Job Type: Temporary - with opportunity to extend
Location: Palliative Care
Status: Exempt
Focus Areas:
Psychosocial Assessment & Counseling | Interdisciplinary Care Planning & Team Collaboration | Resource Navigation & Community Referrals | Bereavement Support & Post-Death Care | Patient & Family Advocacy Through Palliative Care
Position Summary:
The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) provides psychosocial support services to hospice patients and families, with additional support for palliative care as needed. This role delivers compassionate, patient-centered care using the principles of palliative and hospice philosophy. The LCSW conducts comprehensive assessments, facilitates counseling, provides anticipatory grief support, and helps patients and families navigate complex emotional, behavioral, and environmental needs. As a key member of the interdisciplinary team, the LCSW contributes to holistic care planning and ensures access to community resources that enhance quality of life throughout serious illness and end-of-life care.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Conducts timely assessments of psychological, social, grief, and environmental needs of hospice and palliative care patients and families (within 72 hours of admission).
- Provides direct social work services including psychosocial support, counseling, care planning, education, resource referrals, and advocacy.
- Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings, contributing to the creation and revision of individualized plans of care.
- Offers pre-death bereavement support, addressing anticipatory grief, coping challenges, and behavioral or emotional needs.
- Collaborates with the Bereavement Counselor to coordinate post-death assessments and bereavement care planning.
- Delivers community education and staff training on psychosocial and bereavement topics as assigned.
- Maintains accurate documentation of all interactions in compliance with organizational standards and regulatory requirements.
- Provides grief and bereavement consultation and support to community members and partners as needed.
- Supports utilization of palliative care services by fostering relationships with community partners and internal service lines.
- Adheres to organizational cost-containment efforts while ensuring quality care delivery.
Skill & Knowledge Requirements:
- Ability to exercise independent sound judgment in planning and providing quality psychosocial care.
- Possession of critical assessment and thinking skills.
- Ability to provide unsupervised psychosocial services, counseling and support in private residences.
- Self-motivation and ability to work independently as well as in cooperation with the interdisciplinary team.
- Ability to communicate effectively with the IDT team.
- Interest and desire to give hospice care with a special sensitivity to the needs of the dying.
- Maintains adequate education and experience level to meet the needs of the patients, care givers, and regulations established by State and Federal laws.
- Possesses and maintains a valid Hawai’i State Social Worker's license.
Education & Experience:
- Graduate of a school accredited by the Council of Social Work Education, with a minimum of a Masters degree in social work.
- Minimum two (2) years experience in a healthcare environment or equivalent position.
- LCSW license required for the Medical Social Worker position.
- Palliative care experience preferred.
- Frequent use of Private vehicles, computer, telephones, pager, and personal cellular phone (cell phone use prohibited while driving) and standard office equipment.
Work Hours:
- Exempt position. Standard schedule includes both weekdays and weekends, with regular business hours and a ½ hour lunch break.
Pay $75,000 - $85,000/ annually.
This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors.