Social Worker III / Social Svcs Specialist
About The Position
The Social Worker III performs and documents highly complex social services work at Kerrville State Hospital. The role serves as a liaison among patients, legally authorized representatives, actively involved persons, agencies, and treatment providers to support ongoing care, treatment, and services using person-centered practices. It gathers information about individuals’ backgrounds, support systems, and psychosocial, economic, and physical needs, and may participate in assessing rights and decision-making capacity. The position focuses on complex cases, post-discharge placement, and support, and works under limited supervision with considerable latitude for initiative and independent judgment. The position counsels patients and others on community placement, living options, end-of-life planning, and rights; coordinates transfers, furloughs, transitions, and discharges; and designs and delivers individual and group trainings about rights, decision-making, person-centered thinking, and self-advocacy. It may supervise Social Worker I and II staff and social work students. Other duties may include supporting disaster response, recovery, or continuity-of-operations activities, potentially at an alternate location or on an alternate shift. The position is full-time, regular, day shift, and not eligible for telework as specified in the posting. Flexibility in hours, overtime, extended hours, or a rotating schedule may be required.
Requirements
- Current licensure as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), maintained in accordance with Texas Board of Social Work Examiners requirements.
- One year of experience working directly with individuals with mental, social, or substance use disorders.
- Knowledge of human growth and development; behavioral and mental health; developmental and emotional aspects of physical illness; intellectual and developmental disabilities; social work case-management standards; facility and community resources; and social work principles, methods, and theories.
- Knowledge of community resources for discharging state hospital patients with high or complex needs, and of State Hospital discharge policies and procedures.
- Ability to perform duties in accordance with the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners Code of Conduct, National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, and applicable state and hospital policies and procedures.
- Ability to collaborate creatively on behalf of patients discharging from state hospitals and communicate effectively in writing and verbally in individual and group settings.
- Skills in interviewing, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, case management, mediation, counseling, information and referral, problem solving, supervision, consultation, and advocacy.
- Ability to assign and supervise others’ work and maintain accountability for assigned property with limited financial responsibilities.
- Pass required fingerprint criminal background, pre-employment drug screening, and applicable registry checks.
- Must be at least 18 years old to work at a state-operated facility.
- Comply with HHSC immunization policy and state hospital procedures related to immunizations.
- Males aged 18–25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Responsibilities
- Interview patients, legally authorized representatives, actively involved persons, and agencies to create and maintain social histories and assess support systems and psychosocial, economic, and physical needs.
- Coordinate communication and information exchange among patients, representatives, involved persons, agencies, facilities, and treatment providers to support ongoing care and services; provide notifications, participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, obtain consents, and access external resources as needed.
- Counsel and assist patients and others regarding community placement, living options, end-of-life planning, and rights under applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
- Oversee transfers, transitions, furloughs, and community placement discharges using person-centered practices, coordinating referrals, treatment and services, medication, possessions, transportation, and required documentation as appropriate.
- Design and conduct individual and group trainings on rights, decision-making, person-centered thinking, and self-advocacy; develop and present related curricula and materials.
- Participate in and potentially facilitate discharge program meetings and internal or external work groups; use existing resources and identify service gaps.
- May assign and supervise the work, time, and travel of Social Worker I and II staff and social work students, including hiring, training, evaluations, and counseling as needed.
- Participate in or support agency disaster response, recovery, or Continuity of Operations activities as assigned.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
- Defined benefit pension plan
- Generous time off benefits
- Opportunities for career advancement
- Additional pay may be available for work performed on maximum security locations
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
