Avera Health·Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The Social Worker will provide psychosocial support and care planning for oncology patients and their families in an outpatient clinic setting. They are responsible for assessing patient needs, facilitating referrals, and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care.
You Belong at Avera Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
Responsible to plan, organize and implement social work services for patients and families that are medically and socially complex and greater psychosocial acuity; assuring that the medically related emotional and social needs are addressed on an individual basis.
The Social Worker will facilitate quality care/education for patients and their families.
Is skilled in counseling individuals and groups.
Responsible to assess needs and facilitate plans with patients/families requiring intensive discharge planning.
Maintains a current knowledge base of community agencies and resources to facilitate appropriate referrals.
The Social Worker provides services in a compassionate, culturally competent and tactful manner in order to help facilitate access to and provide continuity of care and patient advocacy.
Works collaboratively with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
What you will do
Interviews patient and family members to obtain information about home environment, family systems, health history, and patient’s personality traits.
Evaluates data gathered in terms of the medical plan of treatment, available social service programs, financial counseling and plan a pertinent therapy program that will provide maximum benefits and safety for each patient.
Assists patients and families to understand, accept, and follow medical recommendations with emphasis on assisting patient to be medically compliant with care plan.
Performs a variety of services such as advising on social problems, arranging for discharge or post-operative care at home, assisting patients/families needing placement into assisted living or nursing homes, arranges for transportation to appointments and treatments, and works to alleviate anxiety and fears of patients and family members.
Conducts supportive visits by interviewing patients and their family members to obtain information regarding their response to their diagnosis including evaluation of strengths, coping skills, supports, characteristics of family, health history and personality traits.
Prepares and maintains patient documentation in EMR.
Maintains department policies, procedures, objectives, and quality assurance program, safety, infection and environmental control.
Assists with data collection, analysis and reporting as required by the hospital, administrative council, care teams, JCAHO, and other agencies.
Conducts individual, marital, family and group therapies as necessary.
Coordinate care conferences as needed.
Serves as the social work representative in multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care.
Utilizes research findings to improve outcomes and support, and provide quality of life for patients and their families.
Works collaboratively with Case Management in providing coordinated services, which facilitates continuity of care for our patients.
Works with emotional problems including but not limited to assisting patients, residents and families with anxieties and stress caused by illness, admission to hospital/nursing home, crisis situations, difficulties in coping with physical disabilities, fears related to helplessness and death, the need for nursing home/assisted living/specialized care, and providing educational materials.
The individual must be able to work the hours specified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds. These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Master's in Social Work from an accredited program Social Worker - Licensing Board An active license in the state of practice Upon Hire
Qualified Mental Health Provider (QMHP) - Licensing Board active in the state of practice Upon Hire 1-3 years
Expectations and Standards
You Need & Then Some Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future. PTO available day 1 for eligible hires. Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org.
Candidates must hold a Master's in Social Work and possess an active license in the state of practice. Experience of 1-3 years is preferred, along with the ability to perform clinical assessments and provide therapeutic interventions.
Market context
Behavioral health openings in South Dakota are often driven by demand in community care, hospice, and related support services. These roles can be competitive because employers may look for an MSW for dialysis services or a BSW/related degree plus specific experience for hospice, with bilingual skills and community social services or end-of-life care experience often preferred. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to quickly compare fit, since they are pulled from the original job description and can save research time; if you apply, tailor your resume to the exact setting and highlight any bilingual or direct-care experience.