Clinical Social Worker Job Description

A Clinical Social Worker diagnoses and treats the psychosocial side of mental illness. In behavioral health, that work runs through community mental health centers, inpatient psychiatric units, supportive housing programs, and military tele-behavioral health services, where caseloads often carry co-occurring substance use and serious mental illness. The license is what sets it apart. Unlike a case manager, the Clinical Social Worker holds clinical licensure after a CSWE-accredited master's degree, which permits DSM-based diagnosis and psychotherapy that shape whether a patient returns to the community with a workable aftercare plan.

As the Clinical Social Worker, you hold clinical responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of clients whose mental health and substance use needs exceed case management, helping each person reach safer functioning in the community. You work inside an interdisciplinary treatment team, typically under a clinical director who relies on your case formulation and crisis judgment.

Career Impact: Supervised clinical hours in this seat count toward LCSW licensure, the credential required for independent practice and billable psychotherapy in behavioral health.

Business Impact: Sound psychosocial assessments help supportive housing residents maintain stability and give psychiatric treatment teams diagnoses they can act on.

Growth Opportunity: Experience supervising interns and CASAC staff prepares you for clinical supervisor and program director positions.

Company Value: Employers in this group commonly offer flexible schedules, childcare for school-aged children, and trauma-informed cultures built on frameworks such as the Sanctuary Model.

• Lead biopsychosocial assessments through interviews with clients, families, and community providers to support DSM-based diagnosis.
• Develop individualized treatment and safety plans with interdisciplinary teams, monitoring progress against goals identified in each plan.
• Implement evidence-based individual, family, and group therapy for clients with co-occurring substance use and serious mental illness.
• Direct crisis prevention, intervention, and safety assessments for clients in acute distress, including on-call coverage as scheduled.
• Coordinate discharge, aftercare, and community referrals to secure appropriate living arrangements and follow-up services.
• Own clinical documentation, including assessments, case notes, and treatment plans, meeting regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Mentor social work interns and paraprofessional staff through clinical supervision, case review, and trauma-informed practice training.
• Partner with psychiatrists, physicians, and community agencies in case consultations to align care across treatment settings.

• Master's degree in Social Work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• 2 or more years of post-graduate clinical social work experience, with direct mental health or substance use caseloads.
• Current state social work licensure or registration in good standing with the state regulatory board.
• Working knowledge of major psychiatric disorders, DSM diagnostic criteria, and co-occurring substance use disorders.
• Competence in evidence-based treatment modalities, including individual, family, and group therapy across treatment levels.
• Ability to assess risk and respond independently with sound clinical judgment during crisis situations.
• Strong written and verbal communication, especially in case formulation, documentation, and team presentation.
• Ability to deliver culturally responsive, trauma-informed care to diverse, low-income, and vulnerable populations.

• LCSW licensure permitting independent diagnosis, psychotherapy, and clinical supervision of other clinical staff.
• Experience supervising social work interns or paraprofessional staff in a behavioral health program, including case review and documentation auditing.
• Experience serving children and youth in the child welfare system or families in wraparound care models.
• Bilingual fluency, including Spanish or ASL, to serve linguistically diverse client populations directly.

• Days from intake to completed treatment plan, reflecting timely assessment and planning.
• Documentation compliance rate on chart audits, showing records meet regulatory standards.
• Crisis response time in hours, measuring how quickly acute safety needs are addressed.
• Percentage of discharges with confirmed aftercare appointments, tracking referral follow-through.
• Change in client functioning scores on standardized measures, reflecting therapy outcomes.
• Supervisee clinical hours logged monthly, tracking intern progress toward licensure.

• Base Salary Range: $62,000 to $85,000 annually, higher with LCSW licensure
• Bonus: Uncommon, occasionally sign-on bonuses or licensure pay differentials
• Equity: Not typically offered in nonprofit or public behavioral health settings
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, often with EAP and FSA
• PTO: 15 to 25 days annually plus paid holidays
• Common Perks: Tuition reimbursement, free licensure supervision, CEU stipends, public service loan forgiveness eligibility

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Offers are contingent on passing a background investigation, drug screen, and any fingerprint or TB clearance required under state licensing rules. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Every qualified applicant receives consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations for the application process or the job are available on request.

