Coordinated Discharge Senior Worker (Social Worker - Senior)

King County•Seattle, WA

17h•Onsite

About The Position

Jail Health Services (JHS), part of Public Health Seattle & King County, is seeking a Senior Social Worker for the Coordinated Discharge team. This role is crucial in connecting individuals being released from King County jails to essential medical care, behavioral health treatment, benefits, and social services. The objective is to remove barriers to successful community reintegration by providing support such as medication, transportation, cell phones, clothing, and assistance with benefit activation. The position emphasizes a harm reduction, trauma-informed, and patient-centered approach. In addition to managing a small caseload for release planning, the Senior Social Worker will train and onboard new staff, assist with work assignments, and offer clinical, technical, and analytical guidance to support daily team operations. JHS serves the incarcerated population at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, providing medical, dental, mental health, social services, release planning, substance use disorder treatment, and pharmaceutical services. JHS is committed to high-quality health and human services, with a vision of 'Opening doors to healthier, happier lives' and a mission focused on assessing and stabilizing serious health problems with an emphasis on transition from jail.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or counseling from an accredited university or equivalent.
State of Washington associates license (LMHCA, LMFTA, LICSWA, LMFTA, LSWAA) or recognized equivalent) OR ability to apply for licensed agency affiliated counselor (LAAC) within 30 days of employment.
Two (2) years’ full-time work experience (within the last 5 yrs.) in a counseling, social work, or case management capacity with adult populations experiencing severe and persistent behavioral health conditions.
Two (2) years of full-time experience (within the last five years) maintaining accurate clinical biopsychosocial assessments, updating case records, documenting interventions, progress, and outcomes, and reporting patient status in an electronic health record.
Two (2) years of full-time experience (within the last 5 years) coordinating medical, mental health, substance use, and other social service resources in KING COUNTY for Medicaid-eligible adults.
Two (2) years of full-time experience (within the last 5 years) in counseling, social work, or case management with adult populations living unsheltered and experiencing severe and persistent behavioral health conditions.
At least two years experience working in a position where you routinely coordinated with the criminal legal system in either King County, Pierce, or Snohomish (courts, defense attorneys, prosecution, probation, correctional institutions).
Experience working in a position where you routinely coordinated with the criminal legal system.
Knowledge of specific challenges, trauma responses, behavior and needs for people experiencing legal involvement, housing instability, economic insecurities, substance use disorder and mental health conditions compounded by discrimination and systemic oppression.
Pass a security clearance and/or background check to secure access to the jails.
Proficiency in the use of personal computers, with working knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, database programs, Internet, cell phones, and Outlook, electronic health record.
Ability to travel to various sites within Seattle-King County.
Must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR.
Must be able to pass a thorough background investigation and Pre-Employment Physical.
Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
Candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
Must be able to pass a security clearance and/or background check to secure access to the jails.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual/ bicultural/ individuals with diverse backgrounds, including people with lived experience with behavioral health and recovery, incarceration, houselessness, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities.
Experience working in a position where you routinely coordinated medical, mental health, substance use, and other social service resources in King County for Medicaid-eligible adults.
Experience supporting social services staff by providing technical, clinical, and analytical assistance, including tasks like onboarding new hires, conducting chart reviews, offering case consultations, and interpreting procedural guidelines.

Responsibilities

Facilitate referrals and connect individuals to medical care, behavioral health treatment, and various benefits and social services.
Eliminate barriers by providing essential support such as medication, transportation, cell phones, clothing, and assistance with benefit activation upon release.
Ensure a seamless transition to the community from King County jails.
Provide clinical and programmatic support with a harm reduction, trauma-informed, and patient-centered approach.
Provide release planning to a small caseload.
Train new staff and assist with onboarding.
Make informed decisions on work assignments.
Provide clinical, technical, and analytical guidance.
Support the day-to-day operations of the team and contribute to the overall success of Coordinated Discharge services.
Serve as the primary point person for onboarding and training new Coordinated Discharge Social Work hires.
Oversee and schedule orientation activities for new hires.
Conduct regular meetings with new hires to provide guidance and support.
Assist with daily management activities such as making decisions on work and shift assignments for release planning staff.
Assist caseworkers in navigating program requirements and challenges.
Support clinical support through trainings, technical and analytical guidance, and clinical case consult (1:1 and group).
Provide periodic clinical chart review.
Handle interpersonal challenges and maintain a positive work environment.
Effectively problem-solve with Jail Health Services (JHS) staff, community partners, and non-medical or social services personnel.
Work with internal/external providers in troubleshooting service delivery issues by identifying process issues or barriers and identifying possible solutions.
Maintain a broad working knowledge and good professional relationship with key community substance abuse treatment facilities, social and health/mental health care providers, and criminal legal and corrections personnel.
Identify and foster new possibilities for effective collaboration with outside providers.
Assist with regularly scheduled program review, updating, and reinforcement of standard work.
Contribute to the ongoing standardization efforts to enhance program efficiency and effectiveness using the Plan- Do -Check- Adjust (PDCA) model with the Release Planning staff.