Please note: This is a full-time, 40 hour position. The hours are 8:30am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday as the days off.

Duties and Responsibilities (this is a general summary and is not all-inclusive):

• Provide concise and diagnostically accurate psychosocial evaluations for patients with serious mental illness as per CMS regulations and TJC standards.
• Develop and coordinate disposition plans in conjunction with the treatment team, taking into account developmental, racial, cultural and ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity issues that impact a patient's aftercare needs.
• Provide focused treatment through individual and group counseling.
• Provide consultation and education to patients' families and community supports, as appropriate, in order to enhance the patient's return to the community.
• Participate in regularly-scheduled morning rounds, team meetings, case conferences, and social services meetings; and attend case conferences as needed in the community.
• Represent the Department of Social Work within multidisciplinary team, attend unit leadership meetings, clinical management and other meetings as assigned.
• Coordinate and facilitate treatment planning meetings and periodic reviews in an efficient and timely fashion.

Required Qualifications:

• Knowledge of human growth and development across the lifespan.
• Understanding of the social, emotional and experiential causes of social and psychiatric disorders.
• Knowledge of principles and techniques to help individuals, families, groups and communities enhance their individual and collective well-being by developing their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve problems.
• Comprehension of the principals and practices of psychosocial evaluation and diagnosis, which includes knowledge of applicable interviewing techniques for individuals and their families.
• Understanding of assessment and treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders.
• Knowledge of community resources and how to access them for patient treatment, disposition planning, and patient follow-up.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional working relationships with others, and to establish rapport and interact with people who are under stress and to handle stressful and emergent situations.
• Power to establish and sustain therapeutic relationships.
• Ability to interpret and coordinate treatment plans among a variety of human service personnel and delivery systems.
• Familiarity and comfort working with multidisciplinary teams to analyze complex problems, build consensus and implement organizational improvements.
• Capacity to effectively communicate information and ideas, both spoken and in writing.
• Power to develop plans to accomplish work and prioritize and organize one's own work, often in stressful situations.
• Ability to work with resistant patients, handle complaints, arbitrating disputes, and resolving problems or otherwise negotiate with others.
• Capability to understand and apply relevant laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders and agency rules.
• Ability to combine, evaluate and reason with information and data to make decisions and solve problems, taking into consideration the relative importance of information and choosing the best solution.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge and experience of inpatient mental health treatment and services.
• Understanding of terminology used specifically in an inpatient setting
• Comprehension and understanding of Federal, State and local public entitlement programs and Medicare/Medicaid
• Knowledge of and experience applying Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Joint Commission (TJC) regulations and standards
• Given the population served, bilingual or multilingual fluency

DMH Mission and Vision:

The Department of Mental Health, as the State Mental Health Authority, assures and provides access to services and supports to meets the mental health needs of individuals of all ages, enabling them to live, work, and participate in their communities. The Department establishes standards to ensure the effective and culturally competent care to promote recovery. The Department sets policy, promotes self-determination, protects human rights, and supports mental health training and research. This critical mission is accomplished by working in partnership with other state agencies, individuals, families, providers, and communities. Mental health is an essential part of health care. The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, as the State Mental Health Authority, promotes mental health through early intervention, treatment, education, policy, and regulation so that all residents of the Commonwealth may live full and productive lives.

Hospital Mission:

The mission of the DMH Hospital System is to support and facilitate recovery and wellness for individuals with mental health conditions. We do this through the delivery of evidence-informed evaluation and treatment that is trauma-informed and person-centered with the goals of enhancing autonomy, safety and return to the community. Our Inpatient Clinical Social workers play a critical role on each patient's multidisciplinary team that also includes psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, mental health workers, occupational therapists, rehabilitation staff and peer specialists.

Pre-Offer Process:

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines.

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website.

If you require assistance with the application/interview process and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the link and complete the Reasonable Accommodation Online Request Form

For questions regarding this requisition, please contact the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Human Resources at 1-800- 510-4122 Ext. #4.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

REQUIRED WORK EXPERIENCE:

At least two years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience as a clinical social worker after earning a Master's degree in social work.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

- A Doctorate in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, counseling education, or human services may be substituted for the required experience on the basis of two years of education for one year of experience.

- One year of education equals 30 semester hours. Education toward a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

REQUIRED EDUCATION:

A Master's or higher degree in social work is required.

LICENSES:

- Licensure as a Licensed Certified Social Worker or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Social Work is required.

- Based on assignment, travel may be required. Those employees who elect to use a motor vehicle for travel must have a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator's license or the equivalent from another state.

Salary placement is determined by a combination of factors, including the candidate's years of directly related experience and education, and alignment with our internal compensation structure as set forth by the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines. For all bargaining unit positions (non-management), compensation is subject to the salary provisions outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will apply to placement within the appropriate salary range .

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

Title 101 CMR 23.00 ("Regulation") requires certain agency staff to have received the COVID-19 vaccination and Influenza vaccination, or have taken required mitigation measures, to prevent viral infection and transmission in State Hospitals and State Congregate Care Facilities. The Regulation applies to this position. Successful candidates will be required to acknowledge and attest to your vaccination status for both COVID-19 and Influenza.

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.