The Clinical Social Worker delivers psychosocial and mental health evaluations, brief counseling, and crisis management across adult and pediatric settings, helping vulnerable patients and families build the capacity to address their own needs. Reporting to health care leadership within a multi-disciplinary team, the work connects patients with coordinated transition plans, caregivers, providers, and community resources.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide social work services in a variety of adult and pediatric settings across the health care continuum with a focus on holistic patient-centered care and attention to the needs of vulnerable populations.
• Work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Deliver key services including comprehensive evaluation of psychosocial and mental health status, legal and safety considerations, brief counseling, transition planning, crisis management, and planning and coordination of both internal and external services.
• Provide assessment and intervention strategies to address behavioral health and addiction issues, as well as end-of-life care and informed decision making about therapeutic options and communication with surrogates, family members, caregivers and health care providers.
• Provide education and facilitate and/or lead support or treatment groups.
• Aim to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs.

Required Qualifications

• Broad knowledge of the principles of social work and the ability to apply them, integrating knowledge of normal development, the aging process, changes related to illness, and the needs of patients with acute, chronic and terminal illness.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology.
• Knowledge of legal, regulatory and compliance requirements and the current health care environment, with the ability to be a resource to all team members regarding such issues.
• Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to address the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and assistance needed, in collaboration with the patient, family and interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Ability to effectively engage in care coordination and transition planning, locate, utilize and advocate for patient/family access to health care and community resources, and organize and lead clinical groups.
• Ability to navigate electronic medical record and electronic systems applicable to job functions, with keyboard skills and effective use of basic computer programs.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to effectively triage patient and family needs, and demonstrated problem solving skills to deal effectively with complex situations.
• Strong verbal and written communication for effective interactions with patients, families, physicians and staff, including patient/family discussions of health care goals and decisions with attention to cultural and health literacy implications, and cultural competence that considers the influences of environment, society and culture and promotes inclusiveness in the work environment.

Embedded within an enterprise tele-behavioral health service for the military health system, the Clinical Social Worker delivers evidence-based virtual counseling, DSM-informed treatment plans, and fitness for duty evaluations for service members with low to moderate acuity conditions. Working closely with behavioral health staff and command leadership, the Clinical Social Worker supports mission readiness through accurate Medical Evaluation Board, Active-Duty Profile, and quality improvement documentation.

Core Functions

• Perform brief, evidence-based virtual individual and/or group counseling for low to moderate acuity patients with acute mental health conditions in accordance with the military health system model of behavioral health care.
• Develop, monitor and document comprehensive treatment plans to restore and rehabilitate patients with personal, emotional and/or mental illnesses.
• Consult reference material, such as the most current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM), to identify symptoms, make diagnoses, and develop therapeutic or treatment plans.
• Exercise clinical judgment in licensure area and proactively support the behavioral health service line in accordance with stated policies and procedures.
• Prepare and maintain convenience file, outpatient medical record, and inpatient record documentation in accordance with service and hospital SOPs.
• Prepare case summaries and other correspondence in a timely and effective fashion using the approved electronic medical record.
• Recommend hospitalization as applicable or determine a service member's fitness for duty.
• Assess and complete Active-Duty Profiles, Medical Evaluation Board (MEB), Military occupation/Mental Status Evaluations (MSE), command consultations, and other administrative processes from Air Force, Army, and Navy as required, and prepare reports of such evaluations according to applicable regulations.
• Attend staff meetings to provide case discussion, continuing education, and continuous quality improvement and safety, adhering to Government and professional clinical standards and accepted clinical protocols.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's degree (or higher degree) in social work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Current, active, valid, unrestricted clinical license to practice Clinical Social Work independently, offered by a U.S. State, District of Columbia, commonwealth, territory or jurisdiction.
• Certifications in addition to Basic Life Support.
• 2 years of post-graduate experience as a Clinical Social Worker using virtual platforms to perform bio-psychosocial evaluations, develop behavioral health treatment plans, administer Active-Duty Profiles, Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) evaluations, fitness for duty determinations, and provide psychotherapy using evidence-based treatment modalities.
• Candidates with less than two years of experience using virtual platforms will be considered.
• Preferred experience as a Clinical Social Worker using virtual platforms within the MHS, with virtual health experience outside the MHS acceptable.
• Skill in written and oral communication, especially in case formulation and presentation.
• Ability to successfully pass a drug screen and background investigation prior to hire.

Reporting to clinical leadership, the Clinical Social Worker leads individual, couples, family, and group sessions alongside case management for diverse clients with concurrent disorders. Partnering with an interprofessional team through regular case consultations, the Clinical Social Worker strengthens safety and recovery planning that helps clients move toward stability.

