Overview

Job Title: Social Worker - MSW / LSW
Location: Riley Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
Schedule: Full-Time, Evening Shift (Hours to be specified; may include on-call and holiday rotations)

Position Overview:

The Social Worker provides face-to-face assessments, counseling, and resource coordination for patients and families. This role involves collaborating with all members of the healthcare team to facilitate safe, timely, and effective care, ensuring patients and families receive the resources and education needed. The Social Worker serves as a key contact and resource in cases involving child abuse/neglect, elder abuse, institutional abuse, and domestic violence. Additionally, this role supports complex discharge planning, crisis intervention, and specialized mental health services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Meet face-to-face with patients and families to assess psychosocial needs and provide counseling.

• Communicate and collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to ensure comprehensive, safe, and timely care.

• Interpret and communicate complex patient and family needs; role model caring practices for other caregivers.

• Assess psychosocial risk factors through evaluation of prior functioning, support systems, reaction to illness, and coping skills.

• Counsel patients and families about emotional, social, and financial impacts of illness or disability.

• Access and mobilize family and community resources to meet patient needs.

• Conduct mental health assessments upon physician referral.

• Facilitate therapeutic interventions to support complex discharge planning.

• Serve as the primary contact for cases involving child abuse/neglect, elder/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence.

• Act as liaison between Indiana University Health and local protective teams (APS/DCS).

• Maintain principles and techniques of crisis intervention and de-escalation.

• 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 with clinical leadership.

• Utilize de-escalation techniques to manage acute crises and prevent violence.

• Conduct interviews with victims, perpetrators, families, and significant others.

• Provide intervention for end-of-life, guardianship, foster care, adoption, and related cases.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Education: Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited institution.

• Licensure: Permanent Indiana LSW licensure required.

• Certifications:

  • Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) or an alternative de-escalation training required within 6 months of hire.

• Experience: Relevant healthcare, mental health, or community-based experience preferred.

• Knowledge & Skills:

  • Evidence-based psychosocial assessments, 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 protective legal mandates for adults and children.

  • 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.

  • Proficiency in electronic medical records and documentation.

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 Information:

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

• Focus on evening shifts at Riley Hospital.

Join our team and help us deliver compassionate, expert psychosocial support to improve patient outcomes and safety.

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

Interested?
Apply today to be part of Riley Hospital's dedicated social work team.