Social Work IV at Clinical Services Department in Fort Logan

State of Colorado • Denver, CO

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Social Work IV position is in the 24-hour State psychiatric hospital, working with individuals voluntarily and involuntarily committed for treatment. Patients receiving treatment at CMHH-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 the Social Worker IV is multifaceted, encompassing direct clinical care and supervisory leadership. Direct care responsibilities include: completing comprehensive clinical assessments; delivering evidence-based clinical interventions, such as individual therapy and competency restoration education; coordinating multidisciplinary treatment planning; managing complex discharge planning and case management; and engaging external support systems through psychoeducation and family therapy. As a supervisor, the Social Worker IV is responsible for clinical and administrative oversight, as well as performance management, of direct reports. This position also drives departmental quality improvement by researching, designing, and implementing specialty programs and projects.

Requirements

• Current, valid Colorado licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Two (2) years of licensed experience based on the work assigned to the position.
• Applicants for supervisory positions must hold licensure that meets the legal requirements for performing supervisory responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with inpatient settings (civil and/or forensic)
• Experience providing clinical supervision
• Experience with work unit management
• Experience with project management
• Treatment of adults and/or adolescents with severe and persistent mental illness
• Previous State experience

Responsibilities

• Responsible for providing comprehensive clinical oversight and continuous performance evaluation for direct reports across multiple psychiatric units, ensuring high-quality therapeutic care and adherence to professional standards.
• Provides regular, structured clinical supervision for assigned direct reports. Guides staff in navigating complex psychiatric cases, upholding ethical standards, and maintaining strict therapeutic boundaries within the acute inpatient setting.
• Conducts routine chart audits within the electronic health record to ensure clinical documentation meets medical necessity, regulatory benchmarks, and treatment billing standards.
• Delivers objective feedback to support staff in providing high-quality clinical care for the patient population. Conducts formal, periodic performance evaluations in alignment with state and institutional timelines, addressing clinical competencies and growth areas.
• Responsible for the administrative and operational management of multiple assigned treatment units, ensuring seamless workflows, compliance with institutional policies, quality clinical services, and effective resource allocation.
• Collaborates directly with hospital leadership to interview, evaluate, and select qualified new hires for the assigned units. Leads the systematic onboarding and operational orientation of new staff, ensuring they are thoroughly trained in departmental workflows and acute care protocols.
• Monitors day-to-day work unit operations across assigned areas to ensure all direct reports strictly adhere to Fort Logan policies, procedures, safety compliance standards, and governing regulations.
• Manages coverage, handles administrative approvals (leave requests, scheduling), and ensures consistent operational communication between both assigned units to mitigate systemic bottlenecks and balance staff workloads.
• Drives quality improvement and systemic innovation within the Social Work Department to elevate standards of care.
• Analyzes trends within the hospital to identify unmet clinical, systemic, or operational needs impacting the patient population.
• Partners with hospital leadership to research, design, and implement targeted clinical programs, specialized therapeutic groups, or departmental projects tailored to solve identified gaps in care.
• Assists in establishing operational protocols, creating informational program materials, training multidisciplinary staff on new initiatives, and auditing tracking measures to evaluate long-term program efficacy.
• Maintains advanced direct practice competencies by managing a smaller, select patient caseload within an acute inpatient psychiatric setting, assuming responsibility for the full continuum of clinical care from admission through transition.
• Conducts timely, comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments and clinical formulations to determine baseline functioning and safety risks. Administers the Colorado Client Assessment Record (CCAR) and other standardized tools to establish criteria for the least restrictive environment.
• Delivers direct treatment therapies. Utilizes trauma-informed, evidence-based modalities tailored to acute symptom reduction and psychiatric stabilization.
• Leads the development, monitoring, and culturally competent revision of the Interdisciplinary Plan of Care (IPOC). Translates clinical findings into SMART goals while collaborating across disciplines (Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing) to ensure unified care.
• Manages comprehensive discharge workflows to facilitate safe community reintegration. Secures foundational resources (Medicaid, guardianship as needed), serves as a court system liaison for forensic tracks, and submits legally mandated progress reports.
• Acts as the primary therapeutic bridge to patient support networks. Provides psychoeducation, facilitates family therapy, and coordinates safe visitations to alleviate system burnout and prepare networks for the patient's return.
• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior