Social Work Clinician, DART program

Stanford Health Care•Palo Alto, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Social Work Clinician is an entry, developmental, and first working level professional social work position for recent graduates or those with professional social work experience who are not yet licensed as Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) in California. Employees in this role initially work under close clinical supervision, with the expectation to develop casework and treatment skills, and supervision is reduced as competency increases. This position is part of a job family that requires a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited school. As a member of a multidisciplinary health care team, Medical Social Workers provide intervention services and/or discharge planning to patients and their families within Stanford University Medical Center. The work involves addressing a variety of bio-psycho-social issues, assessing social needs related to health status, and developing service plans that include advocacy, discharge planning, referrals, and practical assistance. Social Workers also provide consultation, orientation, and training to health care staff on the impact of bio-psycho-social, cultural, and economic factors on patient health management. Specifically, the DART/ED Social Worker will be the primary responder to after-hours Distress Activation Response Team (DART) scenarios, assisting the team with assessment, immediate interventions, ongoing planning, and monitoring adherence to the plan. This role may also involve assisting in Emergency Department (ED) care and other service lines as needed. The organization offers a voluntary professional development program designed to recognize and reward professional excellence, with promotion determined by this program across levels: Social Worker (Level I), Advanced Social Worker (Level II), and Expert Social Worker (Level III).

Requirements

Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited college or university; OR be within forty-five (45) days of completion of the requirements for graduation with an MSW from an accredited college or university.
Ability to apply theories, principles and practices of medical social work and of social services delivery systems in a hospital or medical center setting
Ability to gather data needed to needed to assess needs of patients and families
Ability to manage a caseload, recall case details; maintain confidentiality of information; determine the appropriate course of action in emergencies and other stressful situations
Ability to provide written case narratives and reports
Knowledge of and ability to apply effective assessment, interviewing, and counseling techniques
Knowledge of and ability to apply social work theories, principles and techniques
Knowledge of hospital and medical center resources to access and provide for patient care needs, and act on behalf of client needs to obtain necessary services
Knowledge of needs, problems, attitudes, and behavior of hospital patients and their families

Nice To Haves

Experience in an emergency department setting

Responsibilities

Collaborates with interdisciplinary health care teams to treat and plan for the social and medical needs of patients by consulting with other providers and making referrals.
Devises, develops and implements treatment plans as necessary.
May make a diagnosis as part of a treatment plan.
Conducts initial assessment of all new patients to evaluate social, emotional and physical needs by applying social work theories and techniques; interviews and evaluates patients and family members.
Identifies factors which may interfere with obtaining maximum benefits from treatment.
Develops and implements patient management plans, including the coordination of referrals to specialty and social services, the recording of progress notes and the provision of continuity of care.
Helps clients cope with environmental and psychological issues of illness by explaining options and treatments as well as making appropriate referrals.
Manages assigned caseload.
Prepares and maintains records and makes written and oral reports to document case activity concerning patient care, counseling and therapeutic activities in accordance with department, hospital, medical center and/or health system policies.
Prepares reports and other documents concerning patients.
Participates in monitoring and evaluating the quality and appropriateness of patient care.
Provides supportive counseling, grief counseling, crisis intervention and other appropriate therapeutic services to assist patients and families in coping with presenting symptoms and problems such as, for example, coping with illness, accepting medical recommendations, and loss of function.
Provides education to patients and families around issues related to adaptation to the patient's diagnosis, illness, treatment and/or life situation.