Medical Social Worker - Night Pediatric Psychiatric and Emergency Department

Overview

Department Overview This Medical Social Worker position primarily works in the Emergency Department with a heavy focus on addressing the mental health needs of patients. It includes assessment and disposition planning for pediatric mental health patients presenting to the Emergency Department overnight. Emergency Department Social Workers regularly complete mental health assessments on patients in a mental health crisis and make level of care recommendations including inpatient or outpatient.

They safety plan with patients and their loved ones, plan for mental health follow up, and adhere to all relevant statutes related to mental health discharges. OHSU is a Level One Trauma Center. The Emergency Department Social Workers support patients and their loved ones during mild, moderate, and severe trauma-related admissions. They review the POLST registry and surrogate decision-making documents, notify next of kin or surrogate decision maker of admission, and provide support to the loved ones of patients who are critically ill or die.

The Emergency Department operates 24/7; there are times when the Medical Social Worker may be required to work outside their normal schedule, including overnight or during the day when not normally scheduled, with last-minute staffing needs communicated via text at varying hours.

• Conduct psychosocial evaluations of patients, families, and significant others, including adjustment to medical or health condition; care coordination; mental health status; treatment process adherence; substance use; child and elder abuse/neglect assessments; domestic violence issues; cognitive status (including potential guardian issues); and patient/family resources.
• Provide crisis intervention and supportive short-term counseling to patients/families as necessary to meet immediate psychosocial needs, including trauma/emergency department/on-call/family notification, CODE responses, and handling unanticipated changes in health conditions or suicidal ideation.
• Provide grief/loss counseling and education regarding fetal demise, actual/pending death, complicated pregnancies, pregnancy termination support, postpartum depression, stress related to life circumstances, divorce/separation, and loss of independence due to illness or disability.
• Provide brief psychotherapy including individual short-term psychotherapy and group work (information/support groups, family support, patient therapy) addressing issues such as adoption, abortion, domestic violence, family of origin, sexual/gender issues, substance use, parenting, and relationship adjustment to disabilities and chronic or acute illness.
• Provide patient advocacy and related services to patients/family and other involved agencies/parties regarding decision-making, advance directives, ethics consultations, court holds, guardianship/conservatorship, citizenship issues, and social-cultural factors.

• A Master’s in Social Work (MSW) required. Health care experience preferred.
• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.

• Assessment Proficiency
• Short-term Counseling
• Crisis Intervention
• Excellent task prioritization
• Effective communication skills
• Proficiency in providing social work services in a healthcare setting
• Time Management
• Organization
• Patient Advocacy
• Problem Solving
• Creativity
• Adaptability
• Critical thinking
• Conflict Resolution
• Task Reprioritization

• 1 year hospital experience
• Additional
  
  Skills:
• Bilingual language skills are strongly preferred

• Requires prioritization.
• Frequent interruptions in an environment of frequent change and fluctuations.
• For inpatient units, accepts accountability and responsibility.
• May be exposed to body fluids, tissue, possible radiation exposure, and infectious processes.
• Subject to computer work for several hours, as needed.
• Able to utilize office equipment within work area.

Posted 1/30/2026 1:17pm

All are welcome

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are committed to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply.

To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at  or aaeo.