BACKGROUND

Through the Asian Health Initiative (AHI) and Dorchester Health Initiative (DHI), Tufts Medical Center partners with community-based organizations to address challenges identified in the hospital’s 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment. In Chinatown, the AHI aims to reduce tobacco and nicotine use and address the behavioral health underpinnings that drive tobacco and nicotine use. In Dorchester, the DHI addresses the challenges of violence, mental health, and substance use (collectively, behavioral health) among members of the Dorchester community with a focus on youth and families. We also have partnerships in South Boston and South End to support community needs. The LCSW will work with program staff on-site at partner organizations to serve their clients. The role may include (1) Brainstorming, initiating and/or developing content for workshops, presentations, curricula, and the like as requested by and helpful for community partners to support social and behavioral health needs of community members; (2) Facilitating coordination and communication between behavioral health personnel across community partner sites to ensure consistency and promote collaboration; (3) Providing direct services to clients when necessary, including conducting assessments of youth and family needs, coordinating referrals to appropriate services, and providing counseling in individual or group settings as appropriate; and (4) Supervising MSW students as they serve program participants.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Coordination

· Collaborates with Tufts MC, AHI, and DHI partners to determine the most appropriate system of maintaining client records that will best meet client needs and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations while facilitating collaboration and referrals between agencies and reporting of aggregated data to Tufts MC.

· Ensures client records are complete and accurate. Performs other administrative documentation and record keeping, such as basic service delivery reports, student intern evaluations, performance evaluations, etc. in complete and timely manner.

· Consults with Tufts MC on methods of assessing collective impact by standardizing measurement of client progress and outcomes across partner organizations.

Direct Services

· Travels among/provides support across community partner facilities to provide psychosocial assessment of the individual and family, including limitations, deficits and strengths in their current situation and environment, as well as functional level. May conduct a psychiatric social work assessment according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Collaborates with the program staff at AHI and DHI partner organizations to develop individualized service plans for the clients in their care to meet the needs identified through these assessments.

· Provides treatment, therapy, psycho-education and/or counseling utilizing individual, family or group modalities. Services generally to be provided at AHI and DHI partner facilities.

· Provides information, referral and creative resource acquisition in the community for specific individual and family needs. Assists clients/families to understand psychosocial factors impeding their maximal utilization of community resources.

· Collaborates with and provides consultation to the program staff at AHI and DHI partner organizations to aid the team in understanding and integrating the significance of psychosocial factors in relation to clients’ needs. Identifies psychosocial issues that may impede client progress. Makes recommendations to the team regarding client/family care and management. Assists program staff in working with clients and families to achieve informed decision-making.

· Consults, collaborates and communicates with a wide range of social, governmental and legal agencies, courts, schools, clinics, other hospitals, physicians and other sources.

· Serves as a patient/family advocate with a variety of systems both internally and externally as required. May be called upon to testify in court.

Supervision

· Provides supervision to MSW student interns as they provide social work services to clients and families in AHI and DHI partner programs.

· Ensures MSW students are utilizing best practices and operating within their qualifications.

· Reviews MSW students’ notes in client records to ensure quality and compliance, and offers guidance to students as necessary.

· Liaises as necessary with MSW students’ faculty advisors to ensure students receive support and credit for their work, and completes all relevant paperwork.

Miscellaneous

· Actively engages in the regularly scheduled meetings, programs and activities of the Department. Represents the profession and Department in hospital and community meetings and committees.

· Continually monitors, assesses and modifies LCSW’s own social work practice and programs. Conducts quality improvement activities and research regarding service delivery and effectiveness of interventions, as required.

· Develops materials which may include lesson plans, curricula, workshop content, slides, to support community partner’s social and behavioral health needs.

· Conducts or participates in public presentations, seminars, and workshops as requested. Responsible for making recommendations to the Director of Community Health Improvement Programs regarding service delivery gaps, systemic issues, and program development.

· Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues in order to effectively contribute to the working groups’ achievement of goals, and to help foster a positive work environment.

· Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

· Job knowledge and skills

o Excellent written and verbal communication, and critical thinking skills.

o Possesses and applies the skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to clients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.

o Knowledge of casework process and community resources in relation to health (including mental health), illness, and disability. Knowledge of the concept of social determinants of health.

o Knowledge of current social work theory and practice, the ability to apply treatment and case management methods, and familiarity with community issues and resources.

o Understanding of organizational theory and practice in large systems and the knowledge of social and health care policies and systems.

o High degree of diagnostic, treatment, interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.

o Analytical skills required assessing patient needs, to develop associated treatment modalities and to provide effective counseling.

o Computer skills and knowledge of general office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Familiarity with case management software programs (particularly Efforts to Outcomes) preferred.

· Education

o Master’s Degree in Social Work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

· Experience

o 1-2 years post Master’s Degree social work experience.

o An equivalent combination of education and experience – which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed above – may be substituted for the above education and experience requirements.

· Licenses, etc.

o Licensure at the level of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required.

· Age specific competencies

o Possesses and applies the skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to clients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process. This includes:

§ Knowledge of growth and development

§ Ability to interpret age specific data and response to care

§ Provide age specific communication

o Note: DHI programs are expected primarily to target youth from early childhood to early adulthood as clients. However, the LCSW will be expected to interact with and provide support to youth’s family members of all ages in order to fully assess and address the needs of the youth clients. AHI programs may have similar arrangements.

· Working conditions/physical demands

o LCSW may spend a significant portion of their time at partner facilities in Chinatown, Dorchester, and South Boston providing direct support to clients, supervising MSW students, and collaborating with partner program staff. LCSW must have means of transport to program sites, which may have varying degrees of accessibility by public transportation.

o When at Tufts Medical Center, LCSW will have access to traditional office amenities.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES STATEMENT

Must be able to perform all essential functions of this position with reasonable accommodation if disabled.