Senior Social Worker, LICSW (Longwood)

Overview

As a member of the multidisciplinary oncology team, the Senior Social Worker, LICSW, provides an advanced level of patient and family centered care through clinical psychosocial assessment and intervention, including crisis response, individual, couples, family, and group interventions, and short-term bereavement support.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS, and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides biopsychosocial assessment and intervention, crisis intervention, coordination of psychosocial services, and consultation, to reduce cancer-related distress and improve quality of life for patients, families and caregivers across the trajectory of cancer care; this includes those patients seen for screening for high risk of developing cancer and/or a diagnosis of cancer through to end of life and/or survivorship in collaboration with community mental health partners.

• Responsible for completing an assessment that evaluates both the internal and external factors that impact the adaptation of families and caregivers to patient’s illness and ensures maximum participation of patients/ families / caregivers in the continuum of care process.  

• Provides highly skilled clinical interventions that are focused on cancer-related distress, are evidence based, goal oriented, strengths based, and short-term and episodic in nature to ensure patient equity and accessibility to social work interventions; modalities include individual, family, and group work .  

• Identifies and addresses high-risk psychosocial factors as well as psychosocial strengths of patients/families/caregivers that impact health status, coping and adjustment (e.g., suicidal or homicidal risk, domestic violence, disabled, child or elder abuse and neglect, physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities, serious mental health conditions, etc.)

• Responsible for facilitating complex serious illness and goals of care conversations to ensure shared treatment decision-making and effective patient-physician communication. 

• Responsible for identifying and communicating systemic inequities, their impact on patients, families, caregivers and the community at large and providing recommendations for systemic change.

• Responsible for demonstrating commitment to diversity and equity efforts, including advocacy and self-education to advance knowledge base of the needs and concerns of underserved and marginalized populations. 

• Communicates clinical assessment and recommendations and providing consultation and support to interdisciplinary health care team.

• Initiates and leads collaboration with interdisciplinary team to manage psychosocial barriers that limit patients’/families’/caregivers’ ability to access and/or engage in recommended medical care .  

• Provides advanced education/ consultation regarding impact of cancer on patients and families/caregivers to community, and provides advanced consultation, education, and program development (e.g., support groups, psychoeducational forums, etc.) within the disease-based or service-based team and in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.

• Responsible for evidence-based facilitation of patient and/or family and/or caregiver support programs or groups; responsible for training/mentoring of others in this area .  

• Provides in-person and/or telehealth services to patients and families/caregivers; method of communication (i.e., in person/phone/Zoom video) is based on clinical assessment.

• Provides clinical coverage in other social workers’ absence(s) .

• At request of leadership, professionally represents the discipline of social work, the division of social work and POPC to internal and external stakeholders.

• Responsible for clinical training of newly hired social workers in both individual and group settings.

• Responsible for being highly engaged and leading annual divisional strategic planning and implementation.

• Responsible for identifying , implementing and mentoring in a specific area of clinical and/or leadership expertise to positively contribute to the needs of the division.

MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS: 

Minimum Education:

Master of Social Work

Minimum Experience:

7 years social work practice required ; health care setting preferred with at least 3 years in an oncology setting or with oncology patients (other social work experience may substitute).

License/Certification/Registration:

LICSW in MA (and state specific based on location).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Advanced knowledge of interventions for patients with psychosocial needs inclusive of mental health, behavioral health, emotional, relational, and other social needs .  

• Advanced knowledge of various behavioral health interventions related to common issues and needs across the oncology continuum of care. 

• Advanced knowledge of interdisciplinary teamwork and team dynamics, scope of key partnerships and interprofessional roles .  

• Advanced knowledge of social work clinical psychosocial care concepts, practices, and policies with demonstrated ability to use them in varied situations.

• Advanced ability to facilitate understanding and resolution of problems related to patient/family/caregiver interpersonal conflict, mental health and/or substance use concerns or disorders .  

• Advanced ability to provide guidance/ consultation to the team around complex patient management, including ethical issues.

• Advanced ability to facilitate patient and family/caregiver participation in oncology care, and to recommend and contribute to team and/or family/caregiver meetings .  

• Advanced ability to make clinical decisions guided by experience, policies, consultation, and evidence-based practice .  

• Advanced ability to actively facilitate team meetings related to care planning in the setting of disruptive/challenging patient/family/caregiver/support person behavior .  

• Advanced ability to be self-directed while remaining open to feedback and collaboration with Division leadership. 

• Advanced ability to incorporate feedback into actionable behaviors for clinical growth and professional development and to be a role model for LCSW and LICSW 1 and LICSW II roles.

• Advanced ability to understand and communicate information to interdisciplinary team, patients, families, caregivers, and community partners (e.g., agencies, professional organizations, etc.).  

• Advanced ability to be sensitive, responsive to, and advocate for the needs of diverse populations in the setting of serious illness; including but not limited to diversity in gender identity, age, culture, race, religion, socioeconomic status, abilities, and sexual orientation .  

• Advanced ability to adjust to change within a fast-paced working environment and to be a role model for LCSW and LICSW 1 and LICSW II roles.

• Advanced ability to integrate professional ethical principles ( e.g. confidentiality, boundaries) and adhere to relevant professional, departmental, and organizational standards for patient and family care.

• Advanced ability to write clear and complete biopsychosocial assessments, progress notes, and other forms of documentation in the EMR, keeping with Divisional and Institutional policies.

• Committed and sustained adherence to Social Work Division practice and administrative standards and policies (e.g., HIPAA, high-risk sign out, scheduling) and serve as a role model for interns/fellows, LCSW, LICSW I and LICSW II roles.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: No direct reports, a dvanced skills in clinically supervising LCSWs and Social Work trainees (e.g., interns, fellows); will supervise as needed to meet the needs of the Division.

PATIENT CONTACT: Yes

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At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are committed to having faculty and staff who offer multifaceted experiences. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and compassionate professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.  

Pay Transparency Statement

The hiring range is based on market pay structures, with individual salaries determined by factors such as business needs, market conditions, internal equity, and based on the candidate’s relevant experience, skills and qualifications.

For union positions, the pay range is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).