Social Worker I, Master's Degree, In-Patient Psychiatry - Surrey Memorial Hospital

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Fraser Health is responsible for the delivery of hospital and community-based health services to over 1.9 million people in 20 diverse communities from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations. Our team of 43,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers is dedicated to serving our patients, families and communities to deliver on our vision: Better health, best in health care.

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Reporting to the Manager, Clinical Operations for operational and administrative issues and coordination of program services including the development, delivery and evaluation of service outcomes; and to the Professional Practice Chief, Social Work for professional practice issues. Conducts comprehensive social work and psychosocial assessments of patients suffering acute episodes of mental illness and substance misuse/dependence using a variety of modalities and in accordance with professional standards and clinical policies and practices. Educates and provides support and consultation to patients, families and healthcare professionals. As a member of an integrated, interdisciplinary team, takes a key role in discharge planning and ensuring optimal continuity of care through activities such as liaison, referral, resource finding, advocacy, coordination, brokerage and pre-placement visits. Develops, coordinates and delivers in-services, presentations, psycho-educational and support groups and initiates, develops and carries out research activities in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team. The SW is expected to engage the patient & their support system as people with full competence and as full collaborators as full collaborators in service planning, delivery and evaluation. May provide care to patients through a combination of telephone, virtual video/audio conference and/or remote technology to patients in their homes, in the community including outreach, and virtually.

1. Conducts comprehensive social work and psycho-social assessments of patients suffering acute episodes of mental illness and substance misuse/dependence, and families by methods such as interviewing the patient and/or family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the patient and/or family and interpreting the data using a variety of modalities, in accordance with professional standards and clinical policies and practices. May provide care to patients through a combination of telephone, virtual video/audio conference and/or remote technology to patients in their homes, in the community including outreach, and virtually when required in order to assess and/or engage with patients within their own environment and community.
2. As a member of an integrated, interdisciplinary team takes a key role in planning for care during the hospital stay, and community treatment plans after discharge by methods such as interviewing the patient and/or family to assess and determine care plan and type of service required and articulating analysis and decision to members of the interdisciplinary team. Arranges meetings to develop and coordinate care plans and community services for patients requiring facility placement and/or community support and collaborates with hospital and community services from a social work perspective to determine appropriate levels of care and the effective utilization of patient resources.
3. Communicates/collaborates with mental health and related community service agencies and family physicians by performing duties such as collaborating in the assessment and management of individuals at risk, making referrals to appropriate resources when longer term treatment or follow-up is required and exchanging relevant information
4. Acts as a resource to patients and their families by performing duties such as providing information for patients and families regarding community, resources and access to these resources, suggesting contacts to facilitate optimal planning, arranging referrals and facilitating the development of community resources strengthen families. Participates with patient, families, community supports and interdisciplinary treatment teams to coordinate services, manage cases and facilitate meetings. Active resource finding
5. Educates and provides consultation and support to patients, families and healthcare professionals on issues related to high risk factors, recovery and current community practice in the field of mental health, child protection, adaptation to illness and disability, protection of vulnerable adults, chemical dependency, community living and support services. Participates in the family support program by providing educational and support services, and by reviewing and evaluating the program and providing feedback regarding potential improvements.
6. Maintains patient records by methods such as documenting patient assessments, charting patient information, preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory requirements and documenting for future reference.
7. Provides comprehensive therapeutic clinical counselling services to patients suffering acute episodes of mental illness, and families by methods such as exploring the emotional psycho-social response to identify problems, personal concerns and treatment objectives and facilitating change in coping style, behaviour, attitude and feelings as it relates to the illness and other system issues.
8. Participates as a member of the mental health program and local committees and planning bodies by methods such as engaging in program/practice evaluation, identifying opportunities for change, assessing available resources, initiating solutions, analyzing outcomes and identifying areas for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to enhance patient care services and reduce service gaps in the community.
9. Maintains a variety of records such as workload statistics by methods such as recording information into approved formats, collating data, analyzing trends, accounting for variances, preparing reports as required. Utilizes available software/hardware applications for data collection and analysis.
10. Develops, coordinates and delivers in-services, presentations, psycho-educational and support groups and/or training related to mental health by methods such as collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team, determining relevant content and required audiovisual/handout aids, conducting literature searches and planning and coordinating seminars.
11. Initiates, develops and carries out research activities and program planning and development relevant to the needs of the patient, families, hospital and community in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team by methods such as identifying current trends/gaps in literature, writing research proposals. Follows through with research methodology, disseminates research findings and ensures clinical practices and protocols are consistent with research findings.
12. Maintains current knowledge in Social Work practice in the mental health fields, by methods such as reviewing literature in the assigned clinical specialty area, consulting with clinical and community experts within the field, evaluating clinical practice and participating in professional development activities in order to improve care through new practices.
13. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Master's Degree of Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work, plus one year's recent, related experience in a mental health treatment setting. Current full registration with the BC College of Social Workers.

Current Class 5 Driver's License and access to personal vehicle for business-related purposes, as required.

Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of emotional issues related to mental illness and addictions and patient and family cultural dynamics.
• Ability to make effective referrals, reflecting in-depth knowledge of community resources and strong collaborative skills in working with community health and social agency personnel
• Comprehensive counselling skills including crisis counselling, motivational interviewing, solution focused brief therapeutic interventions and group work applicable to patients and families,
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize workload in a complex environment
• Ability to educate and provide consultation to patients, families and healthcare professionals.
• Ability to provide leadership to the interdisciplinary team in care planning for the effective utilization of patient resources.
• Ability to work effectively with others, including working effectively in a multicultural environment, independently, and as part of an integrated interdisciplinary team.
• Applied knowledge of mediation and negotiation principles
• Ability to operation related equipment including applicable software, hardware and remove/virtual technology applications.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with patients, families, staff and community agency personnel.
• Ability to develop, coordinate and deliver in-services, presentations, psycho-educational and support groups.
• Ability to initiate, develop and carry out research activities.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.