May be eligible for tuition loan repayment, relocation assistance, and sign on incentive

TheTherapist/Social Worker is an integral part of a multidisciplinary team workingwith patients in an acute inpatient mental health setting. While promoting thehealth and wellness of patients, Therapist/Social Work staff providecomprehensive services, which include therapy (individual, group and family),discharge planning, case management, care coordination, crisis intervention aswell as addressing psychosocial and other needs of patients and theirfamilies.Under the direction of department leadership, therapist/social workstaff provides services consisting of therapy, comprehensive case management,care coordination, continuing care services, and clinical social work servicesincluding crisis intervention. In addition, the Therapist/Social Worker is responsiblefor providing education addressing physical, psychosocial, financial,environmental and other needs of patients and families and/or significantothers. The Therapist/Social Worker is part of an interdisciplinary team whopromotes health and addresses medical and non medical barriers.

Essential Job Functions

•Supports and models behaviors consistent with the mission and philosophy ofBillings Clinic and department/service.
• Assesses patient medical records for treatment plan, identifies actual andpotential discharge needs at the time of admission for assigned patients.
• Identifies, screens and assess patients, families and/or significant otherswho require therapy/social work services in a timely manner.
• Integrates social work plan into overall patient care plan throughparticipation in interdisciplinary team collaboration may include RN caremanagement, physicians, nurses and other members of the health care team asservice area dictates. Promotes collaboration and communication among team members.
• Provides patient, family, significant other education, and emotional supportutilizing individual, family and group modalities (care conferences).
• Meets with patient, family, significant other as appropriate to develop planof care taking into consideration choice, support network(s), resource needs(financial, housing, transportation, etc.), and appropriate level of care.
• Provides crisis intervention, therapeutic support and coping skills onadjustment to illness/disability.
• Identifies physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs and incorporates theminto the plan of care.
• Demonstrates sensitivity and awareness about population specific needs orspecial issues related to culture, race, gender, age religion, sexualorientation, etc.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify symptoms/indicators of abuse, neglect,and exploitation in specific patient populations and provide appropriateinterventions, including mandated reporting.
• Assess and responds to legal issues such as Living Wills, Durable Power ofAttorney, guardianship, etc.
• Supports patients to ensure they can function to the best of their abilityand maintain optimal health related to their medical condition. Provideeducation and information to patient’s identified support systems.
• Supports patients to stabilization using individual and group therapytechniques.
• Utilizes interviews and patient medical record reviews to identify actual orpotential barriers and care needs.
• Interacts with patients, support systems, healthcare professionals,community, and state agencies. Serves as a liaison between hospital, clinic,and community agencies to facilitate the exchange of clinical and referralinformation.
• Identifies high-risk patients from a medical/psychosocial/financialperspective, assesses the needs of patients and support systems.
• Discusses evaluations, goals and treatments with patients and support systemsto enhance patient and support system engagement.
• Collaborates with the multidisciplinary team to identify needs of patientsand their support systems.
• Understands and utilizes hospital and community based financial resources andentitlements such as SSD, SSI, Medicaid, charity care, mental health, HCFS,Patient Financial Representatives, Public Health and other outside resources asneeded.
• Coordinates and implements discharge/transitional planning activities withinexpected length of stay in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
• Accountable for appropriate and patient focused discharge planning; includingplacement in alternative living environments.
• Advocates on behalf of patients and takes a lead role assisting patients withcomplex psychosocial needs.
• Keeps supervisor informed of barriers to discharge, patient/familydissatisfaction, and/or agency conflicts.
• Coordinates with referral agencies as indicated to ensure services are inplace before discharge. This includes providing necessary paperwork in a timelymanner to process the referral and enhancing positive working relationshipswith community agencies.
• Demonstrates and utilizes knowledge of internal and external agencyservices/resources related to the needs of specific patient populations and theability to be creative in coordinating services.
• Refers patients, families, and significant others to appropriate services toensure continuity and quality of care (information and referral).
• Monitors the need for revisions in the care plan and makes recommendations tophysician(s) and interdisciplinary team when indicated. Demonstratesresourcefulness when collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
• Modifies treatment plans to reflect changes in patients or their supportsystem status and needs.
• Demonstrates the ability to evaluate compliance with medical/psychiatrictreatment protocols and intervene to address barriers.
• Helps navigate patient through the healthcare system.
• Provides timely referral and coordinates with agencies/facilities to ensureservices are in place to meet the patient’s and organizational needs to achievecontinuity and quality of care.
• Demonstrates and utilizes knowledge of services/resources related to theneeds of specific patient populations.
• Maintains current knowledge regarding insurance benefit reimbursement,community resource and ancillary clinical services to meet the needs ofinternal and external customers.
• Serves as a resource to staff on psychosocial needs of patients and families,resources, and discharge/transitional planning.
• Documents care management interventions in medical record including patient,family and/or significant other communication, discharge/transition plan,support system and disposition status.
• Documentation is timely, reflects professional practice and is consistentwith departmental/organizational policy.
• Monitors, evaluates and documents patient progress related to the plan ofcare.
• Maintains data and reporting information as required by department and otherprograms.
• Provides utilization review functions as required by the department.
• Identifies service gaps and participates in hospital and departmentalprograms to address and improve quality of care.
• Adheres to department and organizational policies addressing confidentiality,infection control, patient rights, medical ethics, advance directives, disasterprotocols and safety.
• Maintain competency in organizational and departmental policies/processesrelevant to job performance.
• Adheres to regulatory, legal, compliance, and professionallicensure/certification requirements in day-to-day practice.
• Participates in continuing education, department planning, work teams, andprocess improvement activities.
• Demonstrates the ability to be flexible, open minded and adaptable to change
• Maintain competency in organizational and departmental policies/processesrelevant to job performance.
• Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of thedepartment/organization.