Social Worker, Crisis Counselor

Houston Methodist seeks a Lead Social Worker to oversee complex psychosocial care for patients and families in our Community & Social Services department. This role provides advanced clinical assessments, crisis intervention, discharge planning, and care coordination across interdisciplinary teams. The Lead Social Worker will mentor staff, support program development, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Aligned with our mission-driven, patient-centered culture, this position promotes safety, innovation, and equitable access to resources in a diverse and inclusive environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced psychosocial assessments and interventions for patients and families.
• Lead discharge planning and care coordination with interdisciplinary teams.
• Offer crisis intervention and support for high-risk or complex cases.
• Serve as clinical resource and mentor for social work staff and students.
• Develop and implement social work practice standards, policies, and workflows.
• Ensure documentation, regulatory, and accreditation compliance.
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, and community agencies to optimize patient outcomes.
• Facilitate support groups and family conferences as needed.
• Identify social determinants of health and connect patients to community resources.
• Participate in quality improvement, program development, and staff education initiatives.

Required Skills

• Clinical psychosocial assessment
• Crisis intervention
• Discharge planning
• Care coordination
• Knowledge of community resources
• Electronic health record (EHR) documentation
• Interdisciplinary team collaboration
• Supervision and staff mentoring
• Regulatory and accreditation compliance
• Motivational interviewing
• Case management
• Supportive counseling
• Group facilitation
• Cultural competence in healthcare
• Program development and quality improvement