The Social Worker offers social work intervention through direct treatment and provision or coordination of needed services to inpatient and outpatients and/or their families experiencing psychosocial adjustment difficulties associated with illness, injury, disability, and related hospitalization. The primary goal of the intervention is to assist patients in achieving maximum physical and psychosocial functioning. The Social Worker participates in or provides professional education programs within the agency and community provides supervision to social work interns, and may provide social work consultation to community agencies.

This position reports to the Practice Manager in the department of Neurology. This position is to support the outpatient clinical care programs within the Department of Neurology located at both the Center for Health and Healing at the South Waterfront and the Hatfield Research Center on Marquam Hill.

 

The Department of Neurology consists of:

• Aging, Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders
• Comprehensive Neurology & Neurohospitalist
• Movement Disorders
• Epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology
• Headache Medicine
• Neuromuscular Medicine
• Stroke and Vascular Medicine

In addition to improving patient care, there will be an emphasis on improving clinician efficiency to allow clinicians to focus on medical issues and allow the Social Worker to focus on the physical and psychosocial concerns. The Social Worker will serve as a part of the multi-disciplinary team for our Divisions and Sections within the Department of Neurology that share the same clinic space.

Psychosocial Assessment – Engages in case finding and conducts interviews with patients, patients' families, and other appropriate resources to gather information necessary in identifying/ evaluating the psychosocial, cultural, and financial conditions of patients referred by agency staff, community professionals, families or other sources; prepares assessments regarding patient functioning capacity (including behavior, coping abilities, and attitude toward illness, injury disability, or hospitalization) and support systems available for treatment planning; provides in-depth consultation to community professionals, agency staff, or other persons seeking guidance in meeting patient needs; may complete daily rounds and conduct chart reviews to determine patient needs or problems on assigned unit; may participate in treatment team meetings with various health care staff, to provide psychosocial assessments which are used in establishing treatment goals or in discharge planning. 

Patient Services – Refers patient/family to outside resources for assistance (such as financial, vocational, schools, transportation, insurance, housing, medicine) and assists family in gaining access to resources; may develop discharge plans emphasizing continuity of care, appropriate placement and maximum use of appropriate resources; serves as advocate for the patient within the medical setting and the community; maintains knowledge of community resources for patient care; may interact with Medical Social Service Specialists to insure delivery of specific patient-care services. 

Counseling – Provides short- and long-term counseling to patients and/or their families; provides supportive counseling to reinforce patients' strengths and assist them in dealing with the stress and feelings of grief, fear, and anger associated with serious illness, injury, hospitalization, or disability; counsels patients to assist them in decisions regarding treatment options or decisions on pregnancy-related issues, such as adoption or abortion; conducts group sessions to provide information to patients and their families on treatment methods and what to anticipate on a social, emotional, or physical level from the treatment; may provide psychotherapy to patients and their families such as individual therapy, group therapy, and marital/family therapy; may participate in emergency or on-call situations by providing crisis intervention services to patients and/or their families. 

Training – Assists in the supervision and evaluation of graduate level social work interns; may assist in training medical residents and other agency staff regarding department activities, programs, services, and social work practices, including the field of medical social work; attends patient care conferences and actively contributes to case reviews; provides in-services to department, unit, or community professionals regarding areas of expertise. 

Department Functions – Contributes to the development and evaluation of new programs to meet identified patient needs; provides community education programs to pertinent social concerns; assumes active role in meetings and supervisory conferences for the purpose of information exchange, education, and enhanced patient care.

Documentation – Prepares psychosocial assessments, histories, and treatment recommendations for patients' hospital charts and department records; maintains written record of all social work involvement with patient; prepares accurate and timely statistics on assigned cases. 

Miscellaneous – Attends conferences and seminars to maintain up to date knowledge of social work practices and principles.

• Master’s Social Work (MSW).
• Demonstrated record of reliable attendance, punctuality and proven successful performance at past and present employers.
• Able to implement assessments, short & long term counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy.
• Excellent task prioritization, time management, and communications (verbal and written).
• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Ability to perform the job duties with or without accommodation.

• Social work experience in a complex neurosciences medical practice.
• OHSU healthcare experience or healthcare experience in a patient centered care environment.
• Experience with Epic or other patient information software.

Department of Neurology Clinical Operations Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm

Department of Neurology Locations:

• Center for Health & Health, Building 1, 8th Floor
• Hatfield Research Center, 13th Floor

Hybrid position, 20-40% of time remote, after completion of probationary period with the remainder on site primarily at the South Waterfront.

• Ability to alternate between various work sites, depending on the departmental needs.
• Able to prioritize tasks.
• May be exposed to body fluids, tissue, and infectious processes.
• Able to multi-task with frequent interruptions and frequent changes and fluctuations.
• Able to sit for extended periods of time with extensive computer work.
• Able to utilize office equipment within work area, including computer, soft phone, smartphone.
• Able to work in a shared office environment.

 

Position posted on 7/23/2026 7:12 PM.

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