletter if applicable. • Submit a monthly activity log and expense report to Family Services Chairperson(s ) and the Assistant Director of Community Services. A quarterly report will go to the Assistant Director of Community Services and other designated persons. Training and Workshops: • Participate and attend training workshops for social workers held in conjunction with HDSA National Conventions. • Participate in conference calls originated by the National office staff when and if necessary. • Attend ad hoc meetings of the National staff when and if necessary. Skills Needed The desirable candidate should be self-motivated with strong public speaking and excellent organizational skills. Computer proficiency with an emphasis on word processing and database management is required as well as a willingness to develop an understanding of HD and knowledge of local resources.
The desired candidate will hold a MSW from an accredited institution with experience preferred. Experience working with populations affected by a neurological, genetic disease, and/or psychiatric illness is preferred. Accountability The social worker is an independent contractor that will work with a reporting supervisor appointed by the Chapter to develop a plan of work at the start of his/her tenure and annually at contract renewal. Reporting The social worker is expected to complete the monthly reporting and expense sheet and a quarterly Reporting Form The form must also be reviewed quarterly on a one-on-one basis with the reporting supervisor and forwarded to the Assistant Director of Community Services and Resource Development Manager at the national office. Supervision Every chapter social worker will have an administrative supervisor and a clinical supervisor. The administrative supervisor, based out of the chapter, is in charge of the social workers plan of work and the time they spend on tasks. The clinical supervisor, based out of the national office, is a social worker available to discuss difficult referrals and to brainstorm ways to expand and improve resources. Time Away If the social worker will be unavailable for a week or longer, they must inform their administrative and clinical supervisors. They must put a message on the helpline phone and e-mail informing callers of the dates they will be unavailable and directing them to the HDSA National Helpline.
Privacy and Confidentiality All personal information for people with HD and their family members must be treated as private and confidential and maintained accordingly. No identifying information, including but not limited to genetic status, Social Security Information, family information, home address, or any other unique identifier, is to be entered into any database. All information received through helpline calls and e-mails is confidential and not to be added to chapter distribution lists unless permission is given. Communication The social worker will serve as a liaison between HDSA (National, Chapter, local Center(s) of Excellence, and/or Affiliate(s)) and the area support group leaders, providing relevant and timely information via email or phone communications, newsletters or by giving presentations at group meetings.
Continued Training The social worker must work to acquire and regularly update his/her knowledge of HD by reading professional literature, reviewing regional and national HDSA communications, and attending appropriate meetings and/or seminars. The social worker must attend Professional Training Day for HDSA-Funded Social Workers, a training program developed by HDSA, and held annually prior to the HDSA Annual Convention. The Social Worker will also serve on HDSA’s National Speaker’s Bureau, which provides HDSA staff with knowledgeable speakers for educational events. The social worker is also required to attend ad-hoc meetings or conference calls organized by the national Missions team. Licensing All HDSA social workers are required to maintain professional continuing education credits required for social worker licensure. Every social worker is responsible for knowing the requirements of all applicable state and/or national social work licensure boards. Proof of licensure and liability insurance must be submitted at the time of hire and annually to the Assistant Director of Community Services, Chapter President or Reporting Supervisor upon contract renewal. All social workers are also required to read and abide by the current confidentiality rules implemented at the Chapter and the National Association of Social Workers’ standards for the practice of social work and its code of ethics.
Part-Time Social Worker The Huntington’s Disease Society of America, Missouri Chapter is seeking a Social Worker for a 20 hours per week, on an independent contractor basis. Requirements: MSW from an accredited institution with current state license. Experience working with populations affected by a neurological, genetic disease, or psychiatric illness is preferred. Must maintain professional continuing education credits required for social worker licensure and have current liability insurance. Responsibilities: Responding to HELP-line calls, facilitation of monthly support group meetings, developing new support groups, compiling a local resource guide, acting as an information and referral source, patient case management and advocacy as necessary, public awareness and in-service training, coordinating educational conferences. To apply, please send detailed resume and cover letter with salary requirement to Peggy Cribbin at pcribbin@hdsa.org . For more information please contact Peggy by email or by phone at 314-647-4372
The function of an HDSA Chapter Social Worker is to assist individuals and families affected by Huntington’s disease and health care professionals by providing an optimum level of support through information and referrals to appropriate resources. Scope of Work Direct Clinical Services: communications/referrals, support groups. • Retrieve, answer, and log all helpline calls, emails and letters. • Complete appropriate resource searches and follow up with callers as needed. • Provide referral to appropriate mental health resources and/support groups when receiving calls from someone in crisis or need of counseling. • Initiate and maintain contact with HD affected families as needs become known through the Chapter’s phone line, email, letters, medical referral or other means. • Facilitate a minimum of 1 monthly support group. • Secure speakers for support groups, mentor potential support group leaders, and provide oversight and guidance to support group leaders. Education and Consultation: • Develop an in-service program for use at care facilities and conduct in-service training in nursing homes and other health care settings upon request or in which HD patients are served. • Provide consultation to other