Social Worker

Careers in Mental Health

Kristy Dees, MSW-CSWA
Social Worker

Generic Information

Job Responsibilities:

Conducts patient evaluations
Conducts interviews with patients, family members, friends, and other contacts in the community
Communicates psychosocial functioning, nature and extent of disability, the potential for rehabilitation, and assessment of barriers to discharge as requested by courts or the interdisciplinary team
Identifies patient resources upon discharge; initiates and secures available resources
Collaborates with physicians, clinicians, nurses, therapists, and allied health professionals as a part of a patient-centered interdisciplinary team

Education Requirements:

Master’s degree in Social Work is preferred but a Bachelor’s Degree in Social work is sufficient for a Registered Baccalaureate Social Worker

Certification Requirements :

Licensed Master’s Social Workers (LMSW) License from the Oregon State Licensing Board
Certified Social Work Associate (CSWA) License from the Oregon State Licensing Board
Registered Baccalaureate Social Worker (RBSW) License from the Oregon State Licensing Board
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) License from the Oregon State Licensing Board

Essential Skills:

Empathetic active listening skills
Clinical knowledge, skills and abilities in working with persons with mental illness
Ability to function independently and as a part of a patient-centered interdisciplinary treatment team
Highly attentive to detail, confidentiality, and accuracy
Verbal and written communication skills

Other Job Settings:

Nursing and residential care facilities
Home healthcare
Outpatient clinics
Physician’s Office
Medical hospitals
Outpatient Clinics
Schools (k12 – universities)
Government and community agencies
Civil and criminal courts
Vocational rehabilitation services
Corrections facilities
Rehabilitation facilities

Overview

As vital members of the interdisciplinary team, the main focus for social workers is helping patients re-enter the community after discharge. Discharge planning begins with the first meeting of a patient’s interdisciplinary care team. Social workers arrange for the resources necessary for progress after hospitalization; this includes housing, access to therapeutic medication and continued treatment, and the necessary social supports. Social workers play a key role in mitigating future difficulties related to a patient’s condition by providing individual, family, and group counseling. They also provide other interventions to psychiatric hospital patients while assuming primary responsibility for discharge planning.