Social Worker III - Discharge Planner/Case Manager - Extra Help (Open)

San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) is seeking a highly qualified Social Worker III - Discharge Planner/Case Manager - Extra Help to provide highly skilled, intensive discharge planning and case management to individuals and their families and provide casework consultation within SMMC and to outside agencies. When a patient lacks family support and needs assistance during the transition from skilled nursing to home, belongings, the Social Worker III will coordinate the transport their belongings. If a patient requires assistance with their case, the SWIII may need to meet with them at the relevant agency or office.

This Social Worker III – Discharge Planner/Case Manager (Extra Help) will provide as-needed coverage on weekday mornings and afternoons. Evening and holiday coverage are not required at this time.

The ideal candidate will be:

• An experienced social worker with the ability to plan and execute complex treatment plans in a community or hospital-based setting.
• Experienced with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), as well as other mental health community programs.
• Knowledgeable of the systems of care related to older adults, mental health, substance abuse, developmental delay, pediatrics, primary care, palliative care, chronic illnesses, dialysis, conservatorship, and probation and parole.
• Able to work independently with little supervision and demonstrates a high degree of initiative.
• Knowledgeable of housing resources, their requirements for eligibility, and other community services such as In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), Institute on Aging (IOA), Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM), BHRS, and Bridges to Wellness, and more.
• Knowledgeable about County benefit and entitlement programs, such as Medi-Cal and ACE.
• Experienced and comfortable working with the following populations: multi-cultural, homeless, chronic diseases, end-of-life, mental health, domestic violence, parolees, and substance abuse disorders.
• Experienced working with a diverse population (race, ethnicity, age, ability, language, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender, religion, and sexual orientation).
• Able to accurately assess for signs of adult and child abuse and be a mandated reporter.
• Able to work in a politically charged environment under high degrees of stress and meet all deadlines.
• Able to develop effective and positive working relationships with community partners such as Aging and Adult Services, BHRS, and HPSM.
• An effective communicator to a broad range of stakeholders, including doctors, nurses, conservators, health advocates, families, and patients.
• Able to remain calm during crisis situations and perform emergency crisis counseling for families and patients as needed.
• Experienced documenting in an EMR.
• Familiarity in charting with EPIC.
• Able to communicate clearly and concisely.
• Spanish-speaking preferred.

NOTE: This is an extra-help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Extra-help hours are dependent on the business needs of the department and therefore work hours may vary from week to week. Extra help employees shall not exceed 1,040 hours of work per fiscal year. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provide information and assistance to patients of SMMC.
• Conduct initial screenings for patients and develop appropriate discharge/service plans to address identified issues.
• Provide skilled casework services to patients and their families.
• Schedule and conduct family care conference meetings with patients, families, and treatment team for short-term and long-term placement needs.
• Coordinate referrals, both internal and external, as part of the social service plan.
• Follow up on referrals and document outcomes as well as completion of items.
• Provide crisis intervention to patients and their families.
• Assist patients in meeting a variety of emergency needs, including financial, housing, and emotional crises.
• Assist patients with applications and securing of private and public benefits.
• Gather and maintain current information on community resources and disseminate this information to patients and staff.
• Maintain case files utilizing the electronic medical record.
• Work with the hospital's multidisciplinary team of staff to identify and address barriers to care, participate in quality assurance efforts such as outcome analysis, chart reviews, and patient and staff satisfaction efforts, and assist with maintenance of Center policies.
• Document interactions with patients/clients in EMR.
• Be a member of the Palliative Care Team.
• Work in the emergency room or any other areas in the hospital that social workers cover.

Knowledge of:

• Theories of human behavior and their practical applications.
• Psycho-social, medical, and economic interrelationships that result in individual and social abnormalities.
• Philosophy and function of social work systems.
• Appropriate utilization of a variety of social resources.
• Laws, rules and regulations governing the operation of social work agencies, specifically those relating to the specific areas of assignment.

Skill/Ability to:

• Formulating, developing and implementing treatment plans.
• Working effectively with persons differing in value systems, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds and psychopathologies.
• Working with a variety of social resources to plan and coordinate services to individual clients.
• Acting as a consultant and trainer to other social service staff.
• Preparing clear and concise reports.

Licensure/Certification:

• California class C driver license or equivalent.

Education: Satisfactory completion of 36 semester units of Social Welfare and/or appropriate behavioral science courses.

Experience: Three years experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.

Substitution: Possession of a Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work and two years experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.If you are interested in being considered for this limited term position the following items must be submitted via e-mail:

• Cover letter with responses to Supplemental Questions (maximum of 2 pages) 
• Resume 

Supplemental Questions: 

1. Possession of a California class C driver license or equivalent is required. Indicate how you meet this requirement. 
2. Social Worker III requires satisfactory completion of 36 semester units of social welfare and/or appropriate behavioral science courses. List the following for the education that qualifies you for the position: 1) the course ID for classes completed; 2) course title; and 3) the units received for each. Be prepared to provide transcripts at the interview. 
3. Social Worker III requires three years of case management experience comparable to a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County OR an MSW degree AND two years of experience performing duties comparable to Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County. List the following for the experience that qualifies you for the position: 1) your exact title; 2) job duties; 3) length of experience in months; and 4) employer. 
4. Describe your experience in working with patients/families in a healthcare facility. Include your title, the facility name, your duties, the length of time you were in your position, your caseload size, and the type of setting (inpatient or outpatient). Be specific. 
5. Describe a complex case in which you assisted a client with linking appropriate services. Include any barriers encountered and the resolution to those barriers. Be specific. 
6. You may need to work with patients that are unable to make decisions on their own and they do not have designated decision-makers. Describe a situation when you had to work with a patient that was unable to make decisions on their own and did not have a designated decision-maker. What steps did you take and what was the outcome Be specific. 

Please include the words "Social Worker III - Discharge Planner/Case Manager " in the subject line of email submission. All submitted materials must be in a Word or PDF format.

Please submit the above listed materials via email to:

Application materials will be reviewed as they are received, and well-qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Apply immediately. Application materials will be accepted until position is filled. This posting is open on a continuous basis and selection may be made at any time within the process.

NOTE: Application materials are only accepted via e-mail. Materials sent via regular mail and/or fax will not be accepted. Submittals that do not include all required elements (cover letter with responses to supplemental questions and a resume) will not be considered.

About the County 
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. 

We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

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