Social Worker-MSW LSW

IU Health•Indianapolis, IN

2h•Onsite

About The Position

The Social Worker conducts face-to-face assessments with patients and families to evaluate psychosocial needs, provide counseling, discharge planning, and crisis intervention. This role involves collaboration with healthcare teams, community agencies, and protective services to ensure safe, timely, and resource-rich patient care. The Social Worker manages complex cases such as abuse, neglect, guardianship, and high-risk crises, employing de-escalation and safety techniques as needed.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Social Work required.
Permanent LSW licensure required.
Certification in Crisis Prevention Intervention or an alternative de-escalation training within 6 months of hire.
Knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial assessment, short-term therapeutic counseling, and crisis intervention techniques for mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Knowledge of disease processes and human behavior related to health and social needs.
Strong discharge planning skills to ensure safe care transitions.
Knowledge of state and county legal mandates for adult and child protective services.
Understanding of growth, development, and end-of-life care principles across the lifespan.
Ability to identify decision makers and coordinate goals of care conversations effectively.
Experience adapting services to diverse populations across geographic, cultural, and financial spectrums.
Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with hospital staff, law enforcement, community agencies, and families.
Responds with or in lieu of the Department of Public Safety to de-escalate violence.
Computer literacy and proficiency in documentation within an electronic medical record system.

Responsibilities

Meet with patients and families to assess psychosocial needs and coordinate care.
Collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to facilitate safe, timely services and resource access.
Interpret and communicate complex patient and family needs, role-modeling caring practices to others.
Conduct psychosocial risk assessments evaluating prior functioning, support systems, reactions to illness, and coping strategies.
Counsel patients and families on emotional, social, and financial impacts of illness or disability.
Access and mobilize family and community resources to address identified needs.
Provide mental health assessments upon physician referral and deliver therapeutic interventions, including crisis and addiction assessments.
Support complex discharge planning, including guardianship, foster care, adoption, and mental health placements.
Serve as the primary point person for cases involving child abuse/neglect, adult/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence.
Act as liaison between IU Health, protective teams, law enforcement, and community agencies.
Assist in dangerous or potentially dangerous situations, providing clinical intervention and de-escalation.
Support patients in acute crises utilizing de-escalation techniques to prevent violence.
Use effective interviewing principles with victims, perpetrators, families, and significant others.
Provide intervention for end-of-life, guardianship, foster care, and adoption cases.
Respond with or in place of the Department of Public Safety to de-escalate violence when necessary.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with hospital staff, law enforcement, community agencies, and families.
Document all assessments, interventions, and care plans accurately in the electronic medical record system.