Director of Social Work

The Department of Mental Health/Tewksbury Hospital is seeking committed qualified applicants for the Director of Social Work.

As the Director of Social Work for DMH Tewksbury Hospital your duties include Developing and implementing standards for the practice of social work. Manages census including coordination between the inpatient service and the courts. Ensures continuity of care between inpatient and community services. Provides facility leadership as a member of the Tewksbury Hospital Leadership.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all-inclusive):

• Provides facility leadership as a member of the DM H/Tewksbury Hospital Leadership Committee.
• Provides clinical and administrative supervision to inpatient clinical social workers including setting standards for performance and evaluation of clinical social work practice.
• Manages admission function, including interface with the Courts of the Commonwealth, census management, and oversight of standards for admissions of patients with serious mental illness, substance use issues, and court-ordered forensic mental health evaluations.
• Initiate policies, with Governance approval, for implementation by inpatient services staff in response to identified hospital needs, professional standards, and Joint Commission and CMS accreditation/certification standards.
• Ensures continuity of care through oversight of discharge planning, establishment of standards for clinical social work, collaboration with community service providers, and education of social work department staff.
• Interfaces with community service providers to identify processes of collaboration, monitor appropriateness and continuity of care issues, and resolve problem processes and cases.
• Participates in state-wide Department of Mental Health planning initiatives including statewide groups involving Directors of Social Work.
• Maintains the facility as a site for a graduate training program in Social Work.
• Initiates Performance Improvement activities through identification of areas for organizational improvement, analyzing problem cases and trends, and active leadership/participation in performance improvement initiatives.
• Provides clinical leadership related to risk assessment of patients and facilitates the development of risk mitigation plans to promote patient safety and facilitate successful community integration.
• Provides social work consultation to other disciplines and community agencies.
• Provides leadership to social work department and hospital committees.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to provide career development by fostering the long-term learning or development of others.
• Ability to effectively implement change management.
• Ability to identify and develop diverse talent.
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
• Knowledge and skills in the Evaluation and Diagnosis of Major Mental Illness
• Capacity and Ability to apply Mass General Laws Chapter 123
• Expertise in Forensic Mental Health
• Demonstrates skills in Psychosocial Rehabilitation for Psychiatric Disorders
• Knowledge and skills in Substance Use Assessment and treatment
• Ability to apply standards of the Center for Medicaid/ Medicare Services
• Knowledge and ability to apply the standards of the Joint Commission
• Given the population served, bilingual or multilingual.

Special Requirement: Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker

DMH Mission Statement:

The Department of Mental Health assures and provides access to services and supports to meet 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 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.

About Tewksbury Hospital:

Tewksbury Hospital operates a 370-bed facility and a campus of over 700 acres of land. Its patient care services are provided under the auspices of the Department of Public Health and Mental Health. Joint Commission accredited LTAC hospital that provides high quality, comprehensive treatment, care, and comfort to adults with chronic medical and mental illness. A full range of services are provided including 24/7 Nursing, Nurse Practitioners, Medicine as well as psychiatric and psychological services, a 6-bed dialysis unit, a clinical laboratory, radiology, respiratory care, nutrition, speech/language, pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, therapeutic recreation and arts, and pharmacy.

Pre-Offer Process:

A tax & background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Human Resources Division prior to the candidate being hired.

Education, licensure, and certifications will be verified by 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 form ADA Reasonable Accommodation 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.

Questions or issues regarding access/login credentials to MassCareers, please contact the Mass HR ESC at 617-979-8500.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or equivalent part-time, professional, professional internship, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in a particular specialty (i.e. scientific, professional, or technical) and must possess current license and/or registration requirements established for the performance of the position or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

II. A Bachelor’s degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

III. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required experience.

IV. A Doctorate in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required experience.

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.

Title 101 CMR 23.00 (“Regulation”) requires specific 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 their 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 based on 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.