PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER 1 - 08112026-80001

Location: Nashville, TN – Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute, Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services. This is a full-time, on-site position requiring a criminal background check.

Pay

$5,100 – $7,646 per month ($61,200 – $91,752 annually).

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university.
• At time of appointment and throughout employment, must meet one of the following:
  • Master’s degree in social work from a program approved by the Council on Social Work Education;
  • Doctoral or Ph.D. in social work;
  • Current master of social work certificate or independent practitioner of social work license (TCA 63-23-102 & 103).
• Valid driver’s license with no DUI, reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, or more than four moving violations in the past five years.

About the Role

This is the entry-level classification in the Psychiatric Social Worker series. The Psychiatric Social Worker 1 provides direct social work services—including individual, group, and family therapy—in mental-health facilities, correctional institutions, and substance-use treatment programs. The role focuses on direct patient care and case management; it does not include supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Conduct biopsychosocial assessments and develop individualized care plans.
• Provide individual, group, and family therapy to address psychosocial challenges.
• Facilitate discharge planning and connect patients with community resources.
• Maintain detailed records, progress notes, and treatment summaries.
• Evaluate patient needs, adjust care plans, and resolve service-delivery challenges.
• Engage with families, courts, and external agencies to support patient care.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure comprehensive treatment.
• Provide guidance to less-experienced staff and stay current on best practices.

Skills & Competencies

Knowledge Areas

• Psychosocial assessment and therapy techniques
• Mental-health and substance-use disorder treatment
• Regulatory compliance and patient rights
• Community resources and public-assistance programs
• Interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement

Skills

• Critical thinking and decision-making
• Monitoring and coordination
• Effective speaking and problem sensitivity
• Inductive reasoning and speech clarity
• Information ordering and written comprehension

Tools & Equipment

• Computer
• Scanner, printer, fax, copier