Overview

Job Title: Social Worker - MSW / LCSW
Location: IU West, Avon, IN
Schedule: Full-Time, Day Shift, Monday through Friday

Position Overview:

The Social Worker provides face-to-face assessments, counseling, and resource coordination for patients and families within the Inpatient Department (ICM) at IU West. This role involves collaborating with the clinical team to develop treatment plans that address psychosocial issues, facilitate safe discharges, and meet patient needs. The Social Worker also serves as a resource and role model for students, interns, LBSWs, and LSWs, and acts as a liaison with protective services and community agencies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Meet face-to-face with patients and families to assess psychosocial needs and provide counseling.
• Assist in developing educational materials for team members, patients, and families.
• Serve as a resource and role model for students, interns, LBSWs, and LSWs.
• Participate with the clinical team in treatment planning to resolve psychosocial issues and support mental health diagnosis.
• Effectively communicate and collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to ensure safe, timely, and coordinated care.
• Interpret and communicate complex patient and family needs; model caring practices to other caregivers.
• Assess psychosocial risk factors through evaluation of prior functioning, support systems, reactions to illness, and coping skills.
• Counsel patients and families regarding emotional, social, and financial impacts of illness/disability.
• Access and mobilize family and community resources to meet patient needs.
• Provide mental health assessments upon physician referral.
• Facilitate complex discharge planning through therapeutic interventions.
• Serve as the primary liaison for cases involving child abuse/neglect, elder/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence.
• Serve as liaison between IU Health and local child and adult protective teams (APS/DCS).
• Maintain principles and practices of crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
• Provide intervention in guardianship (temporary/permanent), foster care, adoption, and mental health Level II placements.
• Offer specialized mental health services, including crisis intervention, addiction assessments, and psychiatric referrals.
• Support individuals in dangerous or potentially dangerous situations, providing leadership and clinical intervention.
• Utilize de-escalation techniques to manage acute crises and prevent violence.
• Conduct interviews with victims, perpetrators, family members, and other stakeholders.
• Provide intervention for end-of-life, guardianship, foster care, and adoption cases.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Education: Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited institution.
• Licensure: Permanent Indiana LCSW required.
• Certifications:
  • Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) or an equivalent de-escalation training required within 6 months of hire.
• Experience: Relevant healthcare, mental health, or community-based experience preferred.
• Knowledge & Skills:
  • Evidence-based psychosocial assessment, short-term therapeutic counseling, and crisis intervention for mental health and substance use disorders.
  • Knowledge of disease processes and human behavior related to health and social needs.
  • Complex discharge planning skills for safe patient transitions.
  • Knowledge of state and county adult and child protective legal mandates.
  • Principles of growth, development, and end-of-life care.
  • Ability to identify decision-makers and facilitate goals-of-care conversations.
  • Experience working with diverse populations across geographic, cultural, and financial backgrounds.
  • Computer literacy and proficiency in electronic medical records.

Core Competencies:

• Strong communication and active listening skills.
• Crisis management and de-escalation techniques.
• Ability to work independently and within a multidisciplinary team.
• Commitment to confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.
• Cultural sensitivity and professionalism.

Additional Notes:

• May be scheduled for on-call and holiday rotations.

Join our dedicated team at IU West and help us deliver compassionate, high-quality psychosocial support to improve patient outcomes and safety.

To learn more about our benefits, visit: IU Health Benefits

Interested?
Apply today to be a part of IU Health's mission to provide exceptional care and support to our patients and their families.