Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy is dedicated to providing comprehensive, personalized healthcare services to the local community and visitors in a scenic coastal setting. Located near outdoor recreational opportunities and vibrant nearby cities, the clinic serves a diverse patient population with a focus on accessible, high-quality medical and behavioral health care.

We are seeking a compassionate and highly skilled Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to join our multidisciplinary team. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in mental health counseling, clinical assessment, and case management, with a strong commitment to delivering patient-centered care. This role offers an opportunity to work in a dynamic environment that emphasizes holistic treatment approaches, including behavioral therapy, crisis intervention, and community outreach.

Duties

• Collaborates with the primary care provider in recognizing, treating, and managing mental health and psychosocial issues of patients and acts as a contributing member to the primary care team.
• Conducts patient intakes, focusing on diagnostic and functional evaluations, and makes recommendations to the primary care provider concerning the patient’s treatment goals and plan for behavior health needs.
• Provides consultation and training to the primary care providers to enhance their skill and effectiveness in treating mental health problems.
• Provides long-term as well as brief intervention for patients who are in need of mental health services (be able to offer brief, targeted interventions and be comfortable with short-term counseling).
• Gives primary care providers timely feedback about the patient’s care for behavior health needs, treatment recommendations and progress via documentation in the patient’s record and verbal feedback.
• Advises the primary care provider about which patients are better served at the primary care setting and which should be referred to specialty mental health facilities or elsewhere.
• Initiates follow-up to ascertain how patients are doing and to determine if any changes in treatment approaches are indicated.
• Develops, where indicated, relapse prevention plans and helps patients maintain stable functioning.
• Assists in the detection of at-risk patients and in the development of plans to prevent worsening of their conditions.
• Monitors and coordinates the delivery of health services for patients as related to behavioral health care, including linking with other treatment providers not only within the primary care setting but, with the patient’s permission, outside it as well.
• Assists, to the extent feasible, in the patient’s community functioning by helping with public benefits, vocational rehabilitation, social support, housing, etc.
• Works, where indicated, to effect behavioral changes in patients with, or at risk for, physical disorders and helps them make healthier lifestyle choices.
• Provides patients with self-management skills and educational information needed so they can be full participants in their own treatment and recovery.
• Helps patients, where indicated, to cope with chronic conditions like pain and diabetes.
• Provides consultation to clinic management and other team members about behavioral services and suggested areas of outcome and program evaluation.
• Works with other team members (registered nurse and clinical pharmacist) to provide a comprehensive approach to wellness for the patient.
• Supports efforts to improve equity within the community to access to healthcare.

Skills/Attributes

• Knowledge of the principles and practice of social work.
• Knowledge of state and federal laws pertaining to social workers and HHS/HRSA regulations.
• Proficiency in the identification and treatment of mental disorders.
• Ability to think in terms of population management.
• Knowledge of evidence-based behavioral assessments and interventions relevant to medical conditions, (e.g., disease management; treatment adherence; and lifestyle change).
• Ability to make quick and accurate clinical assessments.
• Skilled in care management and has knowledge of local resources for outside referrals.
• Skilled in targeted, brief psychotherapy and in running group sessions.
• Knowledge of basic physiology, psychopharmacology, and medical terminology.
• Ability to document services in a way that is useful both to the primary care provider and to management for quality-improvement services.
• Active listener who is interested in being part of a collaborative and patient-centered team.
• Ability to show empathy and understanding toward all patients, including those with special needs.
• Recognize, respect, and work effectively with people from diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds who may have different healthcare preferences and needs.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff, board members, patients, and community members.

Qualifications

• Master of Social Work from an appropriately accredited college or university.
• Current license to practice social work in the State of Oregon.
• Experience working in a behavioral health integration model.
• Experience working with electronic medical record software.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person