Medical Social Worker - Central Health

Central Health; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Health is seeking a Medical Social Worker to join their team in Austin, Texas. This hybrid position involves providing psychosocial assistance to individuals facing terminal, acute, or chronic illnesses while maintaining strong relationships with members and providers.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and have at least three years of experience. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, supporting the medical management staff, and resource coordination. Bilingual skills and experience in a managed care environment are highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of medical social work experience with vulnerable populations.
• Experience working in managed care environment preferred.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychosocial assistance dealing with terminal, acute and chronic illnesses.
• Support medical management staff in case management functions.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments to identify barriers to health maintenance.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Knowledge of community resources

Social work principles

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Social Work

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Overview

In collaboration with patients, families, caregivers and staff across all discipline and departments. The Medical Social Worker is responsible for providing psychosocial assistance while dealing with terminal, acute and chronic illnesses. Provides support and guidance to the Central Health Medical Management staff and is expected to maintain strong working relationships with members, providers and other staff members.

This position is considered Hybrid, which means that individuals in this position may work both at an approved Offsite location and Onsite at a primary location or multiple locations based on Business Needs.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties:

• Supports the Central Health Medical Management department with case management function with strong emphasis on psychosocial, behavioral health and substance abuse service coordination.
• Develops professional relationships with, and knowledge of aftercare resources, including their scope and referral process requirements to improve Member safety in the community (i.e., State and regional forms of assistance, housing, and entitlements, etc.)
• Conducts Psychosocial Assessments comprising of current information (dynamics, ability to cope with hospitalization, loss of functional levels, life changes dictated by illness, supports, and financial resources, etc.) in order to:
• Share with other multi-disciplinary members, information that will enhance effectiveness and outcome of plan-of-care.
• Identify barriers to successful health maintenance for Members.
• Identify risk of onset or prior existence of psychiatric diagnosis, or substance abuse.
• Make appropriate recommendations/referrals to community resources.
• Prevents communication break-downs between members, families and providers, balancing advocacy and staff member role requirements.
• Identifies probability of child, adult/elder abuse/neglect/exploitation or domestic violence, and report to designated agencies (CPS, APS), and law enforcement.
• Provides support as a resource to members/families confronting simultaneously illness and/or psychosocial issues.
• Identifies root-causes of frequent medical and/or behavioral health re-admissions and addresses them within the scope of Social Work (i.e., culturally-based perceptions of illness and health, ill-understood nature of life-changes secondary to disease, lack of resources).
• Incorporates independent thinking, judgment and initiative when interfacing with physicians, providers, nurses, and other health care professionals as well as Members, families, and/or caregivers.
• Handles confidential and time sensitive materials including clinical information that is subject to HIPAA requirement.
• Utilizes computer to perform word processing and data entry, creating and maintain databases, conduct online research, format letters, reports and other information, and composes routine correspondence.
• Performs all job expectations and standards in an accurate and timely manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Working knowledge of Community agencies/resources, financial programs, i.e., TANF/SSI and familiarity with principles of growth and development.
• Experience with crisis intervention with largely adult populations.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary staff.
• Previous experience in a managed care environment preferred.
• Fully participates in maintaining a positive team environment that is conducive to customer satisfaction.
• Builds trust among co-workers, focusing on accomplishing the organization's mission and goals.
• Organizes work and uses time efficiently.
• Takes the initiative to find additional work during slow or downtimes.
• Recommends innovative ways of doing work more efficiently and collectively.
• Ability to apply independent discretion and judgment in handling sensitive and confidential communications and materials.
• Ability to handle detail and constantly shift between competing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interface effectively both externally and internally with a wide range of people.
• Strong problem solving skills with effective follow through.
• Strong listening, verbal, presentation and written communication skills.
• Ability to perform moderately complex operations using Microsoft Office Suite and skill in using the internet.
• Bilingual skills (English and Spanish) highly desirable.

Qualifications

MINIMUM EDUCATION: Bachelor’s Degree of Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE: A minimum of three years of experience in medical social work with vulnerable populations is required.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSURE: Holds and maintains these certifications as a professional. Lapsing/expiration of these certifications/licensure will result in suspension of work:

• Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW)
• Licenses Master Social Worker (LMSW)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)