Medical Case Worker I

County of Los Angeles • Los Angeles, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second-largest municipal health system in the nation. DHS provides direct care for 600,000 patients annually through its integrated system of 25 health centers, four acute hospitals, and an expanded network of community partner clinics. The department employs over 23,000 staff and has an annual budget exceeding $6.9 billion. DHS collaborates with academic institutions like UCLA, USC, and CDU, serving as training sites for physicians. In addition to clinical services, DHS manages the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, the County's 911 emergency response system, Housing for Health, and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, focusing on connecting vulnerable populations to supportive housing. The mission of DHS is to advance the health of its patients and communities by providing extraordinary care.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or a related field.
• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
• Medical case worker experience is defined as providing services which include interviewing, counseling, and assisting patients with social problems which may have a bearing on the patient’s illness, treatment, and recovery.
• Patient care environments include hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, residential facilities, or health care facilities.

Nice To Haves

• Medical case work experience in a patient care environment.
• A master's degree from an accredited university in Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Receives training and participates as a member of the health care and mental health treatment team in interviewing patients/clients, family members and friends to acquire information about home environment, family relationships, and personality traits that may have a bearing on the patient's/client's illness, treatment and recovery.
• Assists the patient and family members with environmental difficulties.
• Keeps informed of community, mental health, and welfare resources and the variety of programs offered by each.
• Participates in medical ward rounds, out patient care clinics, and mental health care team conferences, and shares social information and evaluations with other health care disciplines to develop the most effective treatment plan for the patient.
• Participates in placing patients with medical and/or psychiatric needs, including mental or emotional disorders, in board and care homes, skill nursing facilities, intermediate care homes, residential facilities, VA hospitals, and rehabilitation facilities based upon recommendations from Psychiatric and Medical Staff, and personal interviews with patient and/or their families.
• Assists in the initial interview of new patients/clients at mental health clinics, learns to identify nature of problem and to make referrals to psychiatric team or outside clinics or community agencies.

What This Job Offers

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