Medical Social Worker - Fetal Therapy

Department Overview

The Fetal Therapy Social Worker provides a professional continuum of services to address the psychosocial and behavioral health needs of patients and families served by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic. The Fetal Therapy Social Worker routinely provides psychosocial services to families who have been diagnosed with a fetal medical condition. The Fetal Therapy Social Worker works to support pregnant individuals and their families as they navigate medical challenges, process complex information about pregnancies and neonates, and access community supports. The Fetal Therapy Social Worker works with families to assess their strengths and challenges as they approach childbirth or pregnancy termination, ameliorates the effects of psychosocial and medical challenges, and advocates for families within the healthcare setting and in the community. The Social Worker provides support for families as they navigate advanced care planning, palliative deliveries, and other difficult decisions associated with fetal medical complexities, and provides grief and bereavement support in the wake of fetal demise. The Fetal Therapy Social Worker navigates the complexities of child abuse and neglect reporting, and collaborates with the Neonatal ICU and outpatient specialty Social Workers to ensure seamless transitions of care. The Fetal Therapy Social Worker follows patients after delivery or pregnancy termination to provide screening and therapeutic support for Post-Partum Depression, along with other psychosocial needs.

 

This position is a flexible work position, which allows some remote work. Remote work at OHSU is a work arrangement under which an employee performs the duties and responsibilities of their position, and other authorized activities, from a non-OHSU location as part of their approved, regular work schedule. The Social Worker is expected to be in person at least half of their work time, depending on their specific position's expectations. The social worker should have a private space at home, dedicated to work, and no Protected Health Information should be printed. Social Workers are expected to see patients in person, when possible, which may require coming to the hospital at short notice on a remote day.

Function/Duties of Position

• Conducts psychosocial evaluations of patients/families and significant others including, but not limited to the following: adjustment to medical or health condition; care coordination; mental health  status; adjustment/compliance to treatment process; substance usage; child and elder abuse/neglect assessments; domestic violence issues; cognitive status (including potential guardian issues); and patient/family resources.

• Provides crisis intervention and supportive short-term counseling to patients/families and significant others as necessary to meet immediate psycho-social needs including, but not limited to: Trauma/Emergency Department/ On Call/ Family Notification, CODE Response (family intervention); unanticipated change in health conditions/suicidal ideation; teenage pregnancy; single parent pregnancy/parenthood, domestic violence, child and elder abuse/neglect. 

• Provides grief/loss counseling and education regarding: fetal demise; actual/pending death of patient/family member; complicated pregnancies; pregnancy termination support, postpartum depression; chronic/acute stress associated with life circumstances; divorce/separation; loss of independence associated with illness or disability.

• Provides brief psychotherapy including: individual short-term psychotherapy; group work including information/support groups, family support, patient therapy); regarding but not limited to issues of adoption, abortion, domestic violence, family of origin, sexual/gender, substance abuse, parenting, relationship adjustment to disabilities and chronic or acute illness.

• Provides patient advocacy and associated services to patient/family and other involved agencies/parties regarding decision-making; advance directives; ethics consultations; court holds; guardianship/conservatorship; citizenship cases; and social cultural factors.

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s Social Work (MSW)  
• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Assessment Proficiency
• Short-term Counseling
• Crisis Intervention 
• Excellent task Prioritization 
• Effective Communication Skills
• Proficiency and skill in providing social work services in a healthcare setting 
• Time Management 
• Organization
• Patient Advocacy 
• Problem Solving 
• Creativity
• Adaptabi