Position Summary

The Clinical Social Worker I (hereinafter “CSW I”) holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW), is registered as an Associate Clinical Social Worker with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, and provides medical social work services. If the CSW I has pending registration, the CSW must work under the supervision of an LCSW.

The CSW I is responsible for employing a model of patient care that focuses on providing patients/caregivers with supportive counseling, psychosocial assessments, therapeutic interventions, education, and community resource support information. This position includes participation in multidisciplinary program development and evaluation; multidisciplinary treatment modalities; emergency/crisis response; and on-call rotation. The CSW I effectively utilize clinical supervision to ensure optimal delivery of psychosocial care and seek out performance improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Provides timely, appropriate, reliable, and respectful social work services to patients and families.
• Demonstrates competence appropriate to his/her role and function (see addendum for Social Work Navigator and School Reintegration Program).
• Delivers quality of care consistent with professional and City of Hope standards.
• Uses effective decision-making, evaluation and problem-solving skills in managing patient care, hospital, and administrative needs.
• Demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills; excellent documentation skills of all activities/decisions related to patient care in compliance with State, National and Joint Commission standards/regulations.
• Provides skilled psychosocial support and crisis management for patients throughout the continuum of care: diagnosis, living with cancer, recurrence, end-of-life, and survivorship.
• Respectful understanding of cultural differences and diversity.
• Acts as an effective liaison for appropriate referrals to other services within the Department of Supportive Care Medicine, including: psychiatry; psychology; supportive and palliative care; pain management; spiritual care; patient navigation; and patient, family & community education.
• Collaborates with and promotes teamwork among all members of the healthcare team; co-facilitates programs (e.g., support groups, work teams, subcommittees). Openly expresses ideas for new programs or enhancements to current programs/services.
• Participates in interdisciplinary rounds and serves on institutional committees as appointed.
• Demonstrates strong potential for leadership and proactively seeks out opportunities for growth and development.
• Actively pursues licensure requirements and educational opportunities for further development of clinical skills and professional growth.
• Participates in recruitment and interviewing of social work candidates.
• Acts as an ambassador to the profession by effectively articulating the role and expertise of a CSW and by actively participating in community and professional organizations.
• Demonstrates a willingness to participate in marketing and development efforts.
• Meets and maintains all professional and regulatory standards; represents and models the core values of the Department of Supportive Care Medicine.
• Participates in performance improvement activities to promote continuous improvement in care delivery.
• Participates in weekly supervision and mentorship.
• Strives to earn the respect and esteem of the team, department, organization and profession; fosters positive departmental and institutional morale.
• Demonstrates compassion, warmth, insight, basic skill in assessments and intervention, and maintains objectivity and professional boundaries.
• Possesses a working knowledge of the patient population at City of Hope