Provides psychosocial assessments and counseling to patients and their family members.  The Social Worker possess advanced knowledge and understanding of disease entities and processes, and their psychosocial impact on patients and families.  The Social Worker is able to physically tolerate work in the face of catastrophic illnesses, traumatic injuries, and medical anomalies.  Assumes a communication role with the patient/family, interdisciplinary team members, and providers of services across the continuum. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides psychosocial assessments of patient/families to secure significant data, presents psychosocial evaluations to the interdisciplinary team, and participates in decisions and planning for treatment and aftercare.
• Provides psychosocial counseling to patients and families through individual, group and/or family modalities with minimal supervision regarding the impact and adjustment to illness, injury, compliance to treatment plan, crisis intervention, bereavement, quality of life, substance abuse, abuse and neglect, and resources.
• Coordinates, upon referral, the discharge planning function in collaboration with the team members.
• Represents the hospital on community committees; acts as a liaison and coordinator between community and hospital programs.
• Participates in and contributes to formal inter-disciplinary rounds and conferences.
• Provides in-services to hospital staff and community organizations on selected topics.
• Supervises and orients social work students and new social work staff.
• Completes all required documentation.
• Participates in continuing education.
• Represents Social Work on hospital committees.
• Participates in Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement programs as appropriate.
• Performs any other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

EXPERIENCE

• At least two years of experience in Hospital Discharge Planning preferred.  Experience in one or more of the therapeutic treatment modalities (i.e. individual, family, group or couples therapy) and with cases that present the more difficult treatment issues.

EDUCATION

• Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited Graduate School of Social Work, with one year post-graduate experience in a medical, mental health, or human services setting as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• New York State Social Work licensure - LMSW or LCSW.

OTHER

• Excellent oral and written skills, basic computer skills, basic computer skills, and should have the ability to function independently with minimal and selective use of consultation.
• Must have advanced knowledge and understanding of medical technology and medical treatment modalities.
• Advanced understanding of personality development, ego functions, defense mechanisms, transference, and counter-transference phenomena; advanced ability in crisis intervention techniques, and in conducting interviews and interventions with complex and problematic clients to obtain social and medical information necessary to independently make a diagnostic/treatment plan.