Social Worker, Hospital Care Management, Full Time, Variable

About the Role

Provides screening, assessment, planning, problem resolution, resource management, counseling, and crisis intervention related to the health care and discharge planning needs of patients and families in the Emergency Department (ED). Functions as a key member of the ED interdisciplinary team to deliver emergency services within scope of practice. Specializes in assessments and interventions for patients with acute behavioral health, medical, and psychosocial emergencies. Also provides social work and case management services for inpatients after hours, nights, and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Completes risk screenings for domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, elder abuse, sexual assault/abuse, institutional abuse, and sex trafficking; notifies applicable state and federal agencies.
• Performs psychosocial assessments of patient’s prior functioning level, support systems, reaction to illness, and self-care ability.
• Identifies and refers patients/families to community resources as appropriate.
• Serves as a liaison between the hospital, patient/family, law enforcement, Department of Social Services, and community partners during evaluations and investigations.
• Assesses behavioral health and substance abuse needs in collaboration with emergency medicine providers, psychiatrists, and the interdisciplinary team by gathering collateral information from various sources.
• Refers and coordinates transfers to inpatient psychiatric hospitals or substance abuse treatment centers when indicated.
• Provides ongoing case management and support for patients and families pending discharge disposition.
• Coordinates and facilitates tele-psychiatry consults for appropriate patients.
• Acts as an extension of community mental health centers by coordinating mental health pick-up orders with local probate judges when centers are closed.
• Manages oversight and compliance of emergency psychiatric and chemical dependency hospitalization paperwork in accordance with state law.
• Assists emergency medicine providers in completing Inability to Consent documentation by identifying the appropriate surrogate decision-maker in compliance with the Adult Healthcare Consent Act.
• Coordinates referrals for post-hospitalization services, including skilled and long-term nursing facilities, assisted living, group homes, homeless shelters, home health, hospice, palliative care, durable medical equipment, infusion services, medication assistance, transportation, financial aid, and other community programs.
• Provides intensive case management for high-utilizer ED patients in collaboration with emergency medicine physicians and community partners.
• Collaborates with emergency medicine physicians to develop care plans for high-utilizer populations.
• Advocates for patient and family empowerment, supporting autonomous healthcare decisions and access to needed services within the healthcare system.
• Maintains close communication with community care providers while prioritizing throughput directives through comprehensive discharge planning.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work.
• Currently licensed as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) by the state Board of Social Work Examiners.
• One (1) year of social work experience preferred; experience in a healthcare setting preferred.
• ACM, CCM, C-SWCM, or ACSW certification preferred.

Schedule

Variable (nights, weekends, and after-hours shifts).

Location: Laurens County Medical Campus, Laurens County Hospital.