EA Conway Social Services Department
Social workers are mental health professionals with training and experience to help people find solutions to many problems and to provide information to help and assist. Illness and injuries that require hospitalization can bring new changes to a patient and his or her family. Our Social Services employees work with the patient and the family to educate and assist with discharge planning needs and continuity of care, which may include:
- Community resources education and referral
- Education on financial resources and assistance
- Specialized placement in extended care facilities, including nursing homes
- Placement in acute skilled rehabilitation hospitals
- Home Health and Hospice
- Mental Health and Addictive Disorders treatment
- Durable medical equipment
- Medical Supplies
The Social Services Department works with both inpatients and outpatients and their families to promote optimal social/emotional functioning and access to quality healthcare services. Referral to the Social Services Department does not require a physician's order. However, several types of care services require a physician's order to obtain. The hours of the Social Services Department are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 318.330.7800. After hours, an on-call Social Worker is available and can be contacted through the Nursing Supervisor, 318.330.7000.
The components of the Social Services Department include, but are not limited to:
- High Risk Screening and Case finding
- Psychosocial Services
- Brief solution-oriented counseling
- Crisis intervention
- Patient/Family Conferences
- Self-help and Emotional Support groups
- Education
- Discharge Planning
- Consultation and collaboration with patient/families
- Consultation with the healthcare delivery team
- Discussion and documentation of patient/family preferences
- Initiation of referrals to community service agencies based on physician orders and patient preferences
- Coordination of post-hospitalization services
- Community Linkages
- Develop relationships with community agencies
- Assess appropriateness and effectiveness of services
- Facilitate and encourage community service development and/or expansion
- Assist with access to intra-hospital resources
- Assist with information on financial resources
- Education
- Patient and family education
- Student and staff training
- Interdisciplinary education