Mental Health Caseworker

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.

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; 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., 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; 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.

Master of Social Work

Seven (7) years social work experience required; health care setting preferred with at least three (3) years in an oncology setting or with oncology patients.

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Massachusetts (or state specific based on location).

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

Advanced ability to understand and communicate information to interdisciplinary team, patients, families, caregivers, and community partners (e.g., 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 I and LICSW II roles.

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.

advanced skills in clinically supervising LCSWs and Social Work trainees (e.g., 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.

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).

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