health care professionals on HD. • Assist with case management services when appropriate. • Coordinate the chapter’s annual educational conference with the assistance of chapter volunteers.. Family Advocacy: • Assist with nursing home placements. • Assist with applications for Social Security entitlements and other benefits. • Collaborate with other service providers to ensure optimal services for HD patients and families. Administrative: • Maintain updated Support Group Mailing List. • Develop filing system to capture relevant patient and family information according to standards provided by NASW. This includes securing information in your home office. to be kept in a secure location. • Compile and maintain a local resource guide. • Send appropriate educational materials and information when requests are made. • Attend Chapter Annual Meeting, Open Forum, and meetings of the Board upon request. • ). Serve as non-voting member on the Chapter’s Family Services Committee. • Assist the Family Services Committee in planning special interest programs geared for the HD affected community, and participate in presentations, seminars and workshops, upon request. • Submit a column for publishing in the Chapter Newsletter if applicable. • Submit a monthly activity log and expense report to Family Services Chairperson(s ) and the Assistant Director of Community Services. A quarterly report will go to the Assistant Director of Community Services and other designated persons. Training and Workshops: • Participate and attend training workshops for social workers held in conjunction with HDSA National Conventions. • Participate in conference calls originated by the National office staff when and if necessary. • Attend ad hoc meetings of the National staff when and if necessary. Skills Needed The desirable candidate should be self-motivated with strong public speaking and excellent organizational skills. Computer proficiency with an emphasis on word processing and database management is required as well as a willingness to develop an understanding of HD and knowledge of local resources.
The desired candidate will hold a MSW from an accredited institution with experience preferred. Experience working with populations affected by a neurological, genetic disease, and/or psychiatric illness is preferred. Accountability The social worker is an independent contractor that will work with a reporting supervisor appointed by the Chapter to develop a plan of work at the start of his/her tenure and annually at contract renewal. Reporting The social worker is expected to complete the monthly reporting and expense sheet and a quarterly Reporting Form The form must also be reviewed quarterly on a one-on-one basis with the reporting supervisor and forwarded to the Assistant Director of Community Services and Resource Development Manager at the national office. Supervision Every chapter social worker will have an administrative supervisor and a clinical supervisor. The administrative supervisor, based out of the chapter, is in charge of the social workers plan of work and the time they spend on tasks. The clinical supervisor, based out of the national office, is a social worker available to discuss difficult referrals and to brainstorm ways to expand and improve resources. Time Away If the social worker will be unavailable for a week or longer, they must inform their administrative and clinical supervisors. They must put a message on the helpline phone and e-mail informing callers of the dates they will be unavailable and directing them to the HDSA National Helpline.
Privacy and Confidentiality All personal information for people with HD and their family members must be treated as private and confidential and maintained accordingly. No identifying information, including but not limited to genetic status, Social Security Information, family information, home address, or any other unique identifier, is to be entered into any database. All information received through helpline calls and e-mails is confidential and not to be added to chapter distribution lists unless permission is given. Communication The social worker will serve as a liaison between HDSA (National, Chapter, local Center(s) of Excellence, and/or Affiliate(s)) and the area support group leaders, providing relevant and timely information via email or phone communications, newsletters or by giving presentations at group meetings.
Continued Training The social worker must work to acquire and regularly update his/her knowledge of HD by reading professional literature, reviewing regional and national HDSA communications, and attending appropriate meetings and/or seminars. The social worker must attend Professional Training Day for HDSA-Funded Social Workers, a training program developed by HDSA, and held annually prior to the HDSA Annual Convention. The Social Worker will also serve on HDSA’s National Speaker’s Bureau, which provides HDSA staff with knowledgeable speakers for educational events. The social worker is also required to attend ad-hoc meetings or conference calls organized by the national Missions team. Licensing All HDSA social workers are required to maintain professional continuing education credits required for social worker licensure. Every social worker is responsible for knowing the requirements of all applicable state and/or national social work licensure boards. Proof of licensure and liability insurance must be submitted at the time of hire and annually to the Assistant Director of Community Services, Chapter President or Reporting Supervisor upon contract renewal. All social workers are also required to read and abide by the current confidentiality rules implemented at the Chapter and the National Association of Social Workers’ standards for the practice of social work and its code of ethics.
Part-Time Social Worker The Huntington’s Disease Society of America, Missouri Chapter is seeking a Social Worker for a 20 hours per week, on an independent contractor basis. Requirements: MSW from an accredited institution with current state license. Experience working with populations affected by a neurological, genetic disease, or psychiatric illness is preferred. Must maintain professional continuing education credits required for social worker licensure and have current liability insurance. Responsibilities: Responding to HELP-line calls, facilitation of monthly support group meetings, developing new support groups, compiling a local resource guide, acting as an information and referral source, patient case management and advocacy as necessary, public awareness and in-service training, coordinating educational conferences. To apply, please send detailed resume and cover letter with salary requirement to Peggy Cribbin at pcribbin@hdsa.org . For more information please contact Peggy by email or by phone at 314-647-4372