Primary Duties

• Facilitate individual, couples, family or process-style group sessions for diverse clients, including clients with concurrent disorders.
• Provide individual case management and counselling to clients, including information gathering, assessment, case planning, case conferencing, monitoring client activities, strategic intervention, evaluation, referral, safety/recovery planning, discharge, follow-up, and crisis management.
• Ensure proper documentation and management of client files, including observing, recording and reporting on client progress and challenges, documenting and distributing critical incidents according to policy, completing forms required for accountability and accreditation, writing case notes, ensuring proper release of information records, and protecting the confidentiality of client records.
• Request and facilitate case consultations with relevant team members to ensure effective assessment, treatment/safety planning and intervention.
• Attend team meetings and contribute actively to a positive and supportive team environment.
• Participate in ongoing learning and supervision of students.

Skills & Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work.
• Current registration in good standing with a Professional Regulatory Body.
• Minimum of 2 years' experience working in mental health counselling as a clinical social worker, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Prior clinical experience providing individual and group therapy, and previous experience working with children, youth and/or families.
• Experience working with clients experiencing poverty, food & housing insecurity, substance abuse and the impacts of trauma is an asset, and experience in program development is preferred.
• Knowledge and skill in treatment planning and group facilitation, with familiarity working in the areas of trauma, substance abuse and mental health.
• Proficient with computers and technology, with EMR experience preferred.
• Self-motivated and self-directed, with the ability to work with minimum supervision in a fast-paced, dynamic environment that requires flexibility and balancing of competing priorities, and strong problem solving and decision-making skills including independent judgment.
• Strong relationship building, collaboration, multi-tasking, prioritization, time management and organizational skills, with high attention to detail, a patient-focused orientation, commitment to providing quality services, a positive professional attitude, and the ability to function effectively as a member of an interprofessional team.

Sitting at the intersection of hospital care and community services, the Clinical Social Worker shapes transitions to the next level of care for complex patients while helping families adjust to the secondary effects of illness. Operating across facility, government, and community agencies, the Clinical Social Worker builds relationships with physicians and staff to resolve conflict and maximize the benefit patients gain from available health care services.

Duties

• Facilitate adjustment to the secondary effects of illness and address personal and/or environmental problems to maximize the benefits of available health care services.
• Act as a liaison between facility, family, government and community agencies.
• Manage conflict resolution at the patient level, using positive interpersonal skills to effectively resolve conflict.
• Assess and facilitate transition to the next level of care for complex patients.
• Maintain working knowledge and a database of community resources available to patients and their families, including support groups, behavioral health providers, and supportive resources.
• Maintain current knowledge of health care techniques/practices and social work strategies through educational programs/resources.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the requirements of payers, regulatory and compliance entities.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with physicians and all other staff members, internally and externally.
• Identify problems or dissatisfaction experienced by any customer or referring source and work to resolve them to a high degree of service excellence.
• Promote a positive customer relations environment.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Social Work from a college or university social work program approved by the state Board of Social Work and accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Current license as a Licensed Master's Social Worker.
• Comprehensive knowledge base and physical ability to systematically assess patients and families to identify psychosocial health status and needs.
• Teaching abilities to conduct educational programs for staff, patients, families and community.
• Analytical ability and critical thinking to identify opportunities for improvement and problem resolution.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to work productively with patients, families and all levels of hospital personnel.
• Verbal and written communication skills to communicate effectively with diverse populations including physicians, employees, patients and their families.
• Ability to cope with stressful situations or encounters, manage multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities, and work regularly with difficult medical/emotional/psycho-social problems.

A key member of the Wraparound program, the Bilingual Clinical Social Worker leads Child and Family Teams through each Wraparound phase, building individualized treatment and safety plans for youth in child welfare and behavioral health systems. Collaborating across Support Counselors, Permanency Specialists, and Family Partners, the Bilingual Clinical Social Worker keeps families connected to crisis support and responsive services.

Functions

• Maintain regular contact with the Wraparound team members.
• Guide the Family Team through the phases of Wraparound, providing culturally responsive, trauma-informed and family-centered services.
• Maintain a caseload of six to eight families.
• Respond to family emergencies according to the Wraparound Action Plan, including connecting to services available through the Provider Network.
• Coordinate the youth's Child and Family Team and develop the individualized treatment plan based on the Family Team's strengths and needs, including safety planning.
• Assist the youth and the youth's Child and Family Team to access needed resources and strength-based mental health services, social services, education services, and other supports and services.
• Provide on-call crisis/emergency services as needed for youth and families who access the program's 24-hour crisis phone line.
• Discuss the provision and quality of activities provided with the youth and their Child and Family Team and ensure activities are responsive to goals and needs identified in the treatment plan and Wrap Action Plan.
• Provide transportation for the youth to appointments or to access services as needed.

