Northwestern Memorial Healthcare logo
Northwestern Memorial Healthcare
Palos Heights, Illinois

Intake Social Worker Behavioral Health Full Time Nights

Social WorkerIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$32.51-$45.51/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry.

As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system.

We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

The Intake Social Worker reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Intake Social Worker is responsible for enhancing the psychosocial care of the psychiatric patient and his/her family and considering the specific needs and behaviors of specific age groups. The Intake Social Worker assists in the assessment of patients entering the Palos Community Hospital system for mental health/chemical dependency services, taking into consideration the special needs and behaviors of the specific age of the unit population.

Responsibilities

Provides and/or supervises crisis intervention to the family of the psychiatric patient.

Provides psychosocial consultation to hospital personnel in dealing with psychiatric patients and to the psychiatric patient in the general hospital as is necessary.

Provides screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment services to patients identified as possibly engaged in high risk drinking or alcohol abuse.

  • Facilitates the appropriate disposition of patients in need of mental health/chemical dependency services.
  • Provides comprehensive shift to shift reporting on the status of intake.
  • Organizes intake data in an appropriate manner.

Reports all significant concerns/patient issues to the 2 North Director of Nursing/Assistant Vice President of Nursing

Consults with the physicians in order to obtain the appropriate disposition for mental health/chemical dependent patients.

Communicates with Insurance Coordinator /Insurance Nurse to provide appropriate disposition of mental health/chemical dependency patients.

Assesses appropriateness of admissions for patients in need of mental health/chemical dependency services.

This position is full-time, 72 hours per pay period, 12-hour night shift, 7:00 p. m. to 7:30 a. m. with alternating weekends and holidays.

Qualifications

Required

  • Master’s degree from accredited school of social work
  • Registered in the state of Illinois
  • Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
  • Current CPR certification through the American Heart Association (BLS for Healthcare Providers) required.

Preferred

N/A

Additional Information

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers.

If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.

Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.

  • Job Shift: Night Job (3rd)
  • Salary Range Minimum: $32.51
  • Salary Range Maximum: $45.51
  • Compensation: USD 32.51 - USD 45.51 - hourly

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Psychosocial AssessmentPatient ScreeningCase ManagementClinical ReportingInterdisciplinary CollaborationMental Health AssessmentChemical Dependency Treatment

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 62% are remote, 24% have no call, 58% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$81k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $81k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Social Worker Jobs

38 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution38 jobs · 17 employers

12
<$90k
2
$90k-110k
17
$110k-130k
7
$130k-150k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks35 jobs · 17 employers

401k / retirement match
97% this job
Sign-on bonus
54% this job
CME allowance
20%
Loan repayment
17% this job
PSLF eligible
6% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)

LifeStance Health · Vancouver, Washington

$123k-$141k
#2

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

LifeStance Health · West Linn, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$118k-$135k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 36 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 6,492 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Palos Heights

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$383k
Median resident rent
$2,558/mo
Residents’ average commute
30 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

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

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare logo

About Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

Hospitals and Health Care
Chicago, Illinois
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Tuition Reimbursement
Loan Forgiveness
401(k) Matching
Lifecycle Benefits
Sign-on Bonus (eligibility varies)