MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK CONSULTANT 1

Definition

Under the general direction of a medical director or other supervisory officer within a state department or agency, provides medical social work consultation for the professional staff of the state office, other state agency, and/or local public welfare agency on implementing the health and medical social aspects of the statewide medical care program for recipients of human services or, within the Office of the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission, makes initial eligibility determinations and provides medical social work consultation for families caring for an ill child having extraordinary uncovered medical and related expenses; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• Assists the medical director or other supervisory officer and assumes adminitrative and supervisory responsibilities in the medical- social work aspects of a state program.
• Assists in the development of policies, standards and procedures relevant to the medical-social aspects of eligibility determination in the categorical assistance programs or New Jersey Health Services Program.
• Maintains liaison with state health and/or welfare agencies to interpret the medical-social aspects of public welfare or adult and child health care in the New Jersey Health Services Program.
• Provides assignment, instruction and supervision of assigned medical-social work employees.
• Develops and maintains medical-social standards relating to public welfare practices or adult and child health services.
• Works with professional groups in developing agreements and standards for professional services rendered and in interpreting agency programs.
• Provides technical consultation to the Director and/or other supervisory officer on the medical-social aspect of human service programs.
• Provides consultation services to state and local welfare agencies to ensure that department staff is aware of total medical-social needs of recipients; assists in fostering the effective use of available community health resources.
• Assists in the development and implementation of administrative mechanisms for social support services.
• Assists the Director in maintaining liaison and works with state and local medical facilities and health, welfare, and rehabilitation agencies and organizations in developing agreements and establishing policies, procedures and standards for the use of health services and facilities by recipients of human service programs.
• Participates in staff development, training and educational activities relating to medical information, health care, and medical- social problems and services.
• Assists in the preparation and development of written guides to assist staff members in understanding the policies and procedures for implementation of health administrative support service programs.
• Acts as a consultant to public health workers, public welfare workers, social agencies and other services providers on individual case problems relating to medical-social services of public assistance, public welfare, service programs, or adult/child related human services programs.
• Consults with other state departments and agencies to develop an integrated program of professional services and resources with emphasis on the provision of medical-social and medical care services to recipients of human service programs.
• Evaluates medical-social service programs of operating agencies; assists agencies and other providers in developing adequate medical- social services; advises staff of the problems involved in providing essential health care services to recipients and in integrating medical care with the total program.
• Identifies areas in which research may be required in the health and/or medical-social aspects of state programs; assists in research activities.
• Monitors current and pending federal and state legislation relevant to social service and other human service programs; reviews and analyses new federal legislation, regulations, guidelines and current research reports.
• Provides medical-social service consultation to state and local operating staff on complex social situations.
• Participates in the review of medical and medical-social factors in connection with complaints, appeals and fair hearings.
• Prepares correspondence and reports, and maintains files.
• May assist in the development of policies and procedures relating to the medical-social-economic aspects of eligibility determinations in the program.
• May work with professional groups in interpreting the agency program.
• May provide primary conultation to grantees of the agency.
• May provide consultation to volunteer families participating in the commission's Family Advisory Committee and assumes responsibility for development of the committee annual report.
• May analyze applications for financial assistance and make initial eligibility determinations.
• May assist program eligibility review staff in initial determinations of eligibility in complex cases.
• May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• <b>REQUIREMENTS:</b>
• Education
• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree, supplemented by a Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work.
• Experience
• Four (4) years of professional experience in medical-social work, two (2) years of which shall have been in a hospital or other setting; one (1) year of this medical-social work experience shall have included administrative or supervisory duties in medical care administration in a state or large local department of health or welfare operating a public medical care program.
• License
• Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
• Knowledge and Abilities
• Knowledge of the social aspects of modern medical care.
• Knowledge of medical-social work principles and their application to specific situations.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, common systems and diagnoses, and the social implications of disease and disablilty.
• Knowledge of community medical and other resources and/or services available for persons receiving public welfare or other human services assistance.
• Ability to read and interpret federal, state and local legislation pertinent to public welfare and medical care.
• Ability to develop and implement an extensive program of medical-social services with particular emphasis upon the provision of consultative services to state and local public welfare agencies and others.
• Ability to read and interpret information on the programs and responsibilities related to medical care programs eitin the department or agency.
• Ability to provide technical consultation and guidance to others.
• Ability to contribute to and use research data for social planning.
• Ability to develop programs designed to afford an opportunity for continuous professional growth to medical-social work staff.
• Ability to provide guidance to new employees, recent professional graduates, and students engaged in field work practice and maintain effective working relationships with the schools providing such students.
• Ability to assist division staff in recognizing medical-social programs and to improve staff awareness of health needs of recipients.
• Ability to assist in planning and strengthening local operating agency social service units and to provide consultation concerning medical-social services.
• Ability to prepare correspondence and reports and maintain records and files.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
• Code: P28- CAH 08/21/93