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Sutter Health
Santa Cruz, California

Licensed Clinical Social Worker III, Per Diem

Social WorkerIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$70.35/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health!

Organization

PAMF-Sutter Maternity and Surg Ctr

Position Overview

Provides biopsychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, short term counseling, linkage with resources and planning for transitions of care for patients and their families/significant others of all ages, in any patient care setting. Provides psycho-education and may facilitate support groups.

Provides consultation on psychosocial aspects of care as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team; serves as a liaison to community programs; assists and collaborates with multidisciplinary team on discharge planning; and practices independently.

Provides patients with support in adjustment to illness and facilitates goals of care conversations with patients and families. May provide education to staff and other hospital departments and participate on committees.

Job Description

EDUCATION:

Master's: Social Work or related field

Credentialing must be completed within 45 days of hire prior to billing

Certification & Licensure

LCSW-Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Typical Experience

2 years recent relevant experience

Skills and Knowledge

Clinical skills in biopsychosocial assessment and clinical interventions, including crisis intervention, intervention with patient/family behavioral issues, grief counseling, supportive counseling, adjustment to illness, life review/end of life support, behavioral change therapy, motivational interviewing, short-term family counseling, group facilitation.

Collaboration skills and ability to work effectively on a team.

Skills in patient and family advocacy.

Knowledge of transitions of care and community resources.

Knowledge of post-acute levels of care and resource needs for discharge planning

Knowledge of child, elder and dependent adult abuse, crimes against persons reporting requirements, and other significant regulations affecting clinical social work practice (e. g. Tarasoff, patient confidentiality).

Knowledge of behavioral health and the skills to assess mental health functioning, high risk behaviors, depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric conditions impacting hospitalization or transitions of care.

Knowledge of suicidal behavior, and the skills necessary to assess lethality, and to develop and implement an appropriate plan of care.

Knowledge of substance use and the skills to assess level of addiction, motivation for change, and to develop and implement an appropriate plan of care.

Knowledge and understanding of 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 newborns, children, adolescents, adults and elders.

Knowledge of palliative care, goals of care discussions, and the psychosocial needs of the patient and family at end-of-life.

Knowledge of bioethics and legal issues impacting patient care.

Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing.

Must demonstrate interpersonal and organizational skills, to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with rapidly changing priorities and competing demands.

Proficient in using a computer to accurately enter and extract data, send and receive email, calendar appointments, and use task lists as will be using a variety of computer software programs.

Knowledge of local county / state / federal resources for at-risk population.

Job Shift

Day/Evening

Schedule: Per Diem/Casual

Shift Hours

4

Days of the Week

Variable

Weekend Requirements

As Needed

Benefits

No

Unions

No

Position Status: Non-Exempt

Weekly Hours

0

Employee Status

Per Diem/Casual

Employees of Sutter Health and its entities may handle hazardous drugs in the course of their work, including patient care, which requires them to manage, store, prepare, receive, unpack, transport, dispose of, or administer drugs identified as hazardous or potentially hazardous by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and in accordance with the USP 800 guidelines.

  • Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.
  • Pay Range is $70.35 to $70.35 / hour

The compensation range may vary based on the geographic location where the position is filled. Total compensation considers multiple factors, including, but not limited to a candidate’s experience, education, skills, licensure, certifications, departmental equity, training, and organizational needs. Base pay is only one component of Sutter Health’s comprehensive total rewards program. Eligible positions also include a comprehensive benefits package.

Key Responsibilities

Provides biopsychosocial assessments, crisis intervention, and short-term counseling for patients and families across various care settings. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to facilitate discharge planning, resource linkage, and goals of care conversations.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree in Social Work or a related field and a current LCSW license. Candidates must have at least two years of recent relevant clinical experience.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Patient advocacyInterdisciplinary collaborationMental health assessmentSubstance use assessmentCase managementClinical documentation

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 34 active Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) listings this role was benchmarked against, 47% are remote, 41% have no call, 50% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$146k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $132k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Jobs

30 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution26 jobs · 18 employers

9
<$100k
3
$100k-115k
7
$115k-130k
6
$130k-145k
1
$146k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks19 jobs · 18 employers

401k / retirement match
95%
Sign-on bonus
32%
CME allowance
21%
Loan repayment
11%
PSLF eligible
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

LCSW III, TransplantPer Diem

Sutter Health · San Francisco, California

$56.78-$79.49/hr
#2

Social Worker LCSW - Oncall, Variable, (Remote)Per Diem

Providence · Burbank, California

$30.3-$72.13/hr
#3

Social Worker LCSW

$43.39-$67.37/hr
#4

Care Manager LCSW - Case Management

$43.39-$67.37/hr
+ 28 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 6,304 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Santa Cruz

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.44M
Typical market rent
$3,532/mo
Residents’ average commute
23 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
109.9
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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