Job Overview
Hospice East Bay provides compassionate end-of-life services to terminally ill patients in our community, while offering emotional, spiritual, logistical and bereavement support for their families and caregivers. Our vision is to build a diverse workplace that is both professionally stimulating and personally satisfying—an environment of collaboration, celebration, opportunity and growth.
HEB is looking for a Bereavement Counselor that is passionate about our patients, their families, and the community we serve. Come grow with us!
Position Summary
Reporting to the Bereavement Program Manager, this position has responsibility for assisting in the implementation of bereavement services. These services are provided for families and friends for up to thirteen months after the death of our patient. The Bereavement Counselor will contact family members and friends of the patients to offer bereavement services, assess potential support group participants, and provide short-term counseling as appropriate. The Bereavement Counselor will participate with the Bereavement Manager in the training of new volunteers and make appropriate volunteer assignments.
Essential Functions
- Initiate and or return community telephone calls to all family members and close friends of our patients on the bereavement referral sheet, inform of bereavement services, document the interaction, counsel and make appropriate referrals
- Provide short-term individual, family and group bereavement counseling and document the sessions
- Perform telephone assessment of potential group participants
- Register callers for bereavement classes
- Insure that group and class participants receive confirmation letters
- Attend IDG meetings as coordinated with the Bereavement Program Manager
- Confer with Social Workers, Nurses and Spiritual Care Coordinators regarding high-risk family members and/or caregivers
- Participate in recruitment, training, coordination and recognition of bereavement support volunteers
- Participate in monthly education and support meetings for the bereavement support volunteers
- Develops and/or participates in education programs and workshops for patients/families, staff and community at large
- Assist in coordination of and participate in the Annual Day of Remembering and annual bereavement educational workshop
Position Requirements
- Bilingual (Spanish) skills preferred
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Highly organized
- Able to handle multiple priorities and to supervise volunteers
- Ability to speak to the public effectively
- Individual and group counseling skills
- Ability to provide culturally sensitive support to people from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds
Experience and Education
- BA in counseling, social work, or related field required. MA preferred
- Experience in group process and individual counseling
- Specialized training in grief and loss is preferable
- Certification as a Grief Counselor and/or Death Educator by the Association for Death Education and Counseling is preferred
- Knowledge of community and professional resources
Location: 3470 Buskirk Ave, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Job Type: Full-time
