Social Work III at Clinical Services Department in Fort Logan

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Social Work III position works in a 24-hour State psychiatric hospital with individuals voluntarily and involuntarily committed for treatment. Patients receiving treatment at CMHI-FL have severe and persistent mental illness and may have traumatic brain injury, trauma disorders, and other complex dynamics. Each treatment team is multidisciplinary, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, addiction specialists, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, creative arts therapists, nurses, physicians, and mental health clinicians. In addition, the hospital offers dietary, peer, and chaplain services. The Social Work unit provides comprehensive psychiatric treatment interventions, from clinical assessment and multidisciplinary treatment planning to individual/group/family therapy, as well as comprehensive aftercare planning with placement. The unit serves as a liaison between the hospital and external stakeholders, including Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC’s) and other governmental entities. The purpose of this position is to manage the full cycle of patient care, beginning with comprehensive clinical assessments (biopsychosocial and re-assessments) within an acute inpatient psychiatric setting. The Social Worker III delivers evidence-based clinical interventions, including targeted individual and group therapy, and specialized competency restoration education when applicable. This role coordinates multidisciplinary treatment planning, leading the team in developing Interdisciplinary Plans of Care (IPOC) with specific, measurable goals. The position leads discharge planning and case management, which involves securing community resources, coordinating with external partners and court systems, and engaging support networks through psychoeducation and family therapy. As a Social Worker III, this position acts as a designated Field Supervisor for Master of Social Work (MSW) students, providing clinical mentorship, academic feedback, and evaluating student performance.

Requirements

Current, valid Colorado licensure as a: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) OR Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
One (1) year of licensed experience based on the work assigned to the position.
Must have one of the licenses below to be considered for the position. Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
2-step TB (Tuberculosis) screening is required, annual influenza, and other vaccinations as required by the State of Colorado
Due to the juvenile population served at the MHI facilities, incumbents of this position must be at least 21 years of age
Full Background
CBI name check and fingerprint check
ICON Colorado court database
Medicare fraud database
Reference Checks
Professional License verification (licensure requirements)
Drug Screen
PREA (Division of Youth Services)
Trails check (direct contact with children)
CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers)
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must: Disclose that information on the application. Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position. Provide your employee number from your prior State employment.
Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications.
You must complete the official State of Colorado online application.
You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."
You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process.
Part-time work experience will be prorated.
Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.
Answer all supplemental questions as your answers to these questions will be evaluated during this phase.
Provide at least 4-8 sentences for each supplemental question.
Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Nice To Haves

Treatment of adults with severe and persistent mental illness
Experience with inpatient psychiatric environments
Experience working with forensic- or court-involved individual
At least 3 years of experience working with mental health
Experience working within the Competency Restoration system
Previous State experience
Relevant years of state service experience.

Responsibilities

Responsible for conducting detailed, ongoing clinical assessments and serving in a lead role within the acute inpatient psychiatric setting to coordinate, develop, and revise the patient’s Interdisciplinary Plan of Care (IPOC).
Completes comprehensive Biopsychosocial assessments for newly admitted patients within strict timeframes (including intake interviews, collateral information gathering, and clinical formulations).
Conducts targeted, brief clinical re-assessments as indicated to monitor shifting psychiatric presentation.
Coordinates with treatment team disciplines (Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing, Therapeutic Activities, etc.) to develop and monitor patient treatment plans.
Leads multidisciplinary treatment planning meetings, translating clinical findings into specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based (SMART) goals while actively integrating input from the patient and their support system.
Ensures treatment plans reflect the patient’s unique values, age, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Serves as an advocate for cultural competency and individualized care within the multidisciplinary team.
Delivers direct, specialized therapeutic services aimed at acute symptom reduction and psychiatric stabilization, while simultaneously acting as the primary therapeutic bridge between the hospital, the patient, and their external support network to foster long-term recovery.
Provides targeted individual therapy tailored to acute psychiatric needs and routinely assesses clinical progress.
Formulates evidence-based curricula and leads group sessions addressing the shared clinical needs of the milieu, rapidly responding to emergent behavioral crises with trauma-informed de-escalation interventions.
Delivers specialized Forensic Competency Restoration Education for individuals on the forensic track, directly addressing deficits in legal system understanding and developing rational decision-making as related to their legal case.
Contacts families, designated support networks, and community stakeholders to gather vital historical clinical data.
Provides targeted psychoeducation and routine progress updates to support systems to alleviate anxiety, combat stigma, and involve them in treatment and discharge planning.
Structures, coordinates, and monitors safe on-campus support system visitations and communications.
Delivers structured family therapy sessions when clinically indicated to repair systemic dynamics and prepare the network for the patient's return to the community.
Manages a comprehensive discharge planning workflow, overcoming systemic barriers to facilitate a safe transition for patients back into the community.
Secures foundational resources required for long-term community stability. This includes ensuring eligibility for financial/medical benefits (Medicaid, Medicare, SSI/SSDI), identifying supported decision-makers as needed (legal guardianship, payeeship), and procuring vital legal identification documents.
Links patients directly to outpatient providers and community mental health centers.
Identifies, vets, and submits referrals to appropriate community disposition facilities in strict accordance with the assessment for the least restrictive environment.
For patients on forensic tracks, this position serves as a liaison to the court system and associated teams (Court Services, Forensic Support Team, Bridges of Colorado).
This involves the submission of legally mandated reports documenting the patient’s treatment progress, coordination with forensic evaluators, and direct communication with members of the court.
Guides the professional development of Master of Social Work students.
Serves as the designated Field Supervisor for Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate students.
Directs the student learning experience by teaching advanced clinical concepts, modeling evidence-based therapeutic techniques within an inpatient psychiatric setting, assigning appropriate clinical tasks, and evaluating student performance.
Provides objective clinical and administrative feedback through regular supervision sessions.
Collaborates directly with university school liaisons to establish learning contracts, monitor competency benchmarks, and complete formal academic evaluations.
Addresses emergent hospital-wide needs that directly impact patient care and safety, responds to crisis situations to ensure the immediate safety of patients and staff, and provides coverage assignments as operationally directed by leadership.
Steps in during emergency codes or high-stress periods to provide active, supportive presence and crisis containment within the therapeutic milieu.

Benefits

PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
Medical and dental health plans
Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
Paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
Employee Wellness program
Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program