Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – ER Psychiatric Response Team

The Psychiatric Response Team Clinical Social Worker provides assessment, crisis intervention, and management that enhances rapid disposition by coordinating patient care and services from admission to disposition. The incumbent will provide 5150 evaluations, mental health, substance abuse, and trauma assessments, care coordination, discharge and aftercare planning to patient and their families in emergency departments and other healthcare settings. The incumbent will have competency in working with and assessing patients and family in high-demand and high-consequences situations, especially assessing child, adolescent and adults for danger to self, danger to others, and grave disability due to a mental disorder as defined by Welfare & Institutions. Provides consultation on the psychosocial aspects of human behavior in complex environments to primary care providers, staff, patients, and family. The Clinical Social is the primary contact for involving and educating patients, families, and significant others in level of care determination, process of treatment and the recovery process. Serves as a liaison to community programs and develops strategic partnerships to enhance aftercare plans of patients and their families. Participates on committees as required. Other duties may be required or assigned.

Qualifications

Education / Registration / Certification / Licensure:

• Must possess a Master’s degree in social work from an accredited university by the Council on Social Work Education and obtain LCSW licensure with 3 years of employment.
• LCSW Licensure must be obtained within 1 year of completing clinical supervision.
• LCSW who provides clinical supervision will have completed 15 contact hours of supervision training according to BBSE guidelines required.
• BLS Healthcare provider for CPR required.

Experience:

• Prior work experience in an crisis settings, acute psychiatric setting, and healthcare setting which has included assessment of psychiatric and behavioral health patients, 5150 evaluations, and level of care determining, family treatment, and aftercare and discharging planning is required.

Knowledge:

• Strong clinical skills in psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, counseling, interdisciplinary collaboration and linkage with resources.
• Knowledgeable in child, adolescent, adult and geriatric psychopathology as well as psychiatric interventions.
• Must be knowledgeable with psychiatric, psychosocial and legal issues and substance misuse/abuse and chemical dependency assessment and treatment, understanding of current insurance benefits and restrictions in the area of mental health, knowledgeable of DSM-IV-TR, family systems therapy and crisis intervention models.
• Knowledge of child, elder and dependent adult abuse and domestic violence reporting requirements and other significant regulations affecting clinical social work practice (e.g. Tarasoff, patient-psychotherapist privilege).
• High level of expertise and of knowledge of suicidal and homicidal behavior, and the skills necessary to assess lethality, and to develop appropriate treatment plans.
• Knowledge and understanding of human behavior and communication, psychotherapy, case management, and the influence of cultural and spiritual values in social work practice.
• Knowledge and skills necessary to provide psychosocial care appropriate to the age-specific needs of children, adolescents, adults and elders.
• Knowledge of individual and family development over the life spans.
• Knowledge of substance misuse and abuse and co-occurring disorders
• Knowledge of recovery-oriented services, family systems, and evidenced based treatments (e.g., Cognitive and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interview, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, etc.)

Special Skills/Equipment:

• Demonstrate ability to plan, organize, set and accomplish objectives.
• Demonstrate sound clinical judgment, problem solving and decision making skills.
• Must exhibit excellent communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing.
• Work is performed with many interruptions.
• Must demonstrate strong interpersonal and organizational skills, to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with rapidly changing priorities and competing demands.
• Must be able to occasionally flex time to handle emergencies.
• Must participate in after-hours on-call rotation.
• Must work weekends, holidays, and other shifts as assigned.