Social Worker LICSW

About the Role

Reporting to the Social Work Manager, the Social Worker LICSW evaluates, diagnoses, and treats a wide range of psychosocial problems, applying individual clinical social work skills to assist patients and their families in resolving personal and environmental problems attributable to mental or physical illness. This role aims to help patients achieve their highest level of psychosocial functioning. The Social Worker LICSW actively participates in the interdisciplinary care team to eliminate barriers to treatment, discharge, and routine follow-up, with the goal of improving patient flow, outcomes, and enhancing the patient’s physical and mental health status. Adheres to social work professional standards of practice based on the NASW Code of Ethics.

Brown University Health employees are expected to role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. All employees must demonstrate the Core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate.

Responsibilities

• Consistently applies corporate values of respect, honesty, and fairness, pursuing excellence in improving health status through customer-friendly, high-value services within an integrated academic health system.
• Completes bio-psychosocial evaluations to eliminate barriers to treatment and discharge, improve patient flow, enhance health status, and optimize resource utilization.
• Provides consultation on patients’ backgrounds, psychosocial functioning, and needs to medical and support staff to assist in planning comprehensive care programs, increasing treatment compliance, and improving care coordination.
• Develops treatment plans and initiates clinical intervention using individual and group treatment modalities; analyzes treatment progress to maximize health status and healthcare decision-making.
• Documents social work activity in patients’ medical records according to departmental standards.
• Participates as a team member in case conferences with other care personnel and community agencies to improve care coordination and patient progression through the care continuum.
• Educates patients and families to help them understand, accept, and follow medical and social work recommendations, restoring patients to optimum functioning within their capacity.
• Assesses patient and family advocacy needs and coordinates advocacy activities within the hospital and community, emphasizing self-determination to improve social supports and access to resources.
• Provides field placement supervision and evaluation for BSW and/or MSW degree candidates as part of the Department of Clinical Social Work Student program (requires LICSW or at least 5 years of demonstrated experience).
• Completes case-related statistics and reports according to departmental standards.
• Remains current on available community resources and accesses them as needed.
• Participates in hospital-wide, departmental, and community studies, projects, and trainings to educate on psychosocial issues related to illness and identify service delivery barriers.
• Maintains and enhances professional expertise through appropriate educational activities.
• Participates in quality assurance activities in accordance with department, hospital, and The Joint Commission standards.
• Adheres to Brown University Health, Hospital, and department policies and procedures to maintain a safe environment and ensure compliance with all laws, regulations, and standards.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social work from an accredited graduate school of Social Work.
• Current license from the State of RI, Board of Social Work Licensure; minimum requirement is Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work (LICSW) level.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills to provide care with consideration of aging processes, human development stages, and cultural patterns.
• Analytical and therapy skills necessary to evaluate patients, develop treatment plans, initiate therapy, and evaluate results.
• Obtains medical staff privileges upon hire; eligible LICSWs (ambulatory) will be enrolled with payors to drop charges for billable services.

Qualifications

• Between six months and one year of clinical experience, preferably in a health or mental health setting, with an emphasis on the populations served in the assigned area.
• Training and experience necessary to address the specific needs of patients, including age, developmental stage, and cultural patterns.
• Ability to effectively interact with patients, families, medical staff, and outside agencies.

Supervisory Responsibility

May provide functional guidance to Social Work Interns with recommendations to pursue LICSW level of licensure.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Works in a normal office environment with exposure to patient care.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (8 hours daily).

Location

593 Eddy Street - Hasbro, Providence, Rhode Island 02903