Social Service Associate - Student Health Full time Days

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

*Position will be located at Northwestern University in Evanston

Northwestern Memorial Student Health Service (NMSHS) seeks a dynamic Coordinator of Clinical Support (CCS) committed to supporting the well-being of a diverse student population. The CCS functions as a member of a multidisciplinary NMSHS team and serves as a liaison to university and community mental health resources providing support to students in the medical leave, reinstatement and post-hospitalization processes. The CCS will also help students navigate the requests for financial assistance process at local hospitals. The CCS will serve as a bridge between NMSHS and the Dean of Students office, specifically Student Assistance and Support Services, and will participate in Dean of Students office and SASS meetings in addition to the NMSHS meetings. This is an inaugural position, and other job-related responsibilities may be assigned.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Coordinator of Clinical Support (CCS) clinical member of the NMSHS staff with a dotted line to the Student Assistance and Support Services (SASS) in the Dean of Students. This is an inaugural position whose primary responsibility is to serve as a bridge between mental health and physical health providers and the administrators who help students with medical leave, reinstatement and post hospitalization treatment planning. In addition to working closely with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)and the Dean of Students office, the CSC works closely with local hospital social workers and local providers to ensure a continuum of care for students. The CCS provides post-hospitalization transition support, medical leave of absence recommendations, and other clinical treatment planning support as needed to ensure a holistic continuum of care for students. The CCS will evaluate clinical documentation and consult with student’s providers to ensure they have a treatment that allows them to safely and effectively continue their academic pursuits.

Essential Duties:

Provide support for Medical Leave, Reinstatement and Post Hospitalization:

• Receive all requests for medical leave and reinstatement from leave from Northwestern students.
• Communicate with current external and internal treatment providers regarding treatment recommendations and readiness to resume the rigors of the Northwestern University environment.
• In partnership with NMSHS, CAPS, off-campus providers, and campus partners submit recommendations to the SASS team detailing treatment needs for both leave and return. Identify situations that require medical clearance to remain on or return to campus/classes
• Participate in decision making around readiness to return to student status following a medical leave of absence.
• Maintain releases of information to allow for effective communication with physicians and therapists on behalf of student need
• Maintain documentation on interactions with students and providers.
• Develop strong collaborative partnerships with local psychiatric hospitals including Endeavor Northshore and Highland Park Hospital as well as crisis staff in local hospitals.
• Communicate with psychiatric units when students are on unit and receive discharge plans, ensuring students have a plan that considers their health and safety upon return to the rigorous Northwestern environment.

Direct Student Contact

• Meets with students upon return from higher levels of mental health treatment and assists students with care coordination. Monitors and follows up with students that require coordination of care.
• Provides culturally sensitive individual support to a diverse student body that presents with a variety of challenges including, but not limited to depression, anxiety, substance use, eating disorders, trauma, suicidal ideation and academic/family- related stressors
• Communicate with students and their emergency contacts about treatment plans
• Help coordinate student care
• Connect students to other university resources such as CAPS, SASS, Academic Advising and Support, and CARE