MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER - AIDS CENTER

Company: Erie County Medical Center
Facility: Erie County Medical Center Corporation at Buffalo
Department: Clinic - AIDS - Ryan White Grant

The work involves providing professional medical and social case management services to both inpatients and outpatients of the AIDS Center at the Erie County Medical Center Corporation. This is a responsible medical social work position. The incumbent provides medical, social and emotional patient services and assists family members of patients dealing with a variety of social, emotional, legal and financial problems. Work is performed under the general supervision of higher-ranking professional medical and social work staff. Supervision may be exercised over lower level social work staff. Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
Assists the MSW Case Manager in the provision of Inpatient and Outpatient Case
Management Services;
Plans and coordinates patient services;
Provides professional social work services to patients and their families under the direction of the Social Case Work Manager (CM Unit Coordinator);
Assists with medical, social, emotional and spiritual consequences of HIV disease;
Identifies and works with community agencies to assure referrals and linkage for patient services;
Provides crisis intervention;
Assesses psychosocial needs of the patient;
Develops and implements patient services plan according to the NYSDOH AIDS
Institute Guidelines for Case Management Services;
Provides patient advocacy to assure the following services: Medicaid, housing, transportation, legal aide, funeral arrangements, support services, financial assistance;
Provides HIV counseling services according to NYSDOH PHL27F;
Maintains patient case load and is responsible for accurate and appropriate documentation;
Participates in Case Management conference.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of practices and procedures of medical social case work; good knowledge of Federal, State and local laws affecting medical and health programs; good knowledge of the medical, social, emotional, legal and financial problems faced by AIDS patients and their families; good knowledge of acceptable medical social work standards and procedures specifically relating to AIDS patients; ability to understand and interpret the medical program of the AIDS center and to work cooperatively with related community agencies; understanding of the proper use of diagnostic information and the ability to make use of such information without violating medical ethics; imagination and creativity; sound professional judgment; initiative; tact; resourcefulness; industry and dependability; physically capable of performing the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Master s Degree in Social Work.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Possession of a license and current registration as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) issued by the New York State Department of Education at the time of appointment.

NOTE: Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements.
Full Time - FT Day Shift