Medical Social Worker - BH Service Center

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Medical Social Worker I (MedSW-I) provides psychosocial assessment, case management, and mental health coordination services to address barriers to patient’s optimal health related to Social Influencers of Health (SIOH). Connects patients with designated community agencies for resources to meet social, financial and environmental needs. The MedSW-I provides advocacy, crisis intervention, and resource assistance to patients and families.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Assesses patients using screening tools and clinical interview regarding their psycho-social factors and mental health needs as it relates to achieving and maintaining patient’s optimum health and wellness.
2. Provides advanced problem solving, refers patients to community agencies/resources to address needs, and thoroughly documents assessments and services provided and bills appropriately for encounters.
3. Develops, implements and assesses continuing care plans to support patient’s health and wellness, in coordination with psychiatrists and therapists as applicable, with awareness of social support system deficits and barriers.
4. Intervenes with patients and their family/support system to alleviate barriers to health.
5. Advocates, educates and facilitates resolution of patient ethical and legal issues, such as advance directives, end-of-life decisions, guardianship, etc.
6. Brokers with community agencies to access services to meet patient’s psychosocial needs.
7. Coordinates care across interdisciplinary team of providers.
8. Provides check-ins to bridge care access, crisis interventions, safety planning, risk assessments, and empowers patients with management of personal, social and environmental issues.
9. Provides education and fosters understanding by mental health providers and staff of social influencers of health and the challenges these create to patient wellness.
10. Actively participates in ongoing trainings to ensure provision of care considering age, developmental, socioeconomic, gender identity, cultural, literacy, language barriers, spiritual, and other diversity circumstances.
11. Maintains established productivity and quality standards; assumes additional responsibilities and performs work within position licensure, as required.
12. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of legal issues impacting patients, such as divorce and custody laws, child/adult abuse reporting, duty to warn, recipient rights, commitment of inpatient hospitalization and other relevant laws/processes.
13. Assumes additional responsibilities and performs work within position licensure, as required.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Creates a positive, professional, service-oriented work environment for staff, patients and family members by supporting the mission and values of Trinity Health Medical Group.
2. Must be able to work effectively as a member of the Medical Social Work team and the Behavioral Health Division team.
3. Assumes responsibility for performance of job duties in the safest possible manner, to assure personal safety and that of coworkers, and to report all preventable hazards and unsafe practices immediately to management.
4. Successfully completes all relevant organizational training and adheres to Trinity Health Medical Group standard of care as outlined in the Trinity Health Code of Conduct.
5. Maintains knowledge of and complies with Trinity Health Medical Group standards, policies and procedures.
6. Maintains general knowledge of Trinity Health Medical Group office services and in the use of all relevant office equipment, computer and manual systems.
7. Maintains strict confidentiality in compliance with Trinity Health Medical Group and HIPAA guidelines.
8. Serves as a role model by demonstrating exceptional ability and willingness to take on new and additional responsibilities. Embraces new ideas and respects cultural differences.
9. Uses resources efficiently.
10. If applicable, responsible for ongoing professional development – maintains appropriate licensure/certification and continuing education credentials, participates in available learning opportunities.

MEASURED BY:

Performance that meets or exceeds IHA CARES Values expectation as outlined in IHA Performance Review document, relative to position.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: Master’s degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.

CREDENTIALS/LICENSURE: Valid, unrestricted license to practice clinical social work in the State of Michigan.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 1 year experience in social work setting with vulnerable populations. Preferred crisis intervention and medical setting experience.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS (ABILITIES & SKILLS:

1. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of legal issues impacting patients, such as divorce and custody laws, child/adult abuse reporting, duty to warn, recipient rights, commitment of inpatient hospitalization, and other relevant laws/processes
2. Ability and proficiency to work remotely from home on a laptop computer, including but not limited to reviewing electronic medical records, e-learning, Microsoft Office and computer navigation needed to complete the tasks of clinical care and performance reporting. Ability to use other software as required while performing the essential functions of the job.
3. Ability to complete additional Health Stream health system training requirements as assigned.
4. Knowledgeable in issues around substance use and addiction treatment and recovery.
5. Applied understanding of how social determinants affect health and demonstrated ability in complex problem solving.
6. Ability to collaboratively function as member of interdisciplinary team and recognize impact of treatment goals, utilization and outcome.
7. Familiarity and compliance with NASW Code of Ethics and any applicable accrediting organizations.
8. Extensive knowledge of community resources, and awareness of clinic population’s needs and services, and all aspects of community outreach and education.
9. Excellent interpersonal communication skills in both written and verbal forms, including a proper phone etiquette and conflict management and de-escalation. Ability to speak before groups of people, either in-person or virtually. Ability and willingness to present publicly on related issues.
10. Ability to work effectively with various levels of organizational members and diverse populations including IHA staff, executive management and Behavioral Health staff, providers, patients, family members, insurance carriers, vendors, external customers and community resource groups and providers.
11. Ability to cross-train in other areas of practice in order to achieve smooth flow of all operations.
12. Demonstrates excellent organization and time management skills to effectively juggle multiple priorities and time constraints
13. Ability to exercise advanced clinical judgement and competent problem-solving skills independently and productively.

Ability to drive to other office/practice sites and meeting and training locations as required.