Clinical Social Worker LCSW

Dignity Health Mercy San Juan Medical Center is a 370-bed not-for-profit Level 2 Trauma Center located in Carmichael California serving the areas of north Sacramento County and south Placer County for more than 50 years. It is one of the area’s largest and most comprehensive medical centers. Dedicated to the community’s well-being our staff and volunteers provide excellence in care for our patients each year. Mercy San Juan Medical Center has received recognition for being a Comprehensive Stroke Center and Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery along with Certificates of Excellence in Perinatal Care Hip- and Knee- Replacement.

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker is responsible for performing social work assessments and interventions as needed for inpatients, outpatients and emergency department patients. They are dedicated to patient and family centered care that values personal self-determination, skilled at managing multiple priorities at once, and engaging in creative, compassionate and ethical problem-solving. As a member of a multidisciplinary health team, they perform comprehensive assessments and develop treatment plans that integrate the medical, social and resource issues that impact individual patients, families and at risk populations. Licensed Clinical Social Workers are responsible for working collaboratively with all healthcare team members to develop and implement treatment plans that support patient-centered plan of care for both individual patients and the medical community.

The functions of the Licensed Clinical Social Worker includes crisis intervention, patient /family intervention, high risk screening, brief counseling, referring for financial or other identified resource needs, arrange and facilitate family/patient representative meetings with the health care team as needed, assist in post acute placement on complex discharges and engagement of appropriate agencies or community resources when high risk patients are identified. The Licensed Clinical Social Worker establishes and maintains professional relationships with physicians, case managers, nursing staff, county agencies, community resources, patients and families. The position will be required to serve on hospital committees and take part in developing and presenting in-services to Hospital staff.

• Performs psycho-emotional-social/environmental assessments on patients
• Formulates plans for patients with social, emotional, and resource needs
• Provides interventions and counsels patients and families for emotional, social and resource issues
• Serves as the professional on the multi-disciplinary team that advocates for patient's perspective in planning for care
• Maintains current clinical training and skills to provide competent care to: - Disadvantaged, Disenfranchised and Vulnerable Patient's and Families - Critically Ill - Traumatically Injured - Terminally Ill - End of Life situations - Maternal and Infant - Mentally Ill - Substance Abuse Issues
• Manages caseload with timely response to referrals and high risk screening
• Participates with RN Care Coordinator in developing optimal transition planning for patients following discharge.
• Documents assessments and interventions in the medical record and/or care plan, in a clear, articulate manner and includes all information pertinent to the patient's disposition within the required timeframe.
• Participates as part of the interdisciplinary team in patient care conferences and provides consultation to staff regarding psychosocial issues affecting patients' care and post-hospital situation.
• Mobilizes resources to effect rapid and timely movement of the patient through the system and promotes timely and safe post-hospital care.
• Assists patients/families in accessing services such as housing, personal care attendants, government entitlement programs, etc., to maximize potential for health maintenance post discharge.
• Makes referrals to appropriate community agencies to ensure complete and appropriate transitions of care post discharge. Develops and maintains a professional relationship with community health, welfare and social agencies.
• Identifies, assesses and participates in transition planning for patients who are at risk for readmission

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license
• Master's degree from a school of Social Work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education
• Two (2) years of clinical and/or medical social work experience required.
• The incumbent must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform essential functions. Essential functions include but are not limited to those functions that are performed frequently, require a significant amount of time or if not performed, result in an adverse impact.
• Knowledge of:
  • Contemporary behavioral and systems theories relevant to health care; end-of-life dynamics and interventions
  • Grief and bereavement counseling
  • Substance abuse identification and interventions
  • Support for victims of abuse, neglect or violence
  • Community or financial resources for underserved or vulnerable populations
  • SSDI, SDI, and other governmental/county requirements/programs
  • Thorough comprehension of OBRA and Title 22 is required in California
• Excellent customer service and presentation skills are a must
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills are essential
• Demonstrated ability to apply analytical and problem solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks or projects effectively
• Ability to work independently as needed with a high degree of detail orientation
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities