Department: Public Defender

Job class: 2920-Medical Social Worker

Salary range: $109,252.00 - $132,730.00

Role type: Permanent Exempt What does this mean?

Hours: Full-time

2920- Medical Social Worker

Classification: 2920 Medical Social Worker

Status: Full-Time

Appointment Type: Temporary Exempt (TEX)- Category 18 (What does this mean?)

Application Opening: Monday, June 23, 2025

Application Deadline: by 11:45pm on Monday, July 14, 2025

Compensation: $111,436- $135,408/ Annually

Recruitment ID: RTF0156741-01139755

This is a Temporary Exempt (TEX) Category 18- Limited two (2) years duration

The Public Defender’s Office Civil Mental Health Unit (MHU) provides legal representation to individuals subject to civil and criminal mental health commitments in San Francisco. Each year, the office represents approximately 700 individuals subject to conservatorships under the Lanterman-Petris-Shot Act, 70 individuals committed to the Department of State Hospitals after being adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity, individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities residing at regional centers, and individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities committed pursuant to W&I 6500.

Additionally, the MHU represents individuals subject to involuntary psychiatric detention petitions under Cal. W&I Code Sec. 5250, 5270 and involuntary medication petitions filed by hospitals and psychiatric facilities. We are committed to providing zealous advocacy, honoring our clients’ wishes, and preserving patient autonomy.

Role description

Appointment Type: Temporary Exempt (TEX) – Category 18 – Limited two (2) years duration

The Medical Social Worker position requires demonstrated commitment to zealously advocating for patients’ rights and respecting patients' autonomy over their medical decisions. The successful candidate will know the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. The candidate will be required to engage directly with patients with mental health disorders such as, but not limited to, schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, and severe substance dependence, as well as patients diagnosed with developmental disabilities; interview and assess clients to determine if they meet the legal criteria of grave disability; make referrals for outpatient treatment in the community; consult with mental health service providers; interview and gather socioeconomic data from patients, providers, treatment facilities, relatives and acquaintances; collect, review and analyze psychiatric and medical records; assist patients to develop plans for maintaining food, clothing, shelter, medical needs, and personal safety; provide client supportive services; and when required, sworn court testimony.

The position requires traveling to hospitals and treatment facilities in San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area when necessary.

Under supervision, this position in the Public Defender’s Office is responsible for but not limited to:

• Evaluates social, emotional and physical needs of clients by applying social work theories. Helps clients cope with the environmental and psychological issues of illness by explaining options and treatments as well as making appropriate referrals.
• Provides supportive counseling or crisis intervention to clients and/or their significant others, families, or friends or may provide referral services to therapists or mental health providers.
• Interviews clients, their families and significant others to obtain intake information; reviews financial status and screen eligibility for entitlement programs.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary health care teams to treat and plan for the psychosocial and medical needs of patients by consulting with other providers and making referrals. Devises, develops and implements treatment plans as necessary. May make a diagnosis as part of a treatment plan.
• Conducts mandatory reporting activities by completing reports (CPS, APS, elder abuse, and domestic violence reports) in specific timeframes and completing appropriate documents.
• Prepares records to document case activity including pertinent statistical reports, chart notes, correspondence, and other agency forms to monitor and assess client's progress;
• Advocates on behalf of clients with agencies, medical practitioners and within the community.
• Conducts home visits when necessary to survey living situation of clients for accessibility and to determine the need for further services.
• Provides discharge planning and/or service coordination and linkage by analyzing client needs, coordinates with other members of treatment teams and refers clients to outside services and community agencies. Researches community resources, makes appropriate referrals and helps facilitate medical treatment and arranges follow-up care.
  
  

Working Conditions

Able to travel throughout San Francisco and Bay Area to interview, assess, and advocate for patients receiving services at hospitals, locked and unlocked mental health facilities, and out-patient community programs

How to qualify

Applicants must fully meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing deadline unless otherwise stated:

Education

Possession of a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE);

AND

Experience

Six (6) months (1000 hours) of social work experience in a health care setting. This experience may be gained from supervised field placement during the Master's in Social Work (MSW) program or from post-graduate social work experience

Desirable Qualifications

• Strong commitment to serving marginalized, neglected, and homeless individuals suffering from mental health diagnoses
• Demonstrated strong commitment to and interest in zealously advocating for indigent clients with mental health diagnoses
• Demonstrated strong commitment to and interest in supporting and working with clients who have experienced trauma or display behavior likely attributable to experiencing homelessness, economic disenfranchisement, substance abuse, mental illness, poverty, food insecurity, and racism
• Experience working in a social justice, community-based organization, state or local government agencies
• Public speaking experience and willingness to provide testimony before a judge and/or jury
• Experience referring patients to mental health, substance abuse, and dual diagnoses treatment facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Graduate degree in Public Health or Nursing
• Knowledge of community resources for mental health and substance abuse treatment
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Experience providing services to patients with mental health diagnoses
• Experience working in hospitals, rehabilitation, community-based programs, acute and subacute mental health facilities
• Knowledge and experience in Forensic Psychiatry
  
  

Verification Of Experience And/or Education

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at http://sfdhr.org/index.aspx?page=456

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Selection Procedures

Applications will be screened and evaluated for qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be implemented in order to determine candidate’s qualifications. Only qualified candidates whose experience best meets the needs of the position will be selected to continue on to additional steps in the selection process, which may include an interview. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement. Qualified applicants with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation in the selection process must contact the Agency by phone at (415) 554-6000 or, if hearing impaired at (415) 554-6015 (TTY).

What else should I know?

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams [required for Combined, Promotive, Entrance
• (CPE) Exams only]
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement
  
  

How To Apply

Submit application through SmartRecruiters by the filing deadline of 11:45pm on Monday, July 14, 2025 and include the followings as an attachment to your application.

• Resume
• Employment Verification to show and support that you meet the minimum qualifications.
  
  

Note: Employment Verifications should be on a company letterhead with the job title, dates of employment, full time or part time, job duties, and with a wet signature by your direct supervisor or Human Resources representative.

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.

• Select the Announcement: Job Code & Title
• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen
  
  

Applicants may be contacted by email bout this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-t0-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the recruitment analyst, Stephanie Aquino at stephanie.aquino@sfgov.org

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.