Director of Social Work

BMC Software•Brockton, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Social Work serves as a senior clinical and operational leader responsible for the strategic direction, oversight, and performance of Social Work and Care Coordination services at Brockton Behavioral Health Center (BBHC). This role ensures the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered, trauma-informed care across the continuum, with a strong emphasis on timely discharge planning, regulatory compliance, documentation excellence, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The Director is accountable for advancing best practices in psychosocial assessment, care coordination, and transitions of care, while addressing social determinants of health and reducing barriers to treatment. This role partners closely with nursing, psychiatry, utilization management, and revenue cycle to optimize length of stay, throughput, and post-discharge outcomes. The Director also plays a key leadership role in patient rights advocacy, quality improvement, workforce development, and system integration, working closely with the Human Rights Officer to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited program required
Current Massachusetts Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) required
Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible social work experience, including supervisory or leadership roles in a healthcare or behavioral health setting required
Previous leadership experience in an inpatient behavioral health or hospital setting preferred
Experience in care coordination, discharge planning, and collaboration with state agencies (e.g., DMH, DCF, DPH) preferred
Strong leadership, team building, and conflict resolution skills.
In-depth knowledge of behavioral health systems, discharge planning, and community-based resources.
Familiarity with state and federal regulations related to patient rights, privacy, and social work practice.
Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain composure in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
Commitment to patient advocacy, equity, and trauma-informed care.
Analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to use data to inform decisions.
Proficiency in electronic medical records and Microsoft Office Suite.

Nice To Haves

Additional certification in healthcare management, leadership, or case management (e.g., ACM, CCM) preferred

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management of the Social Work and Care Coordination Department, ensuring alignment with BBHC’s mission, vision, and values.
Develop, implement, and monitor departmental policies, procedures, and workflows to ensure efficiency, quality, and compliance with hospital standards and external regulatory requirements.
Recruit, onboard, train, and retain highly skilled social workers and discharge planners.
Conduct regular staff meetings and case conferences to support professional growth, share updates, and foster team cohesion.
Monitor productivity, workload distribution, and performance metrics to ensure departmental effectiveness.
Develop and manage departmental budget, ensuring responsible use of resources.
Collaborate with senior leadership in identifying and addressing barriers to care, patient throughput, and operational challenges.
Provide direct clinical supervision to licensed and unlicensed staff, ensuring adherence to professional standards, ethics, and scope of practice.
Review complex cases and provide guidance on assessment, treatment planning, psychosocial interventions, and discharge planning.
Support staff in identifying and addressing social determinants of health impacting patient care.
Oversee comprehensive psychosocial assessments, ensuring they inform individualized care and discharge plans.
Ensure care coordination processes facilitate timely, safe, and appropriate discharges, reducing avoidable delays.
Collaborate with nursing, psychiatry, and other interdisciplinary team members to ensure continuity and integration of care.
Address patient and family concerns related to care coordination and advocate for appropriate resources and services.
Act as a liaison with internal departments (nursing, medical staff, case management, admissions, utilization review, etc.) to ensure consistent and coordinated care.
Build and sustain effective partnerships with external agencies including state entities (e.g., DMH, DCF, DPH), payors, and community-based providers.
Represent the Social Work Department on hospital and system-level committees, contributing subject matter expertise and advocating for patient-centered policies.
Develop strategies to strengthen continuity of care between BBHC and community-based providers, ensuring patients and families are connected to appropriate post-discharge support.
Serve as a primary point of escalation for complex discharge planning needs, insurance barriers, and systems-level challenges.
Ensure all staff uphold and promote patients’ rights, dignity, and access to services, in compliance with state and federal regulations.
Provide education, training, and consultation to staff on patient rights, confidentiality, and advocacy best practices.
Investigate complaints related to patient rights, ensuring timely resolution and appropriate reporting.
Serve as Human Rights Officer when designated, fulfilling all associated regulatory and documentation requirements.
Engage with patients and families to resolve concerns and ensure their voices are incorporated into care planning and hospital processes.
Develop and implement initiatives that enhance the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of social work and care coordination services.
Collect, analyze, and report data related to patient outcomes, discharge delays, and utilization of community resources.
Lead continuous quality improvement projects within the department and contribute to hospital-wide initiatives.
Stay current with evidence-based practices in behavioral health social work, care coordination, and discharge planning, integrating them into departmental practice.
Mentor staff in quality improvement, research, and program evaluation efforts.