Medical Social Worker - LCSW / Behavioral Health

Job Description

Schedule : Full Time, 4 ten's 1 weekend day

At Children's, the region's only full-service pediatric healthcare center, our people make us the very best for kids. Come cultivate your passion, purpose and professional development in an environment of excellence and inclusion, where team members are supported and deeply valued.

Opportunities for career growth abound as we grow our services and spaces, including the cutting-edge Hubbard Center for Children.

Join our highly engaged, caring team-and join us in providing brighter, healthier tomorrows for the children we serve. Children's is committed to diversity and inclusion.

We are an equal opportunity employer including veterans and people with disabilities.

A Brief Overview

Provide pediatric patients, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses and injuries.

May also provide care and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.

Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making referrals for other services.

Essential Functions

• Independently conducts psychosocial assessments :
• Screens patients in assigned hospital and / or clinic areas daily focusing on new diagnosis of chronic illness, patients with complex medical needs, or safety concerns.
• Establishes professional caring and supportive working relationships with patients, families, and medical team members.
• Collaborates with and facilitates multidisciplinary team discussions to understand the medical, emotional, and safety needs of the patients / families.
• Formulates patient goals and monitors the progression of the plan of care utilizing strength-based interventions.
• Assesses high risk families and provide interventions focusing on the safety and mental health of the patient / family and collaborates with the healthcare team to ensure a safe environment.
• Appropriately documents assessment in chart.
• Independently provides crisis intervention, supportive counseling, and coaching to patients and their families.
• Supports patients by assisting families with understanding child development and well-child needs, problem-solving, adjustment to illness, and management of long-term illness, utilizing their positive coping strategies.
• Provides interventions which reflect knowledge of how disease impacts social well-being and is enhanced by disease specific knowledge.
• Responds to positive screenings for depression and anxiety by providing risk assessments, initial interventions and referrals for on-going treatment.
• Provides crisis intervention in a variety of situations.
• Facilitates support groups as needed.
• Provides recommendations and appropriate hand-offs to care team members.
• Documents interventions and supports in chart.
• Independently provides assessment and coordination of child abuse / neglect cases.
• Assesses safety and risk for identified patient.
• Communicates with medical and nursing personnel regarding assessment and plan.
• Facilitates referral and provides ongoing communication with CPS, law enforcement, and county attorney's office.
• Documents pertinent information and completes all reports in a timely fashion.
• Prepares and presents cases to the Children's Advocacy Team. Attends team meetings on an as needed basis.
• Provides referrals for patient and family needs.
• Gathers information from patients / families regarding identified needs and concerns involving social determinants of health.
• Shares appropriate resource materials and information with patients / families.
• Maintains up to date knowledge of community resources specific to the patient's medical condition and social situation.
• Advocates for access to mental health, financial resources, and other community resources / services.
• Assists with follow-up and follow-through to ensure that quality of care is obtained.
• Documents interventions in chart.
• Provides on call or weekend consult services dependent upon departmental needs as a licensed, clinical Social Worker.
• Responds to calls related to patient / family emotional concerns, child abuse and neglect, trauma, legal issues, and urgent family resources in a timely, professional manner.

Responds to consults related to safety assessments, depression, medical noncompliance, and adjustment.

• Documents interactions with the patient, family, and medical team in the patient's medical records chart.
• SOCIAL WORK AND PATIENT CARE COORDINATORS : Provides consultation / interventions regarding legal issues such as determining guardianship and assisting with adoption cases.

Consults with Compliance Officer / Legal Counsel as necessary. Provides consultation related to State Wards in determining wo has legal authority to consent to treat and release information.

Assists with mentoring of provisionally licensed Medical Social Workers and Social Work students. Provides onboarding orientation and training to new Medical Social Workers.

Collaboratively assists in patient and family staffing discussions to provide input and direction to provisional Social Work team members.

May help lead provisional supervision groups for various Medical Social Workers who are provisionally licensed. Provide task supervision for Bachelor's and Master's-level Social Work students, especially those at the advanced, clinical Master's level.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH : Maintains an outpatient case load through Behavioral Health under the supervision of a licensed provider.

Maintains an outpatient case load through Behavioral Health under the supervision of a licensed provider.

Covers for colleagues in their absence, and arranges for coverage of responsibilities when absent. Communicates with co-workers regarding coverage needs.

Education Qualifications

Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work Required

Experience Qualifications

• Minimum three years' experience of supervised experience as a Social Worker in a clinical setting Required and
• Experience in medical social work Preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Requires knowledge of human behavior, social problems, counseling modalities, and community resources.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in written form, relaying case information to patients / families, physicians, and other healthcare professionals, attorneys and law enforcement as needed.

Licenses and Certifications

• Current and Valid Masters Social Worker and Mental Health Practitioner licensure in the state of Nebraska Required
• A valid driver's license and an acceptable motor vehicle record / driving record Required and
• For Behavioral Health Team Members : Cover inpatient consults one weekend day per week under a licensed provider supervision. Required

Children's is the very best for kids and the very best for your career! At Children's, we put YOU first so together, we can improve the life of every child!

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