Experience & Qualifications

• Master's degree in psychology/social work/counseling.
• Registration or licensure with the state BBS, TB test clearance, fingerprinting clearance, and any other state/federal licensing or certification requirements.
• Experience working with children who are part of the child welfare system and/or behavioral health system.
• Strong computer, communication, and multi-tasking skills.
• Bilingual abilities in Spanish and English required.

Coordinated care for hospitalized patients and their families depends on the Clinical Social Worker I, who builds therapeutic relationships, conducts needs assessments, and delivers interventions for social, financial, and psychological challenges. Serving as a liaison between multi-disciplinary care teams and external community agencies, the Clinical Social Worker I helps families reach treatment goals through grief support, de-escalation, and patient-centered practice.

Accountabilities

• Develop and implement service/treatment interventions that provide a variety of services to meet patient/family needs.
• Monitor progress, cooperation, and acceptance of services.
• Serve on department and hospital-wide committees as directed.
• Develop a therapeutic relationship with patients and families to assist with the social, financial, and psychological problems associated with hospitalization and/or outpatient treatment.
• Develop and maintain relationships with peers within and outside of the department as well as community resources.
• Conduct initial needs assessments to gather information on the patient/family's medical, social, and financial history.
• Serve as a liaison with multi-disciplinary care teams and external community agencies to identify, implement, and monitor treatment goals.
• Facilitate staffing, care conferences, and similar meetings to coordinate care between the treatment team.
• Compile and prepare case records, reports, and documents that comply with state and federal standards in providing case notes, treatment plans, and evaluations.
• Participate in on call and rotation.
• Identify and utilize appropriate resources for family/child.

Technical Qualifications

• Knowledge and skills to support in the area of Grief/Loss.
• Ability to recognize boundary concerns and the skills to educate others on that area.
• Knowledge of de-escalation techniques and the ability to utilize those techniques with families.
• Knowledge and ability to meet requirements of mandated reporting and the necessary documentation.
• Use of best practice to ensure effective patient care, practicing and promoting patient/family centered care.
• Ability to prioritize various tasks/responsibilities to meet daily requests.
• Strong communication skills with internal and external parties.
• Ability to build positive rapport with families and children.

As the Lic Clinical Social Worker, this role owns biopsychosocial assessments, caseload care management, and crisis intervention for adult patients within a cancer center. The supportive oncology team relies on this work to keep referring oncologists informed and to link patients with community services that meet their support needs.

Activities

• Carry out comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments of patients in-person and by phone to identify patient needs and develop a plan of care for the patient.
• Interview, assess, and evaluate clients and families who present themselves for care in the cancer center.
• Manage a caseload of patients who require care management support, and offer telephonic or in-person interventions to address their needs.
• Provide psychosocial interventions and education to address patients' needs, and connect patients to needed community-based services, providing intensive care coordination as clinically indicated.
• Provide on-call availability during regular business hours to triage needs for acutely distressed patients, and provide crisis intervention and safety assessments when needed.
• Collaborate effectively with inter-professional healthcare teams.
• Maintain relationships with referring oncologists through consistent and timely communication.
• Promote the Supportive Oncology program, helping clients connect with programs that address their support needs.
• Document all client interactions in Epic.
• Represent the department at meetings, conferences or other public engagements on an as-needed basis.

Position Requirements

• Master's degree in Social Work required.
• Current state LSW licensure required, LCSW preferred.
• At least two years of experience in healthcare or social services as a licensed social worker.
• Experience working with adult patients in a Cancer Center setting preferred.
• Familiarity with electronic medical records preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Self-directed with the ability to prioritize and manage caseload effectively.
• Strong active listening, critical thinking, judgment and decision-making skills.
• Strong interpersonal, teamwork and organizational skills.
• Strong written, analytical and verbal communication skills.

Clinical Social Worker shapes psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, and discharge coordination for hospitalized psychiatric patients, delivering individual, family, and group therapy as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team. The work directly supports safe community transitions, with the Clinical Social Worker also supervising graduate students and consulting with hospital and community agency staff under the Director of Social Work.

Operational Focus

• Provide clinical social work assessments of patients by conducting clinical interviews with patients, families, and significant others to formulate a psychosocial assessment.
• Participate in the interdisciplinary treatment team by developing and implementing patients' treatment plans.
• Implement treatment by providing individual, family and group therapy as indicated in the treatment plan.
• Plan and coordinate discharge planning in collaboration with the treatment team, case management and the vendor community.
• Document assessments, reports, and notes as required by the Department of Social Work and DMH standards.
• Supervise social work graduate students as assigned by the Coordinator of the Internship program/Director of Social Work.
• Attend and participate in supervisor, ward, and discipline meetings.
• Provide social work consultation and training to hospital staff and community agency staff as assigned by supervisor/Director of Social Work.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Master's Degree in Social Work.
• Current and valid licensure as a Licensed Certified Social Worker or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker by the state Board of Registration in Social Work.
• Knowledge of community service network.
• Refinement of treatment, discharge planning and programmatic skills.
• Experienced supervisory skills.
• Bilingual or multilingual fluency preferred given the population served, with ASL preferred.
• Able to read, write and otherwise communicate in English.

