Lack of Qualified Social Worker in Facility Exceeding 120 Beds
Penalty
Summary
The facility, licensed for 125 beds, failed to employ a qualified full-time social worker as required. The Social Services Director (SSD) held a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling and a bachelor's degree in Psychology, but was only licensed as an Associate Counselor in Arizona and not in Wisconsin. The SSD was in the process of obtaining a Wisconsin license but had not yet completed the necessary coursework. The Social Services Coordinator (SSC) had a degree in Health Care Administration and experience in behavioral intervention, but was not certified as a social worker in Wisconsin and did not have a year of supervised social work experience in a healthcare setting prior to employment at the facility. Interviews with facility leadership confirmed that neither the SSD nor the SSC met the qualifications outlined in the job description for a Social Services Director, which required a bachelor's degree in social work or social welfare, at least one year of experience in a healthcare setting, and a current state license as a social worker. The Nursing Home Administrator acknowledged that both staff members lacked the necessary credentials and that the facility did not have a qualified social worker on staff, potentially affecting more than 4 of the 61 residents residing in the facility.
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