Social Work Clinician

Job Description

Job Summary:

• Social Work Clinician is the entry, developmental, and first working level of professional social work for employees who are recent graduates as well as those who have professional social work experience, but are not yet licensed as Licensed Clinical Social Workers LCSW by the State of California.
• As a member of a multidisciplinary health care team, medical social workers provide psychosocial interventions to patients as well as their families receiving services within any department of the Client.
• Work typically addresses a variety of biopsychosocial issues and includes an assessment of the social needs as related to the patient’s health status and the collaborative development of a treatment plan, including advocacy within the organization and community, counseling, referrals and practical assistance necessary to accomplish desired objectives.
• Provides consultation, orientation, and training to health care staff on the effects of biopsychosocial, cultural, and economic issues on the management of patient/client health needs.
• Advocates for social work core values and ethics within Stanford Medicine and the larger community.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepares and maintains electronic medical records in accordance with department and/or health system policies.
• Provides written and oral reports and hand-offs.
• Conducts psychosocial assessment of patients/families upon admission, annually, and/or as clinically indicated to evaluate social, emotional and physical needs by applying social work theories and techniques. Identifies and addresses barriers to care.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary health care teams to devise, develop, and implement patient/family psychosocial treatment plans, coordinating referrals to specialty and social services including entitlement programs and other care delivery systems, and recording progress notes and the provision of continuity of care.
• Helps patients/families cope with environmental and psychological issues of illness.
• Manages assigned caseload, including case finding for patients/families with potential psychosocial needs.
• Attends team conferences and participates in interdisciplinary rounds as needed.
• Provides supportive counseling, grief counseling, crisis intervention, and other therapeutic services to assist patients and families to face challenges such as coping with illness, processing medical information and changes in the level of functioning and care needs.
• Provides psychoeducation to patients and families regarding adaptation to the patient’s diagnosis, illness, treatment and/or prognosis.
• Assist patients and families in the transition from youth to adult services.
• Participates in quality assurance and community improvement as they relate to social work services or needs of patients and families and contributes to the review and development of written policies, procedures, or guidelines related to social work services.

Required Education:

• Master’s degree in Social Work MSW from a CSWE-accredited college or university program.
• If MSW is not from a CSWE-accredited program, must have a certificate from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences verifying registration as an Associate Clinical Social Worker, as evidence that the BBS has accepted the program as equivalent.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Ability to apply theories, principles and practices of medical social work and of social services delivery systems in a hospital or medical center setting.
• Ability to assess needs of patients and families utilizing data-based approach.
• Ability to manage a caseload, reclass case details; maintain confidentiality of information; determine the appropriate course of action in emergencies and other stressful situations.
• Ability to provide written case narratives and reports.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply effective assessment, interviewing, and counseling techniques.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply social work theories, principles and techniques.
• Knowledge of medical center resources to access and provide for patient care needs, and act on behalf of client to obtain necessary services.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to the significance of cultural considerations of Client’s patient population.
• Knowledge of child development and the impact of injury and illness.
• Knowledge of family dynamics and the impact of injury, illness and loss.