BH MIH-Licensed Clinical Social Worker-EMS

Position Summary: The Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at Gila River Health Care delivers high-quality, trauma- informed mental health support to patients, families, and EMS personnel. Within the Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) framework they will provide intake mental health services and connect the MIH patients to Gila River Behavioral Health resources and provide on-going support for these patients. They provide crisis intervention, assess complex mental health needs, and offer critical counseling services to individuals impacted by high-stress situations. This role requires a robust understanding of crisis response and the psychosocial demands unique to emergency contexts, and a deep understanding of resilience-building among EMS providers.

Critical Tasks:

• Provide immediate crisis intervention and psychological support to patients and families experiencing acute or chronic incidents, medical emergencies, and traumatic events.
• Offer on-site crisis intake and triage to ensure safety and emotional stabilization. Serve as an on-call resource for EMS staff to consult on complex behavioral health situations in the field.
• Conduct comprehensive assessment and evaluation to identify patients' psychosocial, behavioral, and emotional needs, including risk factors such as mental health disorders and substance use.
• Collaborate with EMS personnel to develop and implement treatment or referral plans.
• Create and maintain a public safety focused resilience program to support EMS providers.
• Conduct counseling sessions, manage stress, organize debriefings, and help prevent burnout among EMS staff exposed to traumatic events.
• Facilitate access to appropriate resources by connecting patients and families with mental health services and other support systems for follow-up and ongoing care.
• Collaborate with hospitals and community providers to ensure continuity of care beyond EMS interventions.
• Maintain comprehensive, secure documentation, including assessments, treatment plans, and case management notes, to track ongoing psychosocial support needs and referrals.
• Utilize trauma-informed practices to engage compassionately with patients and families, addressing issues related to acute stress, PTSD, and other trauma-related responses.
• Ensure culturally competent care in all interactions.
• In addition to creating an EMS focused resiliency program, deliver training on mental health first aid, train Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team with intervention techniques, and stress management strategies, enhancing their capacity to handle behavioral health emergencies effectively.
• Work closely with hospitals, mental health agencies, and social service organizations to streamline care transitions and provide comprehensive support tailored to each patient's needs.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's Degree from an accredited institution in Social Work (MSW)
• Must hold a valid Arizona Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification
• A minimum of 2-3 years in clinical social work with a focus on emergency services, trauma, or crisis intervention is preferred.
• Proficiency in crisis intervention, case documentation, and the use of EHR systems.
• BLS for Healthcare Provider (CPR)
• Effective communication, collaboration, and the ability to work in a high-stress environment are essential.
• Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job, may be substituted for evaluation at the discretion of EMS management