PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER I/STIPEND

Los Angeles County (CA)•Los Angeles, CA

65d

About The Position

Performs professional social work services in connection with the treatment of clients in need of mental health services. CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS: Positions allocable to this class are assigned to psychiatric hospital wards, outpatient mental health clinics, and specialized mental health treatment programs. Under the close supervision of a higher level psychiatric social worker position, a supervisory mental health position, or a psychiatrist, positions in this class perform psychotherapy and clinical case management with clients, families, and significant others to help resolve or find solutions to mental health related problems. Incumbents of these positions receive technical guidance and consultation to increase their skills in developing culturally and age appropriate psychosocial and emotional assessments, in formulating differential diagnoses and effective treatment plans, in applying the appropriate psychotherapeutic methods, and in implementing Client Care Coordination Plans (CCCP) to provide appropriate intervention for a wide range of mental health related problems. Duties and responsibilities require the application of professional skills and knowledge pertaining to the principles, practices, and theory of psychiatric social work. The Psychiatric Social Worker I is distinguished from Psychiatric Social Worker II in that the latter performs at the full professional level and may provide technical direction and guidance to the Psychiatric Social Worker I.Interviews individuals, their families and/or significant others to obtain a family, social, employment, medical, substance abuse, and mental health treatment history.

Requirements

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE: A Master's degree from an accredited School of Social Work, including supervised field work experience in psychiatric social work and a Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) Stipend.
An approved LAC DMH Stipend awardee.
LICENSE: A valid and active Associate Clinical Social Worker registration issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Master of Social Work graduates must become registered as an Associate Clinical Social Worker with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Sciences within sixty (60) days from commencement of employment with the County of Los Angeles. Active and valid Associate Clinical Social Worker registration must be maintained continuously until successful completion of the examination process for licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Registered Associate Clinical Social Workers must obtain licensure within six (6) years from the original date of registration with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Sciences. Failure to obtain licensure within the aforementioned timeframes may result in termination.
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.
PHYSICAL CLASS: Physical Class II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Nice To Haves

Paid experience (not part of degree internship) involving psychiatric social work.

Responsibilities

Interviews individuals, their families and/or significant others to obtain a family, social, employment, medical, substance abuse, and mental health treatment history.
Assesses client's functioning in his/her environmental setting.
Develops a tentative CCCP designed to resolve or cope with the mental or emotional problem, which may include individual, group, family or marital counseling, case management, and/or referral to another treatment source such as a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a vocational or rehabilitation counselor, or another agency.
Plans and conducts the client's therapy program under the guidance of supervisory staff by considering the client's treatment goal and by determining the priorities of the programs to be dealt with and the length and modality of therapy.
Provides psychotherapy to individuals, groups, families, and significant others.
Provides case management services to secure resources for clients, families, and significant others in order to achieve treatment goals.
Serves as a member of a mental health emergency intervention team and/or joint law enforcement/mental health emergency intervention team by evaluating the behavior of persons to determine if they are, as a result of a mental disorder, dangerous to themselves, others, or gravely disabled.
Requests LPS-authorized persons to complete an application for immediate 72-hour detention at a hospital facility.
Interviews persons seeking psychiatric assistance on an emergency basis and utilizes crisis intervention techniques to prevent hospitalization and to aid the person in dealing with the emotional crisis.
Assists clients, families, and significant others by discussing their reactions and attitudes concerning mental health problems and co-occurring substance abuse disorders; explains need for treatment; and encourages all concerned parties to work together cooperatively to resolve the problem and minimize the stresses that impact social functioning.
Works with families and significant others toward gaining their acceptance of and participation in treatment recommendations.
Participates in multi-disciplinary team conferences to discuss and evaluate the nature of the client's problem, to evaluate the client's progress, and to develop a CCCP.
Participate in research to increase knowledge of mental health problems and to improve therapeutic treatment methods, as needed.