Medical Social Worker

Title: Medical Social Worker        

Employment Status:  Full-time    

Department: Clinical Services 

Supervisor: Assistance Director of Community Integrated Care  

Office: Clinic (3100 Red River, Austin, TX 78705) 

Full time, exempt 

Target start date: June 24, 2024 

About the Organization:  

ASHwell is a sexual health and wellness center established in Austin, TX in the late 1980s.  We are passionately committed to diversity, equity, and belonging. We strive to provide a safe discrimination-free space for all and predominantly serve LGBTQIA and BIPOC communities. Our approach to sexual health and wellness is rooted in being proudly sex and kink positive, pro-sex worker, pro-harm reduction and anti-stigma. We are a growing organization looking for values-aligned, pro-sexual health and wellness people to join our team! 

Position Overview: 

The Medical Social Worker plays a crucial role in ASHwell’s medical clinic by providing timely support and referrals to patients in dealing with emotional and social challenges. Embodying medical care and social wellness care coordination by taking a comprehensive approach to managing patients' health and well-being by integrating medical services with social support and resources. This coordination ensures that patients receive holistic care that addresses both their medical needs and social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status, housing stability, access to food, and social support networks. The Medical Social Worker will provide immediate and direct assistance to patients experiencing socio-emotional crisis and provide an essential link between ASHwell’s medical clinic and its Social Wellness department. This position does not carry a designated case load, but instead assesses, triages, and addresses acute social issues – making appropriate internal referrals to ASHwell’s social and peer advocates for case management and/or peer support services as well as external referrals to relevant services in the community. The Medical Social Worker facilitates the clinic’s direct financial assistance programs and is a primary point of contact between the clinic and other community nonprofits and assistance programs. The Medical Social Worker ensures that patients experiencing life challenges and barriers-to-care rapidly access the internal ASHwell resources and external community resources that best meet their needs and improves access to care and health outcomes. This position exercises discretion and independent judgment in the coordination and prioritization of duties and assigned responsibilities.  

Core Responsibilities 

• Patient Assessment & Direct Social Care - 30% 

• • Conducts and evaluates psychosocial assessments to determine patients' social, emotional, financial, and environmental needs and identify appropriate interventions and support services  

  • Addresses acute and emergent social issues providing immediate on-site counseling and emotional support to patients in crisis  

  • Connects patients with agency and community resources, such as financial assistance programs, support groups, housing assistance, and transportation services, to help meet their needs 

  • Identifies risk of onset or prior existence of psychiatric diagnosis or substance use disorder and provides appropriate referrals  

  • Works directly with patients to make ASHwell Care for All Fund requests, gathering all necessary information and documentation and following appropriate procedures to request and secure direct emergency financial assistance 

  • Maintains accurate and up-to-date records of patient assessments, interventions, and progress in compliance with regulatory standards and organizational policies 

  • Demonstrates anti-stigmatization and trauma informed care regarding patients' cultural backgrounds, values, beliefs, and practices and adheres to ethical principles and professional standards in all interactions and interventions 

• Medical Care & Social Wellness Care Coordination – 30%  

• • Collaborates consistently with team and interdepartmental ASHwell staff and external partners to identify prospect patients and establish or re-establish care and increase retention  

  • Attends regular meetings with Clinical Services and Social Wellness teams to conduct case rounds and coordinate care  

  • Triages patients' needs and makes appropriate and immediate internal referrals to ASHwell’s social and peer advocates for case management and/or peer support services  

  • Links patients to primary and specialty care providers with warm handoffs 

  • Maintains open and effective communication with patients, colleagues, and external stakeholders to ensure continuity of care and promote positive outcomes  

• Community Resource Building -   20% 

• • Establishes, builds, and maintains a directory of anti-stigmatizing and trauma-informed primary and specialty care providers most appropriate for ASHwell patients 

  • Develops and maintains working relationships and referral systems with outside referral partner organizations that offer support for ASHwell patient’s social needs, including housing, food, transportation, and legal assistance 

  • Educates and provides information to patients on services available internally through ASHwell and externally, with a focus on Austin/Travis County, and assists in program enrollment relevant to patients’ individual needs 

• Administration and Operations – 10% 

• • Documents all patient care encounters and referrals in EMR (Athena) 

  • Enters and maintains accurate data collection, enrollment, tracking, clinical documentation and reporting forms to gather key program metrics  

