Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW/LCSW)

Licensed Independent Social Worker

Location: Santa Fe Indian Health Center (SFIHC) & Satellite Clinics (Santa Clara, Cochiti, San Felipe, NM)

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM (No weekends or federal holidays)

Position Overview

The Licensed Independent Social Worker will provide non-personal behavioral health services at the Santa Fe Indian Health Center (SFIHC) and associated satellite clinics. The provider will deliver comprehensive clinical social work services, including crisis intervention, psychosocial assessments, counseling, case management, diagnostic evaluations, referrals, and coordination of behavioral health care. This role supports adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients within a culturally diverse population, including tribal communities. The LISW/LCSW functions independently while collaborating closely with the Mental Health Team, physicians, nursing staff, and other behavioral health providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct psychosocial assessments, diagnostic evaluations (DSM/ICD criteria), and counseling for individuals and families.
• Provide crisis intervention, including assessment, stabilization, and coordination of psychiatric hospital admissions when necessary.
• Deliver behavioral health counseling, substance abuse counseling, and supportive therapy to eligible patients.
• Develop and implement treatment plans; participate as a core team member in multidisciplinary treatment planning.
• Document all assessments, treatment plans, interventions, referrals, and case management activities thoroughly in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) according to SFIHC policies.
• Provide follow-up and aftercare for patients referred to external facilities or providers.
• Offer consultation to IHS staff, community agencies, and medical teams regarding behavioral health matters.
• Refer and coordinate Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) services for specialized behavioral health treatment or hospitalization.

Compliance & Professional Standards

• Maintain patient confidentiality in compliance with HIPAA, Privacy Act regulations, and SFIHC internal policies.
• Adhere to IHS Medical Staff Bylaws, Mental Health Program Standards, and Joint Commission requirements.
• Participate in Quality Assurance activities including peer review and case presentations.
• Attend mandatory meetings, orientations, and required trainings (trauma-informed care, fraud/waste/abuse, ISSA security training, etc.).

Operational Requirements

• Rotate to satellite clinic locations (Santa Clara, Cochiti, San Felipe) based on schedule needs.
• Notify the COR of absences and comply with documentation requirements for illness or emergencies.
• Work collaboratively with interpreters and serve multicultural, multilingual populations.
• Utilize IHS IT systems including EHR/RPMS according to all federal IT security standards.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Licensure: Active LISW or LCSW license in the state or region of practice; must maintain credentials and privileges at SFIHC.
• Certifications: BLS required. ACLS/PALS preferred and may be needed for Code Blue response training.
• Experience: Demonstrated experience delivering similar clinical social work services within the past 2 years. Strong background in crisis intervention, diagnostic evaluation, and behavioral health treatment.
• Health Requirements: Immunization documentation (MMR, Varicella, Hep B or declination, Tdap, Influenza, etc.). TB screening within the last 12 months (additional documentation if positive). Clearance indicating no health or behavioral issues impairing ability to provide patient care.