Hospital Social Worker: Crisis Intervention & Discharge

Indiana University Health; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Indiana University Health's University Hospital in Indianapolis seeks a Social Worker – MSW LSW to assess psychosocial needs, provide counselling, discharge planning, and crisis intervention with patients and families. You will collaborate with the healthcare team and serve as liaison with local protective services.

The role emphasizes strong community engagement, de‑escalation in crises, and coordinating care across hospital staff, law enforcement, social services, schools, and community

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work is required.
• Permanent LSW licensure is required.
• Crisis Prevention Intervention or equivalent de-escalation training within 6 months of hire.
• Knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial assessments, short-term therapeutic counselling, and crisis intervention.
• Understanding of disease processes, human behavior, and health-related social needs.
• Strong discharge planning skills for safe transfers of care.
• Knowledge of state and county legal mandates for child and adult protective services.
• Experience with diverse populations across geography, culture and finances.
• Ability to collaborate with hospital staff, law enforcement, social services, schools, and community agencies.
• May be scheduled for on-call, holiday, or weekend rotations.

Responsibilities

• Meet face-to-face with patients and families to assess psychosocial needs and coordinate care.
• Coordinate care with the healthcare team to ensure timely services and resources.
• Interpret and communicate complex patient and family needs, modeling caring practices for team members.
• Conduct psychosocial risk assessments evaluating prior functioning, support systems, reactions to illness, and coping strategies.
• Counsel patients and families regarding emotional, social, and financial impacts of health conditions or disabilities.
• Access and mobilize family and community resources to meet identified needs.
• Provide mental health assessments upon physician referral and deliver therapeutic interventions, including crisis and addiction assessments.
• Support complex discharge planning, including guardianship, foster care, adoption, and mental health placements.
• Serve as the primary point person for cases involving child abuse/neglect, adult/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence.
• Act as liaison between IU Health, protective teams, law enforcement, and community agencies.
• Respond to dangerous and potentially dangerous situations with clinical intervention and de-escalation.
• Support patients during acute crises, utilizing de-escalation techniques to prevent violence.
• Facilitate decision-making and care planning conversations with patients and families.
• Maintain strong professional relationships with hospital administration, medical teams, law enforcement, social services, and community agencies.
• Document all assessments and interventions proficiently in the electronic medical record system.

Skills

Community engagement

Crisis management

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Master’s Degree in Social Work

Permanent LSW licensure

Tools

EMR documentation

Job description

Indiana University Health's University Hospital in Indianapolis seeks a Social Worker – MSW LSW to assess psychosocial needs, provide counselling, discharge planning, and crisis intervention with patients and families. You will collaborate with the healthcare team and serve as liaison with local protective services.

The role emphasizes strong community engagement, de‑escalation in crises, and coordinating care across hospital staff, law enforcement, social services, schools, and community