Medical Social Worker PT/PD

About the role

We are searching for a Medical Social Worker in the Emergency Center (EC), someone who works well in a fast-paced setting. In this position, you’ll assist patients and their families or caregivers in making psychosocial adaptations specific to their medical diagnosis, while facilitating eligibility determination for social programs and funding resources. You will apply optimal utilization of health care services and community resources in accordance with the principles of human growth and development. You'll assess, plan, implement, deliver, monitor, and evaluate the options and services required to address a patient's individualized plan of care in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team to achieve discharge goals.

Responsibilities

• Conducts a psychosocial assessment, evaluating patient/family psychosocial risk factors and reassessing the patient’s plan of care, adjusting goals and interventions as needed as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Screens for depression and suicidal ideation, completes a mental health assessment as needed, and takes appropriate steps based on outcome including referral to psychiatry services, mental health facility, court order for involuntary commitment, safety plan, or referral to community resources.
• Communicates recommendations with the patient, family, and team to support a collaborative family-centered approach and ensures effective communication through patient handoffs with the interdisciplinary team as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Develops an action plan with the patient, caregiver, or family and team, taking into consideration variables that impact the patient’s plan of care including social, emotional, physical, or environmental factors as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Supports patient/family or caregiver with resources related to end-of-life decision-making and provides support for complex family dynamics, assessing for barriers to care and discharge and intervening to de-escalate non-productive behavior as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Engages and empowers patient/family or caregivers in problem-solving and decision-making regarding health care decisions as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Evaluates and selects appropriate community resources based on psychosocial assessment and supports referrals, independently assessing need for gap resources and making additional recommendations as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Provides case management for psychosocial continuity of care as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Completes maltreatment assessment and provides intervention in cases involving abuse or neglect and contacts protective services as appropriate and in accordance with state law as evidenced by documentation in the medical record and/or team observation/feedback.
• Facilitates timely discharge by participating in team meetings, family meetings, and unit rounds to address social, emotional, physical, and environmental barriers as evidenced by attendance records and/or team observation/feedback.
• Collaborates with care coordination and outpatient professionals to ensure patients and families receive necessary information, resources, and continuity of care.
• Provides transition services for patients with chronic conditions including education, resource identification, preparation for adult living skills, and assistance with advance directives.
• Utilizes quality improvement processes to identify opportunities for improvement, evaluate programs, and measure outcomes as evidenced by leadership observation.
• Participates in performance improvement initiatives and supports patient safety and satisfaction efforts as evidenced by leadership observation.
• Pursues professional development through continuing education, implements changes, provides mentorship, and serves as a resource to interdisciplinary team members regarding medical and legal reporting guidelines.

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Social Work required.
• LMSW - Licensed Master Social Worker by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC) or LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC) required.

About Us

Since 1954, Texas Children’s has been leading the charge in patient care, education, and research to accelerate health care for children and women around the world. We are consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas and among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Texas Children’s comprehensive health care network includes:

• Our primary hospital in the Texas Medical Center with expertise in over 40 pediatric subspecialties.
• The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI).
• The Feigin Tower for pediatric research.
• Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births.
• Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston.
• Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston.
• Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin, a new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin and Central Texas families.

We have also created:

• Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO focused on children.
• Texas Children’s Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country.
• Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children.
• A global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world.

Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine, one of the largest, most diverse, and successful pediatric programs in the nation.