Job Description

Department Overview

The Medical Social Worker, as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, provides biopsychosocial assessment, brief counseling, care coordination, information/referral, crisis intervention, patient advocacy and associated services to patients, families, significant others and other community agencies who may be involved in the patient's care. The Medical Social Worker directs efforts towards assisting patients and their families with adjusting to new diagnoses, changes in physical functioning, challenges of hospitalization, and eventual readjustment to the community. The Social Work Department has corresponding teaching and research functions related to health and healthcare delivery practices. The Medical Social Worker provides direct intervention on an as-needed basis with infants, children, adolescents, adults and elderly patients and/or families. The Medical Social Worker will practice in accordance with performance standards, ethical principles, and core values with a commitment to service excellence. This position may provide social work services to patients admitted anywhere in the hospital including Adult units, Pediatric units and the Emergency Department depending on department need or assist with coverage needs for other care management social work services.

Function/Duties of Position

• Conducts psychosocial evaluations of patients/families and significant others including but not limited to the following: adjustment to medical or health condition; care coordination; mental health status; adjustment/compliance to treatment process; substance usage; child and elder abuse/neglect assessments; domestic violence issues; cognitive status (including potential guardian issues); and patient/family resources.
• Provides crisis intervention and supportive short-term counseling to patients/families and significant others as necessary to meet immediate psycho-social needs including, but not limited to: Trauma/Emergency Department/ On Call/ Family Notification, CODE Response (family intervention); unanticipated change in health conditions/suicidal ideation; teenage pregnancy; single parent pregnancy/parenthood, domestic violence, child and elder abuse/neglect.
• Provides grief/loss counseling and education regarding fetal demise; actual/pending death of patient/family member; complicated pregnancies; pregnancy termination support, postpartum depression; chronic/acute stress associated with life circumstances; divorce/separation; loss of independence associated with illness or disability.
• Provides brief psychotherapy including individual short-term psychotherapy; group work including information/support groups, family support, patient therapy); regarding but not limited to issues of adoption, abortion, domestic violence, family of origin, sexual/gender, substance abuse, parenting, relationship adjustment to disabilities and chronic or acute illness.
• Provides patient advocacy and associated services to patient/family and other involved agencies/parties regarding decision-making; advanced directives; ethics consultations; court holds; guardianship/conservatorship; citizenship cases; and social cultural factors.
• Assess patient/family support needs regarding transportation, housing, clothing and educational/patient vocational rehabilitation and training materials and refer to appropriate resources.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of patient care activities in an efficient manner per departmental policies. Participate in Department of Care Management and assign service meetings, in services and conferences, as indicated including Complex Patient Interdisciplinary Rounds. Provides support to patient care staff following traumatic events through individual or group consultation. Reviews literature on pertinent patient care/Social Work service issues and conducts in services regarding psychosocial patient care issues and Social Work services. Meets in regularly scheduled supervisory sessions. Participates in patient rounds as appropriate. Complete all OHSU/JCAHO mandatory education requirements and activities within established timelines.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s Social Work (MSW) required.
• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Experience in behavioral health, case management, or medical settings.
• Provide counseling, crisis intervention, and coping strategies for patients and families facing, for instance, terminal illness or severe mental health crises.
• Ability to work in interprofessional teams.
• Strong advocacy skills.
• Knowledge of acute and ambulatory care models.
• Comprehensive Knowledge and understanding of the full scope of case management services and application across healthcare.
• Ability to work effectively with a team of healthcare professionals, including patients, caregivers, nurses, social workers, and other practitioners.
• Ethical Treatment: Respect for patient autonomy, confidentiality, and informed consent.
• Obligations to document treatment accurately and limits information sharing.
• Personal and professional commitment to ethical practice, including adherence to national and provincial laws governing specific professional activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Health care experience preferred.
• 3 years working in a healthcare setting or providing acute mental health services, care coordination and discharge planning.
• Bilingual language skill are strongly preferred.

Additional Details

Posted: 5/12/2026 10:01am

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu