Social Worker-MSW LSW

Indiana University Health System•Indianapolis, IN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Social Worker provides face-to-face support and intervention with patients and families, collaborating with healthcare team members to ensure safe, timely, and resource-informed care. This role involves conducting psychosocial assessments, providing therapeutic counseling, facilitating complex discharge planning, and addressing urgent safety concerns. The Social Worker acts as a bridge between patients, families, and community resources, ensuring comprehensive support across diverse social and mental health needs.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) is required.
Permanent licensure as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) is required.
Certification in Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) or an equivalent de-escalation training within 6 months of hire.
Knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial assessment, short-term therapeutic counseling, and crisis intervention for mental health and substance use disorders.
Understanding of disease processes, human behavior, and social needs related to health.
Advanced skills in discharge planning to ensure safe transitions of care.
Knowledge of state and county legal mandates for child and adult protective services.
Familiarity with growth and development principles across the lifespan, including end-of-life care.
Ability to identify decision-makers and facilitate goals of care discussions.
Experience working with diverse populations across geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Strong relationships with community agencies, law enforcement, legal entities, and healthcare teams.
Responds effectively to violence or crises, including collaboration with the Department of Public Safety.
Proficiency in computer literacy and documentation within EMR systems.
Maintains principles of crisis intervention and de-escalation.
May be scheduled for on-call and holiday shifts.

Responsibilities

Meet face-to-face with patients and families, providing psychosocial assessment, counseling, and resource coordination.
Collaborate with the healthcare team to facilitate care delivery, discharge planning, and resource allocation.
Assess patients’ and families’ psychosocial risk factors, prior functioning, support systems, and coping abilities.
Counsel patients and families regarding emotional, social, and financial impacts of illness or disability.
Access and mobilize community and family resources to meet identified needs.
Conduct mental health assessments upon physician referral and provide therapeutic interventions to support complex discharge planning.
Serve as a point person for child abuse/neglect, adult/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence cases.
Act as liaison between IU Health and state/county child and adult protective services.
Provide intervention and support for guardianship (temporary/permanent), foster care, adoption, and mental health placements.
Deliver specialized mental health services including crisis intervention, addiction assessments, and psychiatric referral recommendations.
Manage dangerous or potentially dangerous situations using clinical intervention and leadership.
Support individuals in acute crisis, utilizing de-escalation techniques to prevent violence or injury.
Use effective interviewing principles with victims, perpetrators, family members, and significant others.
Provide intervention related to end-of-life care, guardianship, foster care, and adoption.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with hospital administrators, medical teams, law enforcement, APS/DCS, schools, probation, and community agencies.
Respond to and de-escalate violence, including collaboration with the Department of Public Safety as needed.
Document all activities accurately within the electronic medical record (EMR).
May be scheduled for on-call and holiday rotations.