Gundersen Health System logo
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, Wisconsin

Social Worker - Emergency Services/EmPATH Unit

Social WorkerIncludes callIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$25.95/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Love + medicine is who we are, it's what we do, it's why people want to work here. If you’re looking for a job to love, apply today.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

0

Emplify Health by Gundersen Health System is now hiring a Social Worker for EmPATH Behavioral Health and Emergency Services! EmPATH stands for Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing, and it’s an alternative way to treat patients who present to the hospital emergency room while in a mental health crisis. To learn more about our EmPATH unit check out this video: EmPATH: Growing Care for our Community

What You Will Work

This is an on-call position requiring availability and flexibility to cover sick calls, planned time off, and medical leaves across weekdays, weekends, and holidays. Shift coverage may include 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

Location: This position is located on the La Crosse main campus

What You Will Do

Provide a variety of services to our patients in an outpatient setting including discharge planning, care coordination, care navigation, resource connections, supportive listening, ACP completion and long-term care planning

Assess complex biopsychosocial needs and provides interventions to support the individualized treatment plan.

Act as consultants and leaders in comprehensive care throughout the system, while supporting organizational strategies and goals.

In Addition to the Rewarding Work, You'll Receive

Starting wage of $25.95/hour + more for relatable experience

A highly adaptable and mission-driven organization with a work environment that supports you personally and professionally and a work culture where you are valued and appreciated

Competitive Benefits: A comprehensive and generous benefits package (Medical, Dental, Life Ins, HSA/FSA) ensuring your comfort and well-being as a valuable team member

Substantial retirement contribution including a 401k match & annual discretionary base contribution

Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO) combines vacation, sick, and personal days into one balance to allow you the flexibility to use your time off as you need

Professional Development: Support for your career growth through Professional Development Opportunities, our Tuition Investment Program, and our Career Development Center

Additional Employee Discounts and Perks Other benefits include a Wellness program with incentives, employer-paid life insurance and AD&D, optional short-term and long-term disability coverage, an employee assistance program, identity theft protection, pet insurance, Inspire & Celebrate colleague recognition and rewards program, a discount program, and more!

What You Will Need

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or in a related field

WI Social Worker License

It is desired candidates have 1 year work experience in social services in a hospital, medical clinic, county social service agency or nursing home.

Emplify Health is comprised of two of the Midwest’s most respected healthcare systems, Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System. Once neighbors, we are now partners, united in our mission to provide exceptional care to our communities.

As a not-for-profit, patient-centered healthcare network, we have headquarters in Green Bay and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Our extensive network includes 11 hospitals and more than 100 clinics, serving 67 cities and rural communities across Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

With over 4,500 dedicated nurses and providers, we are committed to delivering primary, specialty and emergency care, along with innovative medical education programs. Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients and communities

If you need assistance with any portion of the application or have questions about the position, please contact HR-Recruitment@gundersenhealth.org or call 608-775-0267.

We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values — belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility — our pillars set our foundation and our future.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Key Responsibilities

Provide comprehensive social work services including discharge planning, care coordination, and resource connection for patients in an emergency psychiatric setting. Assess complex biopsychosocial needs and develop individualized treatment plans to support patient care.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a related field and a Wisconsin Social Worker license. One year of work experience in a hospital, medical clinic, or social service agency is desired.

Key Skills

Biopsychosocial assessmentCrisis interventionTreatment planning

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 40 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 35% are remote, 18% have no call, 65% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$54k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $57k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Social Worker Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution19 jobs

7
<$75k
3
$75k-100k
1
$104k
8
$125k-150k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks19 jobs

401k / retirement match
89% this job
CME allowance
32%
Sign-on bonus
11%
Loan repayment
11%
PSLF eligible
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Fully Licensed Therapist (Anxiety & Depression) – Remote California – 1099 (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Psychologist)1099

Open Mind Health · San Diego, California

$70-$80/hr
#2

Licensed Therapist (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Psychologist) – Remote California – 10991099

Open Mind Health · Stockton, California

$70-$80/hr
#3

Social Worker Hospice (LMSW) (Per Diem) - Rockland, ME

$70-$80/hr
#4

LCSW III, Transplant

$56.78-$79.49/hr
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,496 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in La Crosse

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$277k
Typical market rent
$1,080/mo
Residents’ average commute
16 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.8
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Gundersen Health System logo

About Gundersen Health System

Hospitals and Health Care
La Crosse, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive benefits package (Medical, Dental, Life Ins, HSA/FSA)
401k match & annual discretionary base contribution
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Tuition Investment Program
Career Development Center
Wellness program with incentives
Employer-paid life insurance and AD&D
Optional short-term and long-term disability coverage