Social Worker MSW - CommonSpirit Health (Arkansas)
Overview
CommonSpirit Health was formed by the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health. With more than 700 care sites across the U.S. & from clinics and hospitals to home-based care and virtual care services CommonSpirit is accessible to nearly one out of every four U.S. residents. Our world needs compassion like never before. Our communities need caring and our families need protection. With our combined resources CommonSpirit is committed to building healthy communities advocating for those who are poor and vulnerable and innovating how and where healing can happen both inside our hospitals and out in the community.
Responsibilities
This job is responsible for coordinating and supporting mental health care with the assigned clinic(s) and for coordinating referrals to clinically-indicated services outside the clinic. An incumbent functions as a core member of a Collaborative Care team that is made up of the patient’s primary care provider, a psychiatric consultant and, when available, other providers in the primary care clinic. An incumbent may provide evidence-based treatments or consult with other mental health providers when such treatment is indicated.
**ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:** The following section contains representative examples of job duties that might be performed in positions allocated to this job class. Roles and responsibilities may be altered to accommodate changing business conditions and objectives as well as to tap into the skills and experience of its employees. Accordingly, employees may be asked to perform duties that are outside the specific work that is listed. It is not required that any position perform all duties listed, so long as primary responsibilities are consistent with the work as described. Performance standards developed for incumbents allocated to this job class may also contain relevant job content information and are referenced hereto.
Performs patient assessment/data collection, interprets findings and formulates treatment plans.
+ Reviews medical record/documentation prior to initial evaluation to familiarize self with patient’s history and obtains necessary information to perform a thorough, quality assessment.
+ Screens and assesses patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders.
+ Selects and administers assessment tools according to standards as established by profession and department.
+ Assesses the clinical status of patients referred by primary care providers through brief consultative contacts.
+ Works with primary care provider to refer cases to mental health specialists and psychiatrist as appropriate.
+ Assists in the detection of “at risk” patients and development of plans to prevent further psychological or physical deterioration.
Implements and updates psychosocial plan of care and treatment based on patient needs throughout patient’s course of care.
+ Works with primary care team and psychiatrist to treat and provide limited management of patients with chronic emotional and/or health problems efficiently and effectively.
+ Assists in preventing relapse or comorbidity in conditions that tend to recur over time.
+ Implements treatment through brief consultative and therapeutic contacts.
+ Regularly assesses clinical signs and symptoms to determine effectiveness of treatment, progress of patient towards goals, the need for modifying goals and treatment.
+ Conducts treatment according to established protocols or accepted clinical standards of practice.
+ Adheres to most recent treatment plan and documented frequency per evaluation/certification or reassessment/recertification.
+ Facilitates treatment plan changes (e.g. changes in medication, psychosocial treatments and/or appropriate referrals for services, etc.) for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the PCP and the psychiatric consultant.
Works with treatment team to provide and manage treatment.
+ Supports and closely coordinates mental health care with the patient’s primary care provider and, when appropriate, other treating mental health providers.
+ Participates in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicates resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s PCP; focuses consultations focus on patients new to treatment or who are not improving as expected.
+ Supports psychotropic medication management prescribed by PCPs, focusing on treatment adherence, side effects and other complications, and effectiveness of treatment.
+ Provides or facilitates in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e.g, CBT, IPT) as clinically indicated.
+ Monitors patients (in person or by telephone) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.
Provides effective psychotherapy and brief interventions within scope of practice.
+ Provides brief interventions using evidence-based techniques such as Behavioral Activation, Problem-Solving Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, or other treatments appropriate for primary care settings.
+ Completes relapse prevention plan with patients who are in remission.
+ Facilitates patient engagement and follow-up in care.
Identifies and implements strategies to meet the educational needs of the patient/family/significant others as relates to psychological health and/or substance use.
+ Teaches patients, families, and staff care, prevention, and treatment enhancement techniques for psychosocial/behavioral health issues.
+ Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and available treatment options.
Designs effective curricula for education to address psychosocial/behavioral health issues in primary care and leads effective classes for staff/medical practitioners and other behavioral health providers.
