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Clinical Social Worker
UCI Series Concepts
Class Specifications - H.65
Chief Clinical Social Worker - 9310
Associate Chief Clinical Social Worker - 9311
Supervising Clinical Social Worker - 9312
Clinical Social Worker III - 9313
Clinical Social Worker II - 9314
Clinical Social Worker I - 9315
May, 1979
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SERIES CONCEPT
Clinical Social Workers utilize a professional knowledge of the
principles and practices of social work to counsel individuals, couples,
families, and groups to help them make optimal use of health care,
social, counseling, or psychological services; to provide, within their
recognized professional scope, psychotherapeutic services to
patients/clients (which may include functioning as primary
psychotherapist; to develop and improve the resources available to enhance
social and personal functioning; to provide teaching and consultative
services to other professionals and health care students; and to perform
other related duties as required.
The same professional concepts, principles and techniques are used by
Clinical Social Workers regardless of the program in which they work,
but the circumstances and details of assignments and the immediate
occasions of service differ among the various University settings. Some
representative assignments are as follows:
As members of a medical team in hospitals, field health stations, and
clinics, Clinical Social Workers provide psychotherapeutic services to
patients and relatives in individual, couple, or group settings to
assist them in adjusting to the physical/psychological difficulties
associated with illness; counsel patients and relatives on the
psychosocial ramifications of illness which may include grief
counseling; evaluate and provide consultation to the medical team on the
social factors relating to illness, hospitalization, diagnosis and
recommended treatment of patients; develop and aid in the use of
community resources; act as the primary interface between the patient,
hospital, and community; provide collaborative, educational and
consultative services to lay groups and organizations; participate in
program evaluation and in determining the need for new services;
participate in or consult on research/education programs; assume the
role of patient advocate; provide teaching, consultation and in-service
training to residents, students, and other professional staff; and
comply with various statutes concerning reporting and treatment
responsibilities.
As members of multidisciplinary treatment teams at a community mental
health clinic, psychiatric hospital, neurosphychiatric center or
out-patient clinic or as staff members at a student counseling center or
psychiatric clinic, Clinical Social Workers provide direct treatment in
individual, couple, or group psychotherapy to a wide range of cases;
in collaboration with a staff psychiatrist determine case disposition
when psychiatric hospitalization and/or medication are needed; refer
clients to appropriate community or private resources; evaluate and
interpret the psychosocial aspects of mental and emotional disturbances
to families and other health professionals within the facility; maintain
clinical records; participate in program evaluation and in determining
the needs for new services; provide consultation to and maintain liaison
with campus/community programs; and provide teaching, supervision,
consultation and in-service training to residents, students, and staff.
Positions in this series are distinguished from positions in the Social
Work Associate series in that the majority of time is spent working with
patients/clients with an emphasis on the acceptance or modification of
behavior or attitude, rather than on the provision of supportive and
tangible services such as temporary housing, medical appliances and
filing for benefits.
Positions in this series that are predominantly psychotherapeutic in
nature differ from positions in the Psychologist series in the latter's
use and interpretation of psychodiagnostic devices including
psychological testing.
Above the journeylevel class of Clinical Social Worker II, the series is
subdivided into two categories: one consisting of three classes for
administrative and technical supervisory positions and the other
consisting of one class, Clinical Social Worker III, for positions
requiring advanced technical expertise.
CLASS CONCEPTS
Chief Clinical Social Worker
Under general direction, incumbents are assigned responsibility for
managing the administrative and technical functions of a large and
complex clinical social work program in a hospital or community mental
health project. Typically such organizations have at least one level of
subordinate supervisory positions.
Incumbents select, train, make assignments to, and review the work of
the supervisorial staff; coordinate work with other hospital
departments; determine budgets and staff needs; evaluate on-going
programs; and plan and develop long-range goals and objectives.
Associate Chief Clinical Social Worker
Under general direction, incumbents serve as principal assistants to the
Chief Clinical Social Worker or are assigned full responsibility for the
administrative and technical operations of a smaller and less complex
total hospital or community social work program.
As principal assistant to the Chief Clinical Social Worker incumbents
may be assigned responsibility for broad administrative areas; provide
staff work for special projects; conduct special studies and surveys;
direct in-service training programs; assist with budget preparation and
program planning; and direct the work of Supervising Clinical Social
Workers.
Supervising Clinical Social Worker
Under direction, incumbents plan and coordinate the work of a major
hospital or community health program unit, or are assigned full
technical and administrative responsibility for a Student Health Service
or campus counseling center social work program. There is full
supervision of three full-time-equivalent Clinical Social Workers or
Social Work Associates.
Incumbents select, train, make assignments to and review the work of
subordinates; coordinate the work with other social work units;
participate in program planning for the component; provide therapy;
monitor the training progress of new employees, conduct orientation
programs; assist in the training of students and staff; and are
responsible for the quality of social work services being provided by
the unit.
Clinical Social Worker III
Under general supervision, and in addition to performing the full range
of operational level duties, incumbents are assigned responsibility for
administering a specialized social service program (such as, a suicide
prevention or formal research project) where supervision is not a major
responsibility; administer with considerable independence an unusually
broad variety of therapies on the most difficult cases; or are the
designated experts, consultants, or sources of knowledge for a major
area of knowledge within the social work profession.
Clinical Social Worker II
Under supervision, incumbents perform the full range of social work
duties. Clinical Social Workers formulate and implement psychosocial
treatment based on a sound integration of theory and practice; engage in
special projects, research, and consultation; and teach in an
interdisciplinary setting.
This is the operational level in the series, the level of independent
professional practice.
Clinical Social Worker I
Under close supervision, incumbents perform social work duties of lesser
scope and complexity than found at the next higher level.
This is the entry level class in the series and incumbents are expected
to advance to the full journeylevel class.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Chief Clinical Social Worker
A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work, possession
of a clinical social worker license issued by the California Board of
Behavioral Science Examiners, and seven years of post-master's
experience three of which should include administration, supervision
and/or consultation in a health care setting; or an equivalent
combination of education and experience; and knowledges and abilities
essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the
position. A doctoral degree may be substituted for two years of
experience.
Associate Chief Clinical Social Worker
A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work, possession
of a clinical social worker license issued by the California Board of
Behavioral Science Examiners, and five years of post-master's experience
two of which should include administration, supervision, and/or
consultation in a health care setting or an equivalent combination of
education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the
successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Supervising Clinical Social Worker
A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work, possession
of a clinical social worker license issued by the California Board of
Behavioral Science Examiners, and three years of post-master's
experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful performance of
the duties assigned to the position.
Clinical Social Worker III
A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work, possession
of a clinical social worker license issued by the California Board of
Behavioral Science Examiners, and three years of post-master's
experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful performance of
the duties assigned to the position.
Clinical Social Worker II
A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and
possession of the requirements necessary for application for licensure
as a clinical social worker as determined by the California Board of
Behavioral Science Examiners; or an equivalent combination of education
and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful
performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Clinical Social Worker I
A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work; or an
equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and
abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned
to the position.
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