Medical Social Worker

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago•Chicago, IL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Social Worker provides social work services to children and families across the continuum of care, addressing psychosocial, spiritual, developmental, and cultural needs that affect treatment and outcomes. The role coordinates care with families, healthcare teams, case managers, and community resources; supports discharge planning and community linkages; and responds to emergency and crisis situations. The social worker participates in interdisciplinary rounds, team problem-solving and program planning, and helps establish family services goals. The role also includes documentation, record and statistics maintenance, participation in hospital-wide intake and on-call systems, and assigned administrative or project management duties. The position may include precepting social work students. Spanish-speaking ability is strongly preferred.

Requirements

Master's degree in social work from a university approved by the Council for Social Work Education.
Current Illinois State Social Work licensure (LSW).
Experience working with children and families.
Ability to think proactively and creatively and take initiative appropriately.
Excellent communication, critical-thinking, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work as part of multiple teams.
Stamina and energy to maintain regular direct patient contact with seriously ill persons, coordinate multiple demands on time, and fulfill on-call requirements as assigned.

Nice To Haves

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) preferred.
Work or internship experience in a healthcare, child welfare, or mental health setting preferred.
Spanish language abilities and skills strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate service delivery with families and appropriate team members across the continuum of care, making referrals to internal providers and community resources.
Collaborate with families to help them use community service linkages.
When assigned to an inpatient unit, meet daily with the inpatient floor case manager to review census and proactively identify and address potential discharge barriers.
Identify, assess, and respond to child and family needs, including developmental, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs that may affect medical treatment and outcomes.
Develop caring, trusting, reliable relationships with families and use these relationships to support patient well-being and treatment.
Provide timely and effective interventions in emergency and crisis situations, including death and bereavement, protective services and domestic violence issues, codes, and deterioration in a child's health status.
Document thoroughly and promptly in accordance with professional standards and applicable policies.
Communicate with healthcare team members to support optimal care and explain how community and internal providers affect a child's and family's social and emotional status.
Assist case managers with discharge planning and community linkages for families with complex social and emotional needs.
Maintain and model professional boundaries within social work and healthcare teams.
Collaborate with the assigned team to address families' social and emotional concerns and participate in interdisciplinary rounds, group problem-solving, and program planning.
Collaborate with the team to develop programs for high-risk families and maximize preventive healthcare opportunities.
Educate the interdisciplinary team about how social and emotional issues affect families' coping with illness and response to treatment.
Lead the team and other family service professionals in establishing family service goals for team care delivery.
Perform assigned administrative and project management duties and maintain appropriate records and statistics.
Participate in the hospital-wide social work intake and on-call systems.
Maintain and enhance information and referral lists for staff use.
Communicate changing hospital, community agency, and governmental policies that affect the treatment and care of children and families.
Perform job functions in keeping with customer-service principles, innovation, service excellence, teamwork, and high-quality care.
Maintain an environment that reflects pride and ownership and demonstrate care for the surroundings.
May precept social work students.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Employer-paid group term life and disability insurance.
Employer contribution toward a Health Savings Account.
Flexible Spending Accounts.
Paid Time Off (PTO), paid holidays, and paid parental leave.
403(b) plan with a 5% employer match.
Voluntary benefits including supplemental life, AD&D and disability, critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity coverage.
Tuition assistance.
Student loan servicing and support.
Adoption benefits.
Backup childcare and eldercare.
Employee Assistance Program and specialized behavioral health services and resources for employees and family members.
Discounts on services at Lurie Children’s facilities.
Discount purchasing program.
The rewards package may include differentials for some hourly employees, leadership incentives for select roles, health and retirement benefits, and wellbeing programs.