+ Trains and teaches effective behavioral health interventions and the primary behavioral health model to medical practitioners and other behavioral health providers.
Completes all required documentation, in an accurate and thorough manner, in accordance with CHI-FH and/or grant documentation standards.
+ Utilizes documentation that meets the accepted clinical, hospital and departmental standards and chart review criteria.
+ Completes documentation responsibilities in a timely manner according to hospital and departmental criteria.
+ Participates in chart review process and adjusts practices according to feedback as provided.
+ Tracks patient follow-up and clinical outcomes using a registry; documents in-person and telephone encounters in the registry and utilizes the system to identify and re-engage patients.
+ Documents patient progress and treatment recommendations in the registry so they can be easily shared with PCPs, the psychiatric consultant, and other treating providers.
Monitors the site’s behavioral health capabilities, identifying issues related to patient services and makes recommendations for improvement.
Cultural Sensitivity and Competence: Demonstrates proper use of communication tools/materials for effective communication and understands how the culture(s) of patient populations can affect communication, collaboration and the provision of care, treatment and services. Patient Population Served: Demonstrates knowledge and proper skills associated with the department’s defined specific populations served.
Performs related duties as required.
Qualifications
**MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS:** The following section contains representative examples of competencies and job qualifications directly related to successful performance in the position. The categories are broad, reflecting minimum requirements. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible requirements nor does it include general competencies, expectations and/or skills that are universally applicable to the work, but are not critical for recruitment purposes or to overall job performance.
Education/Work Experience Requirements
+ Master’s degree in Social Work and two years of related work experience that would demonstrate attainment of the requisite job knowledge/abilities.
+ LMSW License Required
+ One (1) year of work experience as a member of an interdisciplinary team is preferred.
Job Knowledge/Abilities:
+ Knowledge of the principles, standards, practices and tools relating to behavioral medicine, including evidence-based treatments for medical and mental health conditions.
+ Knowledge of the principles, standards and practices relating to psycho-pharmacology for common mental health disorders appropriate within scope of practice of the practitioner.
+ Knowledge of differential diagnoses and evidence-based psychosocial treatments for common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders as appropriate.
+ Knowledge of community services and resources, and referral network(s) applicable to activities within designated scope of responsibility.
+ Knowledge of medical and psychiatric terminology sufficient to prepare accurate documentation and communicate effectively with patients, families and other team members.
+ Ability to make quick and accurate clinical assessments of mental and behavioral conditions, and to demonstrate expertise in screening for common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
+ Ability to demonstrate knowledge of brief structured intervention techniques (e.g. motivational interviewing, behavioral activation etc.) sufficient to perform the duties of the position.
+ Ability and comfort in working with primary care medical providers using a consultative style.
+ Ability to work through brief patient contacts, including via telephone and teleconferencing; and to engage patients in a therapeutic relationship as appropriate.
+ Ability to design and implement clinical pathways and protocols for treatment of selected mental and behavioral conditions.
+ Ability to design effective psycho-education curricula and lead effective psycho-education classes.
+ Ability to train and teach effective behavioral health interventions and the primary behavioral health model to medical practitioners and other behavioral health providers as needed or requested
+ Ability to work effectively as a team, interfacing with patients, primary care providers, consulting psychiatrist and mental health specialists, as well as with administrative and support staff.
+ Ability to exercise balanced judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions, and to handle difficult or confrontational situations in a calm, consistent, and equitable manner.
+ Ability to demonstrate expertise in assessment and treatment planning for common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
+ Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
+ Ability to read, understand and communicate in English sufficient to perform the duties of the position.
+ Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as required by the duties of the position, including coaching and persuading patients to follow effective self-management practices and technique
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**Requisition ID** _2020-146741_
**Employment Type** _Full Time_
**Department** _Behavioral Health_
**Hours / Pay Period** _80_
**Shift** _Day_
**Standard Hours** _Monday through Friday_
**Facility / Process Level : Name** _CHI St. Vincent Health_
**Location** _AR-LITTLE ROCK_
Equal Opportunity
CommonSpirit Health™ is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, parental status, ancestry, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
* This article was originally published here
