Clinical Social Worker (C)

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) at Tewksbury Hospital is looking for a Clinical Social Worker C to join its team. This role provides a range of clinical social work services to a diverse, high-risk caseload of short-term and long-term inpatients at a public, long-term acute care hospital. The Clinical Social Worker C provides clinical assessment, counseling, crisis intervention, case management, discharge planning, patient and family education, and referrals to community resources while working collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team. This position also provides supervision to Social Worker A/B staff and supports patients and families in navigating complex medical, psychosocial, legal, financial, and community-based needs. This is an excellent opportunity for a licensed clinical social worker with experience in healthcare, discharge planning, and working with individuals with complex medical, developmental, neuropsychiatric, or substance use needs.

Please note: The schedule for this position is Monday – Friday, 7:30am – 3:30pm.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Complete a High-Risk Screen on all new admissions within two working days of admission.
• Complete Discharge Planning Assessments for patients identified as needing post-hospital continuing care services.
• Supervise assigned Social Worker A/B staff; meet regularly with supervisees to review cases, identify and address problems, and assign duties consistent with their position responsibilities.
• Work collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team to address behavioral and psychosocial issues affecting patients.
• Coordinate the documentation, format, and scheduling of weekly Interdisciplinary Team Conferences and participate in Patient Care Conferences and other regularly scheduled meetings.
• Attend weekly rounds and conduct ongoing case-finding activities to assess changes in patients' overall status and identify psychosocial stressors requiring intervention.
• Provide individual and/or group counseling to patients and family members to assist them in coping with stressors, crises, and conflicts related to illness, disability, and institutional living.
• Serve as the interdisciplinary team's liaison with designated family members or surrogate decision makers to promote effective communication and support positive relationships with patients and families.
• Document social work services and interventions in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) in accordance with hospital and departmental policies and procedures.
• Assist patients and/or surrogate decision makers in applying for and maintaining health insurance and disability income benefits available through state and federal programs.
• Maintain care and custody of patients during trips to discharge destinations, community agencies, and court appearances, providing information and social support as indicated.
• Provide care and custody of patients, including individuals with aggressive behavioral or criminal histories, during one-on-one meetings and off-unit trips related to benefits, discharge planning, and other necessary services.
• Assist patients with annual Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) registration when indicated.
• Serve as the discharge planning coordinator for assigned units and work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members to develop and implement comprehensive post-hospital continuing care plans.
• Engage patients and surrogate family members in discharge planning discussions in a caring, compassionate, and respectful manner and encourage active participation in the planning process.
• Educate patients and, when appropriate, family members regarding services, programs, benefits, and resources available through state, federal, and private agencies.
• Maintain current knowledge of health and social welfare programs and services relevant to adults, including counseling, rehabilitation, health insurance, disability programs, addiction services, group homes, subsidized housing, nursing homes, assisted living, and outpatient medical care.
• Coordinate referrals to community agencies and programs in a timely and accurate manner and review patient care documentation for clarity, completeness, and timeliness.
• Coordinate durable medical equipment, supplies, medical appointments, skilled nursing care, and rehabilitation services to support smooth transitions from the hospital to appropriate after-care settings.
• Provide information, education, and counseling to patients and family members regarding advance directives, health care proxy rights, legal guardianships, patient rights, and medical ethics issues related to end-of-life decisions.
• Collaborate with physicians, consulting psychiatrists, and the DPH Legal Office to coordinate applications for legal guardianships, including special authorities, and oversee applications for Representative Payee authority when patients lack sufficient capacity to make informed decisions regarding medical care or financial matters.
• Assist disabled and seriously impaired patients with resolving situational and other needs related to aging, institutional living, and physical or emotional dependency.
• Maintain compliance with applicable state and federal laws, including HIPAA requirements governing the privacy and confidentiality of patient information.
• Perform related duties as required.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work (MSW).
• Two years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid professional employment in a healthcare setting providing case management or discharge planning services to adults with neuropsychiatric and/or substance use problems.
• Massachusetts Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) license.
• Knowledge of the principles and methods of clinical social work.
• Knowledge of basic social work practices involving adults with developmental disabilities.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of self-help support groups.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of behavior therapies.
• Knowledge of community resources and programs available to adults with developmental disabilities.
• Knowledge of medical, psychological, and rehabilitation interventions used to address substance use and addiction.
• Ability to provide non-judgmental, clinically appropriate services to patients experiencing behavioral problems associated with cognitive impairments.
• Ability to provide clinically appropriate services to patients and families coping with terminal illness.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with state laws and regulations pertaining to legal guardianships, advance directives, and health care proxies/agents.
• Ability to work cooperatively with social work staff of varying levels of training and responsibility.
• General knowledge of the psychosocial consequences and behavioral problems commonly associated with adults with acquired brain injuries resulting from illness, trauma, and institutional living.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines governing assigned unit and agency activities.
• Knowledge of community resources and rehabilitation programs serving adults with traumatic/acquired brain injuries, substance use/addiction, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative illnesses.
• Experience providing clinical social work services in a hospital, long-term care, rehabilitation, or other healthcare setting.
• Experience providing discharge planning and coordinating complex transitions from hospital care to community-based or continuing care services.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary healthcare teams and coordinating services among medical, behavioral health, social service, legal, and community providers.
• Experience working with individuals with complex medical, developmental, neuropsychiatric, substance use, or behavioral needs.

About the Department of Public Health

The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to prevent illness, injury, and premature death, to assure access to high-quality public health and health care services, and to promote wellness and health equity for all people in the Commonwealth.

We envision a Commonwealth in which all people enjoy optimal health. Massachusetts ranks among the healthiest states according to comparative analyses, but we face numerous challenges, including chronic and infectious disease, substance abuse, violence, preventable hospitalizations, and health disparities.

DPH coordinates programs and policies to address specific diseases and conditions and offers services to address the needs of vulnerable populations.

We also develop, implement, promote, and enforce regulations and policies to assure that the conditions under which people live are most conducive to health and enable people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.

We license health professionals, healthcare facilities, and a variety of businesses that impact public health. We operate the state laboratory and four public health hospitals. We monitor health status and manage vital records including births, marriages, and deaths.

We educate people about public health issues and work closely with local boards of health and community partners to identify and solve public health problems.

Pre-Offer Process

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit mass.gov

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s