Description

SUMMARY:

Leadership of Social Work Department at Lower Lights Christian Health Center (LLCHC) and development of integrated care and MSW intern programs. Provides some direct patient care as well as training and day to day management of Integrated Social Workers, Social Work Interns, and community collaborations. Coordinates social work services with other departments to ensure high level quality care to a diverse population of patients. Develops collaborative environment with medical providers, behavioral health department, mid managers, and front and back support staff. Assists with the development of processes and policies for Behavioral Health to ensure quality services to patients.

RESPONSIBILITY 1. Management and Supervision

1. Work collaboratively with all managers, directors, and senior leadership to identify and resolve interdepartmental barriers impacting patient care.
2. Supervision of all integrated social workers at all LLCHC locations. Be available for direct consult virtually to employees located at outlying sites.
3. Conduct interviews and recommend candidates for hire, train new hires, conduct employee performance reviews, and develop performance improvement plans as needed.
4. Ensure departmental productivity standards are met monthly. Provide input in developing standards.
5. Assist social workers with complicated cases involving multiple barriers.
6. Serve as a contact person for providers, management, and senior management regarding behavioral health updates.

RESPONSIBILITY 2. Training

1. Trains and develops all integrated social workers in behavioral health and SUD assessment and treatment.
2. Keeps current on all mental health, SUD, Reduction of Harm treatment modalities.
3. Responsible for ensuring all social workers are current on annual trainings.
4. Responsible for keeping updated on all community resources & partnerships.
5. Facilitate networking of new staff with key community organizations/agencies/programs for professional development and enhancing of skills and resource knowledge.
6. Provide consultation and training for the Contact Center and other patient facing departments in de-escalation with volatile patients.

Responsibility 3. Patient Care

1. Is an integral member of a multidisciplinary team; communicates and interacts with all levels of staff, primary care providers and patients.
2. Participates in morning huddles with primary care team to identify patients needing to be assessed.
3. Interviews patients to gather personal and social data relevant to assessing mental or emotional disorders.
4. Administers various assessment tools (PHQ-9, GAD 7) for diagnosis and treatment planning.
5. Evaluates patients and provides brief therapeutic modalities (Motivational Interviewing) as needed to address mental health diagnoses and social deterrents impacting physical health.
6. Provides patient education on mental health and substance use diagnoses.
7. Refers patients to LLCHC’s clinical counseling and psychiatry services. Connects patients with serious mental health diagnoses needing a higher level of service to community mental health.
8. Refers patients to supportive services and resources to eliminate identified barriers.
9. Maintains charting in patient’s medical records with behavioral health diagnosis, evaluation, treatment plan and progress.

RESPONSIBILITY 4. Other LLCHC Responsibilities

1. Represent LLCHC in agency or community group meetings pertaining to Social Work collaboration or partnership development. Serve as an advocate for patient interests at community forums.
2. Coordinate with EPIC/EHR Technical Team on current templates, IT procedures, and effective flow of patient information.
3. Coordinate with Quality Director & BH Director on setting metrics for behavioral health department.
4. Works with Billing Director to ensure proper coding and reimbursement for social work services.
5. Represent BH on the Clinical Quality Committee (CQI) and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee.
6. Perform in accordance with clinic policies, as well as social work standards and ethics.
7. Perform other related duties as they are assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work with LISW-S licensure.
• Five-years minimum experience in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) integrated care setting or similar organization providing care to underserved communities.
• Experience serving diverse populations including people of different races, ethnicities, religion, or those who identify as LGBTQ is required. Experience with special populations such as individuals who are dealing with homelessness, substance use disorder and immigrant/refugees is preferred.
• At least one year experience supervising behavioral health professionals. Experience coaching, teaching, or supervising social work students in a health care setting preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form, and to represent LLCHC in public forums.
• Individual needs to be compassionate, competent, and assume professional accountability for interactions with patients, public and staff. In addition, they should be able to function in a team environment, have good work ethic, and a mature understanding of cultural diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Individual will at times be needed to assist/work with patients that have emotional or psychological concerns which may lead to crisis. In addition, some patients may be individuals with disabilities. Ability to provide the same level of care regardless of what challenges they face is a must.