• • Participates in staff meetings and organizational planning sessions 

  • Prepares and writes professional reports, letters, and case summaries 

  • Participates in performance improvement initiatives to include data collection and examination, development, and continuing education programs 

  • Engage in ongoing self-care practices and pursue professional development opportunities to enhance clinical skills, knowledge, and effectiveness as a medical social worker 

• Baseline - 10% 

• • Participates in all required staff meetings and retreats 

  • Maintains up-to-date calendar and work plan 

  • Utilizes org - wide systems and protocols for all agency business 

  • Offers at least 24 hours' notice for internal meeting cancellations/rescheduling 

  • Maintains chain of command for internal communications  

About You 

The ASHwell Medical Social Worker is a detail-oriented initiative taker who thrives in a culturally sex positive and kink loving space. They are excited to be part of the movement to End the HIV Epidemic. The ideal Medical Social Worker for the new Community-Integrated Care Department, including ASHwell on Wheels mobile medical clinic, is someone who adds to the spectrum of representation by being a member of the communities we serve.  They thrive in evolving environments, embraces challenges as part of the program development process, and enjoys meaningful engagement with patients and the community while providing consistent, person-affirming care as a dependable and trusted member of a multi-disciplinary team.  They strive to be the community resource of choice with a demonstrated, successful record of problem-solving that is creative, sustainable, and patient-centered.  They effortlessly contribute a new perspective and skill set that compliments the strengths and gaps of the established team.  They can connect their role and its responsibilities to the bigger picture of ASHwell’s mission.  

Required Qualifications:  

• Lives in Austin, TX or within the greater Austin Metro Area or willing to relocate 

• Baseline understanding of gender pronouns, pro sex culture and HIV de-stigmatization and/or willingness to learn 

• Aligned with ASHwell’s values 

• Master’s degree in social work and TX licensure as an LMSW or LCSW 

• A minimum of two (2) years postgraduate experience in a health /behavioral health, and/or social services setting 

• Knowledge of LGBTQ , and HIV health/ behavioral health issues and concerns 

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate the provision of direct social services, problem-solve, and optimize service delivery systems 

• Ability to work independently, multitask, and prioritize workload to meet deadlines 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills 

• Ability to read, analyze, and convey complex information to audiences at different levels of health literacy 

• Knowledge of HIV/STD infection, transmission and prevention 

• Knowledge of community resources and referrals for HIV/STIs, mental health, case management and additional appropriate patient-centric referrals 

• Working knowledge of HIPAA regulations  

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people of diverse races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexualities, gender identities, gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, ages, English-speaking abilities, immigration status, and physical abilities in a multicultural environment 

• Values aligned with a commitment to gender, racial, and reproductive justice 

• Leadership skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse community partners 

• Ability to receive and give feedback 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills  

• Strong computer skills including knowledge of and experience with Microsoft Office products and experience with electronic medical records (EMR) 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Fluent in the language and culture of the public sexual health sector (already knows our jargon) 

• Knowledge of the health disparities spectrum of HIV/STIs, health literacy, harm reduction theory, behavior modification theory, human sexuality, substance use and addiction, outreach strategies, health and social concerns of individuals most impacted by HIV/STI transmission 

• Experience working or volunteering in HIV/STI prevention or other community health programs, especially PrEP/PEP, HIV and or HCV treatment 

• Bi-lingual English and Spanish speaking, including medical interpretation 

Our Hiring Process 

The start date for this position is June 24, 2024. Applications are due no later than midnight CT on April 5, 2024. We are committed to offering the support, time and resources necessary to on-board and orient to the role.   

Timeline 

• Applications Due April 5, 2024  

• Invitations to interview: April 26, 2024 

• Round 1 Interviews: week of April 29-May 10  

• Round 2 interviews: May 13-24  

• Final interviews: May 28-31  

• Goal date for offers: June 3-7  

• Position start date June 24, 2024  

ASHwell uses a cohort onboarding model. The start date is a group orientation day for hires across the organization. 

EOE STATEMENT 

As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, ASHWell is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values the diversity of its employees and does not discriminate against any employee or candidate. Women, minorities, veterans, people from the LGBTQ2SAI communities and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply to join our teams. Reasonable accommodation to access job openings or to apply for a job is available.