Job description
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
Provides intensive psychosocial counseling and referrals to patients and family members with chronic health problems and/or diseases.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS
An employee in this class is responsible for providing psychosocial assessments, developing treatment plans, and providing counseling and treatment services for citizens seeking medical care including referrals to other community resources as needed. Work is performed within the medical setting (office setting), home visits, and via telephone. Emphasis of the work is on providing directed counseling and psychosocial support for patients and families experiencing and/or managing medical health issues such as HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancies, and other health issues. An additional role may be to serve as an advocate on behalf of patients by collaborating with a medical multidisciplinary team within the department and community as well. Job functions also include interpreting medical information, conducting home visits, providing individual, family, and group therapy, crisis intervention, and education of clients. Work is performed under the general direction of a clinical or administrative supervisor and is evaluated on the basis of attainment of stated performance objectives, periodic conferences with the employee, review of reports of activities, and consultation with other medical personnel with whom the employee interacts.
Copy of transcript must be submitted with online application. Official college transcripts required at time of hire. Please send transcripts to: Guilford County Public Health/HR, c/o Robin Reynolds, 201 South Greene St., Greensboro, NC 27401.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential Duties and Tasks
- Conducts initial assessments of patients and family members to determine needs for medical and social services assistance
- Works collaboratively with patients and/or patient's family in developing treatment modalities or life-adjustment alternatives for adapting to medical care issues.
- Provides routine and in-depth clinical medical counseling on a short-term and long-term basis to patients and their families with health-related problems and concerns
- Provides counseling and referral services to patients with life-threatening diseases.
- Provides clinical leadership to support group discussions such as for women with depression.
- Coordinates and/or refers patients to appropriate health care and other health services, hospitalization, or rehabilitation; refers patients and their families to other important social and medical resources needed to overcome unhealthy conditions such as child abuse, homelessness, and drug abuse; refers patients to finding legal resources and financial aid for paying for health services.
- Interprets available program services and qualification requirements for patient and/or families; may act as resource specialist in a particular area; documents needs/plans in patient's medical record
RECRUITMENT STANDARDS
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Principles and practices of modern approaches to medical social work, clinical counseling, and psychology sufficient to provide clinical social work assistance to disadvantaged individuals and groups.
- Individual and group behavior, human growth and development, family relationships, medical psycho-social-economic factors, affective individuals and families, and community organization and resources sufficient to form conclusions and develop treatment plans for patients served.
- Principles and practices of clinical and abnormal psychology in the care and treatment of emotionally disturbed and /or disabled persons sufficient to identify patients requiring specific psychological, psychiatric, and or specialized services.
- The fields of study related to psychology, substance abuse, maternity, family planning, domestic violence, and adult and child development sufficient to provide counseling and therapy services to a diverse population.
- Laws and regulations affecting the limitations and provision of medical social work in the State of North Carolina including confidentiality of information.
- Community resources sufficient to provide citizen referrals to appropriate sources of care.
- Problems involved in providing medical care for citizens sufficient to recommend treatment plans.
- Counsel individuals and family members with diverse socio-economic backgrounds and multi-cultural ethnicity and develop various treatment alternatives specific to individual or complicated medical conditions.
- Establish and maintain a positive rapport with patients and their families and communicate effectively both orally and in writing
- Prepare and present narrative and statistical reports and oral presentations and prepare and maintain accurate records of social work involvement with patients and their families including routine statistical measures of professional activities.
- Obtain information through effective interviewing or telephone contact, assess problem areas, and make appropriate referrals (e.g. psychiatric consultation)
- Maintain objective, disciplined professional relationships with patients and their families
- Work collaboratively with members of health care staff to further their understanding of significant medical, social, and emotional factors underlying the health or attitude problems of patients or their family members.
Minimum Qualifications
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in social work or other field of study related to the nature of the work performed AND two (2) years of professional licensed clinical counseling experience, preferably in a medical setting. Also, all candidates must be currently licensed in the State of North Carolina as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or (LCSWA). Clinical Social Worker (LCSWA) must provide verification from LCSW of supervised hours weekly as a condition of employment.
Working Environment and Working Conditions
Work is typically performed in a public health clinic setting but may also include visiting a patient in their home, hospitals, nursing homes, private physician clinics, or other community public support agencies.
Physical Demands and Mental Demands
Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions. Must be able to perform medium work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects such as computers, monitors, printers, and related equipment. Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, operate a personal computer, conduct extensive reading and possess mental concentration sufficient to interview patients and elicit factual information that pertains to medical health issues.
Driving is Essential
Driving is an essential requirement of this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver's license and that the driving record is compatible with the county's driving criteria.
If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County's vehicle use policy.
Special Note
This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job description with physical abilities checklist which can be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal defensible personnel decisions.
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