Medical Social Worker I

About the role

The Medical Social Worker I (MedSW-I) provides psychosocial assessment, case management, and social service coordination support to address barriers to patient’s optimal health related to Social Influencers of Health (SIOH). Connects patients with designated community agencies for resources to meet social, financial and environmental needs. The MedSW-I provides advocacy, crisis intervention and resource assistance to patients and families.

Responsibilities

• Affirms patients’ psycho-social factors as it relates to achieving and maintaining patient’s optimum health and wellness through assessments using screening tools and clinical interviews.
• Refers patients to community agencies/resources to address needs and improve outcomes.
• Develops, implements and assesses continuing patient-oriented goals to support patient’s health and wellness, with awareness of social support system deficits and barriers.
• Intervenes with patients and their family/support system to alleviate barriers to health.
• Advocates, educates and facilitates resolution of patient ethical and legal issues, such as advance directives, end-of-life decisions, guardianship, etc.
• Broker with community agencies to access services to meet patient’s psycho-social needs.
• Carefully coordinates care across interdisciplinary team of providers.
• Delivers crisis interventions and empowers patients with management of personal, social and environmental issues.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation of patient encounters and care coordination, billing appropriately for services and support provided.
• Provides education and fosters understanding by health care personnel of social influencers of health and the challenges these create to patient wellness.
• Participates in ongoing trainings to ensure provision of care considering age, literacy, language barriers, developmental, socioeconomic, gender identity, cultural, spiritual, and other diversity circumstances.
• Maintains established productivity and quality standards; assumes additional responsibilities and performs work within position licensure, as required.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of legal issues impacting patients, such as divorce and custody laws, child/adult abuse/neglect reporting, duty to warn, recipient rights, commitment of inpatient hospitalization, and other relevant laws/processes.

Requirements

Must be able to work effectively as a member of the Medical Social Work team and Designated Clinic(s) team. Assumes responsibility for performance of job duties in the safest possible manner, to assure personal safety and that of coworkers, and to report all preventable hazards and unsafe practices immediately to management. Successfully completes all relevant organizational training and adheres to Trinity Health Medical Group standard of care as outlined in the Trinity Health Code of Conduct. Maintains knowledge of and complies with Trinity Health Medical Group standards, policies and procedures. Maintains general knowledge of Trinity Health Medical Group office services and in the use of all relevant office equipment, computer and manual systems. Maintains strict confidentiality in compliance with Trinity Health Medical Group and HIPAA guidelines.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.
• Valid, unrestricted license to practice clinical social work in the State of Michigan.
• Minimum of 1 year experience in social work setting with vulnerable populations. Preferred crisis intervention and medical setting experience.

Skills

• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of legal issues impacting patients, such as divorce and custody laws, child/adult abuse reporting, duty to warn, recipient rights, commitment of inpatient hospitalization and other relevant laws/processes.
• Proficient in operating a standard computer system, including but not limited to electronic medical records, e-learning, Microsoft Office and computer navigation needed to complete the tasks of clinical care and performance reporting.
• Ability to use other software as required while performing the essential functions of the job.
• Knowledgeable in issues around substance use and addiction treatment and recovery.
• Applied understanding of how social determinants affect health outcomes.
• Collaborative function as member of interdisciplinary team and recognizes impact of treatment goals, utilization and outcome.
• Familiarity and compliance with NASW Code of Ethics and any applicable accrediting organizations.
• Extensive knowledge of community resources, and awareness of clinic population’s needs and services, and all aspects of community outreach and education.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills in both written and verbal forms, including proper phone etiquette, conflict management and de-escalation.
• Ability to speak before groups of people, either in-person or virtually.
• Ability and willingness to present publicly on related issues.
• Ability to work effectively with various levels of organizational members and diverse populations including IHA staff, executive management and Behavioral Health staff, providers, patients, family members, insurance carriers, vendors, external customers and community resource groups and providers.
• Excellent organization and time management skills to effectively juggle multiple priorities and time constraints.
• Advanced clinical judgement and competent problem-solving skills independently and productively.
• Ability to drive to other office/practice sites and meeting and training locations as required.
• Successfully completion of IHA competency-based program within introductory and training period.