Embedded within an inpatient mental health unit, the Clinical Social Worker develops psychosocial assessments, treatment plans, and discharge arrangements for patients with co-occurring substance abuse and serious mental illness and their families. Working closely with interdisciplinary treatment teams, relatives, and community caregivers, the Clinical Social Worker increases patient functioning and prepares individuals to succeed within the community.

Areas of Ownership

• Provide clinical social work services to individuals with a focus on co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and serious mental illness, and their families, using various treatment approaches in both individual and group therapy to increase patients' level of functioning and to educate families.
• Obtain information through interviews with patients, relatives, and community-based mental health professionals to create and interpret a psychosocial assessment for use in multidisciplinary treatment planning.
• Attend interdisciplinary treatment conferences to present psychosocial data for developing and reviewing treatment plans.
• Coordinate discharge planning for patients through treatment planning and conferences involving patients, relatives, community caregivers, and team members to ensure the most appropriate living and aftercare arrangements.
• Participate in regular supervision and, through case review and discussion, improve diagnostic and treatment skills in treating substance abuse and mental illness.
• Coordinate, implement, and monitor the delivery of clinical social work services for a specific inpatient unit to ensure the provision of quality services.
• Provide clinical supervision to social workers to improve service quality and encourage professional growth and independent functioning of supervisees, and to social worker students/interns as needed.
• Prepare and maintain case records, narrative, statistical, treatment team reports and other required documentation in both automated and written form.
• Seek and participate in continued education in the field of substance abuse and mental illness.

Background & Experience

• Knowledge of evidence-based treatment modalities, including substance abuse treatment, family therapy, group therapy, and behavior therapy.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of psychosocial diagnosis and treatment.
• Working knowledge of the methods and techniques of clinical social work, including discharge from an impatient setting.
• Ability to conceptualize and implement treatment plans as they develop from full psychosocial diagnosis.
• Ability to evaluate independently during crisis situations and respond with appropriate social work therapeutic intervention.
• Knowledge and skills necessary to provide appropriate care to the age-related, cultural and spiritual needs of the patients served.
• Continues to improve skills through completion of all mandatory staff development classes and participation in social work related continuing education programs.

Reporting to the Director of Supportive Housing, the Clinical Social Worker oversees clinical services across three supportive housing sites, providing counselling, crisis intervention, DBT skills groups, and mental health referrals for residents. Partnering with program leadership and a CASAC staff member, the Clinical Social Worker advances trauma-informed practice through staff training that helps residents maintain stability.

Role Responsibilities

• Provide short term needed counselling, crisis prevention and intervention to residents.
• Provide referrals for mental health services and follow up on those referrals.
• Facilitate skills building groups for residents (DBT groups).
• Supervise CASAC staff member.
• Ensure the use of trauma-informed interventions and methodologies by all staff, and provide trainings that increase staff knowledge in effectively meeting client's needs, including co-occurring disorders, harm reduction, and cultural competence.
• Work as part of team to plan and develop residents programs, and assist the Program Director and Program Supervisor with general operation of the program.
• Effectively use and practice Sanctuary Model tools, including safety plans, community meetings, psycho-educational groups, team meetings, red flags reviews, and self-care, to create a non-violent and trauma sensitive culture.
• Promote and model the core values of the organization's Mission (Compassion, Non-Violence, Hospitality, and Community) and the Seven Sanctuary Model Commitments, integrating the Sanctuary Model SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss and Future) framework into daily practice to ensure quality care and an effective work environment.
• Keep accurate, up-to-date documentation on all clients, including treatment plans and case notes, and assist with all data collection systems and reports required by DOHMH.

Education & Experience

• Master's Degree in Social Work.
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker Certification (LCSW), or at least 3 years of direct clinical experience with a Master's Degree in Social Work.
• Three years of experience working with the formerly mentally ill population.
• Experience with long-term homeless, low income and diverse populations.
• Working knowledge of major psychiatric disorders and chemical use/abuse/misuse and addiction to alcohol and other drugs.
• Competent technology management skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and client database management.