Social Worker I

Thank you for your interest.  Please note, the purpose of this posting is to recruit for on-going and future positions. 

About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment organization for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin, monoclonal antibodies and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution.  AccessHope™, a subsidiary launched in 2019 serves employers and their health care partners by providing access to City of Hope’s specialized cancer expertise.

A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is ranked among the nation’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report and received Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California and in Arizona.

City of Hope’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe diversity, equity and inclusion is key in serving our mission to provide compassionate patient care, drive innovative discovery, and advance vital education focused on eliminating cancer and diabetes in all of our communities.  Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ensures we bring the full range of skills, perspectives, cultural backgrounds and experiences to our work -- and that our teams align with the people we serve in order to build trust and understanding.  We are dedicated to fostering a community that embraces diversity - in ideas, backgrounds and perspectives; this is reflected in our work and represented in our people.

Position Summary

The Clinical Social Worker I (hereinafter “CSW I”) holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW), is registered as an Associate Clinical Social Worker with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, and provides medical social work services. If the CSW I has pending registration, the CSW must work under the supervision of an LCSW. The CSW I is responsible for employing a model of patient care that focuses on providing patients/caregivers with supportive counseling, psychosocial assessments, therapeutic interventions, education, and community resource support information. This position includes participation in multidisciplinary program development and evaluation; multidisciplinary treatment modalities; emergency/crisis response; and on-call rotation. The CSW I effectively utilize clinical supervision to ensure optimal delivery of psychosocial care and seek out performance improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Provides timely, appropriate, reliable, and respectful social work services to patients and families.
• Demonstrates competence appropriate to his/her role and function (see addendum for Social Work Navigator and School Reintegration Program).
• Delivers quality of care consistent with professional and City of Hope standards.
• Uses effective decision-making, evaluation and problem-solving skills in managing patient care, hospital, and administrative needs.
• Demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills; excellent documentation skills of all activities/decisions related to patient care in compliance with State, National and Joint Commission standards/regulations.
• Provides skilled psychosocial support and crisis management for patients throughout the continuum of care: diagnosis, living with cancer, recurrence, end-of-life, and survivorship.
• Respectful understanding of cultural differences and diversity.
• Acts as an effective liaison for appropriate referrals to other services within the Department of Supportive Care Medicine, including: psychiatry; psychology; supportive and palliative care; pain management; spiritual care; patient navigation; and patient, family & community education.
• Collaborates with and promotes teamwork among all members of the healthcare team; co-facilitates programs (e.g., support groups, work teams, subcommittees). Openly expresses ideas for new programs or enhancements to current programs/services.
• Participates in interdisciplinary rounds and serves on institutional committees as appointed.
• Demonstrates strong potential for leadership and proactively seeks out opportunities for growth and development.
• Actively pursues licensure requirements and educational opportunities for further development of clinical skills and professional growth.
• Participates in recruitment and interviewing of social work candidates.
• Acts as an ambassador to the profession by effectively articulating the role and expertise of a CSW and by actively participating in community and professional organizations.
• Demonstrates a willingness to participate in marketing and development efforts.
• Meets and maintains all professional and regulatory standards; represents and models the core values of the Department of Supportive Care Medicine.
• Participates in performance improvement activities to promote continuous improvement in care delivery.
• Participates in weekly supervision and mentorship.