Social Worker

Social Work Supervisor - Behavioral Health

The Social Work Supervisor provides supervisory duties within the Behavioral Health Department for inpatient adult civilian and forensic psychiatric units. This lead social work position is responsible for planning, organizing, and reviewing the work of the Social Work Team under the direction of the Executive Director of Behavioral Health. Duties include training and supervising social work staff/interns, conducting regular chart audits, overseeing/evaluating inpatient therapy services, acting as liaison with community stakeholders, and participating in interdisciplinary leadership team initiatives.

Essential Job Functions:

• Responsible for overseeing and evaluating all groups including process, psychoeducational, psychotherapy, and competency groups as well as individual/family therapy services
• Trains and supervises behavioral health social workers and social work interns
• Acts as liaison between the Behavioral Health Department and other community stakeholders including Local Mental Health Authorities, agencies, local court systems
• Assists in creating staff schedules for social services team and arranges for staff coverage as needed
• Conducts regular chart audits including assessments, patient care notes, group notes, and discharge documentation and provides feedback to social work staff
• Supervises social services team projects and staff meetings to enhance work environment
• Participates as integral member of multidisciplinary leadership team for Behavioral Health Department
• Responsible for submitting all commitment documents and ensuring compliance with Texas Mental Health Code regarding involuntary patients
• Cross trained on adult psychiatric unit and forensic units to provide coverage/supervision as need

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated critical thinking skills with ability to manage rapidly changing priorities and perform duties in a stressful work environment
• Excellent team building skills and ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary professionals
• Ability to work under minimal supervision, take initiative, and use independent judgement
• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to plan and organize performance improvement initiative for social work staff
• Highly experienced in conducting assessments, facilitating therapy services, and case management
• Sensitivity in working with diverse populations in acute psychiatric crisis including forensic patients

Required Knowledge:

• Knowledge of evidence-based practice interventions for treatment of serious mental illnesses including crisis intervention, behavioral therapy, treatment milieu, suicide risks, co-occurring/substance use disorders and DSM-V diagnostic criteria
• Knowledge of individual, family, and group therapy treatment modalities
• Knowledge of community resources/agencies to assist with discharge planning
• Knowledge of Texas Mental Health Code, Texas Administrative Code, JCAHO, and CMS policies and standards of practice
• Knowledge of mental health commitment process for involuntary psychiatric patients

Minimum Education/Experience:

• Master of Social Work degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education
• Five years of experience in social services, preferred experience in inpatient psychiatric services
• Supervisory experience preferred

Licensing Requirements:

• Licensed by the Texas Board of Social Work Examiners as an LMSW or LCSW. License must be current and without restrictions.
• LCSW-S preferred