Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Adolescent & Young Adult

Department BSD PSY - Clinical Social Work

About the Department The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago has a longstanding commitment to excellence in clinical care, education, and research. Its faculty bring expertise across the psychiatric subspecialties and in behavioral neuroscience, with a shared focus on advancing the understanding and treatment of mental illness. Research within the Department is broad and multidisciplinary, spanning clinical, translational, and neuroscience research.

Areas of expertise include anxiety and mood disorders, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, dementia and cognitive disorders, eating and weight disorders, including obesity, substance use disorders, and impulse control and related disorders. This work is carried out through established research programs, including the Center for Psychiatric Genetics, the Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, the Addictive, Compulsive and Impulsive Disorders Research Program, and the Eating Disorders Research Program.

Many faculty hold appointments in the University of Chicago Neuroscience Institute, and the Department supports NIH-funded T32 training programs in eating disorders and in addictions. Faculty also examine developmental and other factors that influence mental health and treatment response, using approaches such as neuroimaging, genetics and genomics, human behavioral pharmacology, behavioral research, and clinical investigation. Together, these efforts support the Department’s mission to advance psychiatric knowledge, educate the next generation of clinicians and scientists, and improve outcomes for individuals affected by mental illness.

This position provides compassionate, patient-centered clinical social work support to individuals and families navigating chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, with a particular focus on patients receiving hematology/oncology care. The LCSW assesses and addresses the emotional, psychological, social, and practical challenges associated with diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care. Services include providing individual and group psychotherapy, supportive counseling, patient and family education, and assistance with coping, adjustment, and care planning.

The LCSW also provides support and guidance to family caregivers, facilitates communication among patients, families, and healthcare providers, and connects individuals with appropriate medical, behavioral health, community, and supportive resources. The position requires sound clinical judgment, strong interdisciplinary collaboration, and the ability to provide compassionate support throughout the continuum of care.

• Provide compassionate, evidence-based clinical social work services to adolescents and young adults (ages 15-39), addressing a broad range of emotional, behavioral, psychological, and psychosocial concerns in the context of acute, hematological/oncological medical conditions.
• Conduct comprehensive clinical diagnostic evaluations and psychosocial assessments to identify patient needs, establish appropriate diagnoses, and develop individualized treatment recommendations.
• Provide urgent‑care and crisis assessments, including evaluation of safety and risk, crisis intervention, stabilization, safety planning, and referrals to appropriate levels of care when indicated.
• Provide goal‑focused, evidence‑based, and time‑limited individual and group psychotherapy tailored to the developmental needs and unique experiences of adolescents and young adults.
• Utilize therapeutic interventions that support emotional regulation, coping skills, resilience, adjustment, interpersonal relationships, identity…