Social Worker (Clinical)

National Institutes of Health • Montgomery County, MD

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Social Worker provides clinical social work services to assigned Clinical Center patients, caregivers, and staff, with a focus on people with medically and/or psychiatrically complex needs in an inpatient hospital setting. The role includes screening, assessment, diagnostic, treatment, consultative, and educational services; psychosocial assessment; crisis intervention and psychotherapy; and coordination of safe discharge plans and community resources. The social worker collaborates with patients, families, community agencies, and multidisciplinary medical or research teams to address psychosocial, behavioral, financial, and care-planning needs, including factors affecting patients’ ability to cope with stress and participate in research protocols.

This is an emergency-essential position requiring the employee to be available to report for duty under all circumstances to support coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The position has on-call or call-back requirements and requires weekend and holiday hours. Flexible schedules may be offered at the supervisor’s discretion. The work is performed in a hospital environment with moderate risks, including potential exposure to contagious diseases and biological or radiological hazards; protective clothing may be required.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; transcripts are required.
• Current, valid, unrestricted independent Clinical Social Work License from a U.S. state or territory, including the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• For GS-11: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 performing relevant hospital social work duties, or three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or a related doctoral degree, or a combination of qualifying education and experience.
• For GS-12: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11 performing relevant advanced clinical social work duties with patients who have complex medical and/or psychiatric conditions.
• U.S. citizenship or proof of U.S. national status by the closing date.
• Successful completion of a background investigation, qualification verification, onboarding requirements, and other job-related requirements.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Ability to perform the essential duties, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Pass a pre-employment medical examination, provide evidence of immunization, and be free from communicable diseases.
• Meet all qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.
• Availability for on-call or call-back duties and weekend and holiday hours.
• Ability and willingness to report for duty under all circumstances as an emergency-essential employee.

Responsibilities

• Perform screening, assessment, diagnostic, treatment, consultative, and educational services for assigned Clinical Center patients, caregivers, and staff.
• Complete psychosocial assessments of patients and caregivers to identify factors affecting coping with stress and the requirements of research protocols.
• Communicate with community agencies about patient and caregiver needs and arrange services those agencies can provide.
• Identify gaps in services and recommend ways to maximize patient care and implement treatment goals.
• Develop working knowledge of state and local bureaucracies to help patients make optimal use of local resources.
• Identify patients’ and caregivers’ financial needs during hospital stays and participate in determining available assistance resources.
• Consult with other Clinical Center departments on specific case referrals.
• Develop and coordinate safe medical and mental-health discharge plans and continuing-care arrangements.
• Provide crisis intervention, safety planning, counseling, psychotherapy, and other clinical interventions to patients and families.
• Document assessments, clinical interventions, discharge planning, referrals, and resource coordination in the medical record.
• Provide consultation, education, and clinical guidance to medical and interdisciplinary teams regarding psychosocial, behavioral, and economic aspects of illness.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family; eligibility depends on position type.
• Potential eligibility for salary above the minimum based on superior qualifications or a special need of the Government, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

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