CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER

Clinical Social Worker

To apply social casework techniques, in collaboration with medical and para-medical professions, in the diagnosis and treatment of patients or persons in a clinical setting in a hospital, or in a state-wide mental health or state-wide public health program with the objective to remove or alleviate social, emotional, or environmental problems of patients and promote their return to a normal and effective pattern of living; and to do related work as required.

Works under the general supervision of a casework superior, or psychiatrist, or program chief from whom general and specific work assignments and instructions are received; work is reviewed for the application of accepted social casework techniques and results obtained.

As assigned, may supervises social caseworkers, undergraduate/ graduate student and clinical assistants.

Illustrative examples of work performed:

• To apply social casework techniques, in collaboration with medical and para-medical professions, in the diagnosis and treatment of patients or persons in a clinical setting in a hospital, or a state-wide mental health or state-wide public health program, or in other clinical settings; to apply such techniques with the objective to remove or alleviate, through individual casework or group therapy, those social, emotional or environmental problems so as to promote the recovery of such patients or persons and facilitate their return to a normal and effective pattern of living.
• As a member of a clinical team, to participate in diagnostic and technical conferences with casework superiors, a psychiatrist, physician or program chief, or other professional personnel, for cooperative planning and treatment to meet the needs of patients or persons which involve or include social, emotional, or environmental as well as the medical aspects of medical care; to provide casework treatment directed towards helping the patient or person to accept the diagnosis of his illness or problem and participate in and respond to medical treatment measures.
• As required, to consult with a psychiatrist or psychologist when serving as a member of a clinical team on: the assignment of new patients and their later diagnosis and treatment, and on predischarge and after-care planning when released from a hospital or clinic.
• To provide follow-up services in assisting patients or persons, or their relatives, with personal or environmental difficulties which are centered around the illness, or which interfere with obtaining maximum benefits from medical, surgical, or psychiatric care.
• To establish effective working relationships with staff members and supervisors and with representatives of pertinent community agencies; to have available knowledge of community resources for use in the treatment and follow-up services for patients or their relatives.
• To provide social work consultation to staff members, including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and as required to nurses, nutritionists, physical therapists and other personnel, working towards the objective of the recovery and return of patients or persons to a normal and effective pattern of living.
• To prepare anamneses of cases with findings and evaluation of the relationship and interaction between the patient's social situation and his psychiatric-medical problem and to formulate initial and ongoing psycho-social diagnosis of such patient.
• To do related work as required.

Required qualifications for appointment:

Knowledges, skills and capacities: A thorough knowledge of clinical social casework techniques and skill in their application in collaboration with medical and para-medical professions, in the diagnosis and treatment of patients or persons to remove or alleviate social, emotional, attitude or environmental problems in order to promote their return to a normal and effective pattern of living; a working knowledge of the normal emotional reactions to illness and medical care, such as regression, anxiety, dependency, etc.; a working knowledge of those reactions which effect the patient's acceptance and use of medical care as related to his own personality such as his own reactions to authority, his way of meeting frustration, acceptance of limitations, and adaptability to change; a working knowledge of community resources available for the use of patients or persons under treatment; the ability to apply such knowledge effectively as a member of a clinical team; and related capacities and abilities.

Education and experience:

Education: Such as may have been gained through: possession of a Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited institution of higher education.

Or, any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education.