Associate Social Worker - Pediatrics Department

Albany Medical Center • Albany, NY

11d • $59,066 - $88,599 • Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for providing psychosocial assessment, support services, resource coordination, urgent evaluation, brief and problem focused supportive counseling and appropriate referrals of patients and their family members to behavioral health providers with the goal of maximizing the child's ability to access necessary medical care, promote health and wellness behaviors and support positive family functioning.

Associate Social Worker will work with medical team and family to assess psychosocial needs and address any barriers to achieving optimal medical, socio-economic and academic needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Psychology or other similar field is required
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with other members of the health care team.
• Knowledge of developmental stages of children and adolescents.
• Compassion and understanding for working with patients and families during very stressful times.
• Knowledge and skill in clinical psycho-social interventions
• Skilled at identification and coordination of resources within the health care system and in the community.
• Excellent clinical judgment.
• Awareness of culture, ethnicity, developmental ability, gender, socio-economic factors and other considerations as they relate to patient presentation, understanding of illness, interventions, and treatment approaches and options.
• Caring, clinical competence, and professionalism.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and all other professional standards.

Nice To Haves

• Minimum of 1 year in hospital, outpatient, or similar setting working with children, adolescents, and families is preferred

Responsibilities

• Clinical assessments of patients to review patient’s clinical presentation, academic, developmental, psychological and social function including information regarding previous health history as well as behavioral health testing and treatment.
• Develop brief interventions designed to address the patient’s medical and/or behavioral health conditions, support adaptation, coping skills and empowerment, as well as minimize functional impairment for patients and families during and post treatment.
• Identify and collaborate with members of the treatment team.
• Provide ongoing assessment, education, supportive counseling to the family throughout the patient’s treatment course.
• Produce ongoing and concise documentation of assessment, observations, treatment plan and proposed ongoing interventions.
• Additionally provide updates to the medical and or treatment team regarding the patient and families’ adjustment to the existing behavioral health conditions and/or existing and anticipatory medical conditions.
• Identify, connect, and serve as a liaison to community resources and support programs on behalf of the patient and family as needed and according to their unique medical and behavioral health needs.
• Identify gaps in service areas, and work with patients and families to promote additional support and care especially during times of transition and shifts in care as related to patient’s disease process and prognosis.
• Provide supportive counseling, follow-up contact, and referrals to additional resources to patients and families struggling with cessation of treatment as well as to bereaved families.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level