Job Description

Job Title: Social Worker – MSW / LCSW

Location: North Hospital, Carmel, IN

Shift: Full-Time, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday with rotating holidays

The Social Worker at IU Health provides face-to-face psychosocial assessments, discharge planning, resource coordination, and crisis intervention for patients and families. This role involves collaboration with healthcare teams across various departments, including the Emergency Department (ED) for both adult and pediatric patients, and encompasses working with patients discharged to nursing homes, acute rehab facilities, hospice, and other care settings. The position is broad in scope, focusing on holistic patient support rather than solely therapy, and aims to meet diverse psychosocial needs through comprehensive assessment, resource allocation, and legal advocacy.

Key Responsibilities:

Conduct face-to-face assessments of patients and families to evaluate psychosocial needs, risks, and support systems.

Provide psychosocial assessments, discharge planning, and resource linkage, including placement in nursing homes, acute rehab facilities, hospice, and community services.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure safe, timely, and effective patient care and discharge processes.

Interpret and communicate complex patient and family needs, modeling caring practices and professionalism.

Counsel patients and families regarding emotional, social, and financial impacts of illness or disability.

Access and mobilize community and family resources to support patient care and post-discharge needs.

Perform mental health assessments upon physician referral and support ongoing care with therapeutic interventions.

Serve as the primary liaison for cases involving child abuse/neglect, elder abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence, coordinate with protective agencies.

Support crisis intervention, de-escalation, and safety planning in dangerous or potentially violent situations.

Support patients through guardianship, foster care, adoption, end-of-life care, and legal processes, ensuring compliance with standards.

Conduct interviews and assessments of victims, perpetrators, and significant others, ensuring safety and legal adherence.

Maintain accurate documentation in electronic medical records, complying with hospital standards and legal requirements.

Develop and foster strong working relationships with hospital staff, law enforcement, APS/DCS, community agencies, and external partners.

Respond with or in lieu of the Department of Public Safety to de-escalate violence when needed.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education: Master’s degree in social work (MSW) required.

Licensure: Must be fully licensed as a LCSW or equivalent in Indiana.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years' experience in an acute care setting preferred.

Knowledge & Skills:

Evidence-based psychosocial assessment, short-term therapeutic counseling, and crisis intervention.

Knowledge of disease processes and human behavior related to health and social needs.

Strong discharge planning skills, including placement in nursing homes, acute rehab facilities, hospice, and community services.

Familiarity with legal mandates related to protective services.

Ability to adapt services for diverse populations across geographic, cultural, and financial spectra.

Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.

Proficiency in electronic medical records and documentation.

Additional Details:

This position covers discharge planning and psychosocial support to the adult post-surgical unit. 5C.

Note to Applicants:

We recognize that the core of this position is multifaceted and not solely therapy focused. We are seeking candidates who are adaptable, resourceful, and committed to holistic patient care, with a broad scope of psychosocial support, crisis intervention, and advocacy.

Interested? Apply now to join IU Health as a Social Worker and make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives through comprehensive, patient-centered psychosocial support.