Employment Type:

Full time

Shift:

Description:

MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER I

REPORTS TO:             Behavioral Health Manager

SUPERVISES:              N/A

POSITION CODE:         1818E

STATUS:                      Salaried/Exempt           

LAST REVIEWED ON:  April 2025

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Medical Social Worker I (MedSW-I) provides psychosocial assessment, case management, and social service coordination support to address barriers to patient’s optimal health related to Social Influencers of Health (SIOH). Connects patients with designated community agencies for resources to meet social, financial and environmental needs. The MedSW-I provides advocacy, crisis intervention and resource assistance to patients and families.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Assesses patients using screening tools and clinical interview regarding their psycho-social factors as it relates to achieving and maintaining patient’s optimum health and wellness.  Provides advanced problem solving, refers patients to community agencies/resources to address needs and improve outcomes. Develops, implements and assesses continuing patient-oriented goals to support patient’s health and wellness, with awareness of social support system deficits and barriers. Intervenes with patients and their family/support system to alleviate barriers to health. Advocates, educates and facilitates resolution of patient ethical and legal issues, such as advance directives, end-of-life decisions, guardianship, etc. Brokers with community agencies to access services to meet patient’s psycho-social needs. Coordinates care across interdisciplinary team of providers. Delivers crisis interventions and empowers patients with management of personal, social and environmental issues. Maintains accurate and timely documentation of patient encounters and care coordination, billing appropriately for services and support provided. Provides education and fosters understanding by health care personnel of social influencers of health and the challenges these create to patient wellness. Actively participates in ongoing trainings to ensure provision of care considering age, literacy, language barriers, developmental, socioeconomic, gender identity, cultural, spiritual, and other diversity circumstances.  Maintains established productivity and quality standards; assumes additional responsibilities and performs work within position licensure, as required. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of legal issues impacting patients, such as divorce and custody laws, child/adult abuse/neglect reporting, duty to warn, recipient rights, commitment of inpatient hospitalization, and other relevant laws/processes. Assumes additional responsibilities and performs work within position licensure, as required.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPECTATIONS:

Creates a positive, professional, service-oriented work environment for staff, patients and family members by supporting the mission and values of Trinity Health Medical Group. Must be able to work effectively as a member of the Medical Social Work team and Designated Clinic(s) team. Assumes responsibility for performance of job duties in the safest possible manner, to assure personal safety and that of coworkers, and to report all preventable hazards and unsafe practices immediately to management. Successfully completes all relevant organizational training and adheres to Trinity Health Medical Group standard of care as outlined in the Trinity Health Code of Conduct. Maintains knowledge of and complies with Trinity Health Medical Group standards, policies and procedures. Maintains general knowledge of Trinity Health Medical Group  office services and in the use of all relevant office equipment, computer and manual systems. Maintains strict confidentiality in compliance with Trinity Health Medical Group  and HIPAA guidelines. Serves as a role model by demonstrating exceptional ability and willingness to take on new and additional responsibilities.  Embraces new ideas and respects cultural differences. Uses resources efficiently. If applicable, responsible for ongoing professional development – maintains appropriate licensure/certification and continuing education credentials, participates in available learning opportunities.

MEASURED BY:

Performance that meets or exceeds IHA CARES Values expectation as outlined in IHA Performance Review document, relative to position.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION:  Master’s degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.

CREDENTIALS/LICENSURE:  Valid, unrestricted license to practice clini