Retention Bonus

Bronson Healthcare Group•Battle Creek, MI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Social Worker delivers care management and behavioral health social work services in an ambulatory medical practice setting to pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients. The role coordinates access to community services, conducts behavioral health screenings, arranges further assessments when indicated, provides brief interventions, responds to crises, and identifies patients’ and families’ high-risk psychosocial needs. The social worker collaborates with patients, families, and interdisciplinary care teams to address the effects of illness on mental and emotional health and provides culturally competent, focused prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Duties may vary by assignment. The position assesses crises and patients’ and families’ immediate social and emotional needs; provides advocacy and solution-focused interventions; develops care plans and referrals; coordinates follow-up support; and documents cases in the medical record. It also contributes to departmental policies and protocols, supports learning for patients, families, and coworkers, maintains professional development, helps foster a positive team climate, and mentors and supervises students. The posting also describes hospital social work services, including intervention related to mental health, suicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse and neglect, death and grief, crisis intervention, advocacy, and substance abuse. Hospital duties may include discharge planning and coordinating timely transitions to psychiatric or substance-abuse treatment facilities. The role is full-time, 40 hours per week, first shift, at Bronson Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists in Battle Creek/Marshall.

Requirements

For the hospital Medical Social Worker assignment: Master’s degree in Social Work and an LMSW or LLMSW in good standing; alternatively, a master’s degree in Psychology or Counseling Psychology and an LPC, LLPC, LP, or LLP will be considered.
For the practice Medical Social Worker assignment: Master of Social Work degree and one year of recent medical or mental health experience.
For the practice assignment, a limited social work license may be considered with at least one year of medical or mental health experience.
For the practice assignment: master’s degree and LLPC or LPC required.
Must become fully licensed within two years of hire, including required state supervision hours and licensing examination.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively verbally and in writing.
Demonstrated human-relations skills, including problem-solving, advocacy, assertiveness, and empathy.
Customer-service orientation.
Effective interviewing, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
Ability to use negotiation and conflict-resolution skills as needed.
Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Ability to move about the hospital to meet with patients and/or families in patient-care units, as applicable.
Basic word-processing skills.
For BAH, a current Michigan driver’s license and proof of insurance are required.

Nice To Haves

For the hospital assignment, one to two years of professional-level work experience in healthcare or mental health is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess crises and patients’ and families’ immediate social and emotional needs and strengths, and provide appropriate intervention.
Conduct screenings based on patient population and needs; arrange more detailed assessments when indicated.
Provide brief, focused prevention, treatment, recovery, lifestyle-change, and solution-focused interventions.
Respond to crisis situations and identify problems for which patient advocacy may be appropriate.
Identify high-risk psychosocial needs and collaborate with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary care team.
Develop plans of care and refer patients to community agencies and healthcare specialists; coordinate appropriate follow-up treatment and support.
Coordinate patient and family access to community services and resources.
For hospital assignments, provide direct intervention related to mental health, suicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse and neglect, death and grief, crisis intervention, advocacy, and substance abuse.
For hospital assignments, support discharge planning and coordinate timely transitions to psychiatric facilities, substance-abuse treatment, and other appropriate services.
Document cases thoroughly and enter appropriate information in the patient’s medical record.
Communicate and collaborate regularly with interdisciplinary team members and internal and external customers.
Use interviewing, problem-solving, critical-thinking, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
Participate in the development of departmental policies, procedures, and protocols.
Identify and address learning needs of patients, families, and healthcare coworkers.
Assume responsibility for professional development and contribute to a positive work climate and team effort.
Mentor and supervise students.
Perform other duties as assigned.