Social Worker III - Discharge Planner/Case Manager (Open & Promotional)

Salary : $92,892.80 - $116,084.80 Annually

Location : County of San Mateo, CA

Job Type : Regular

Job Number : G096CB

Department : San Mateo Medical Center

Opening Date : 04 / 16 / 2024

Description

Note : This recruitment schedule was amended on April 30, 2024 to extend the Final Filing Date. This recruitment has been changed to "Continuous."

San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) is seeking a highly-qualified Social Worker III - Discharge Planner / Case Manager to provide highly skilled, intensive discharge planning and case management to individuals and their families, and provide casework consultation within SMMC and to outside agencies.

The Social Worker III - Discharge Planner / Case Manager position will support SMMC to provide services related to discharge planning / case management on various units of the hospital, including the Medical / Surgical unit, Intensive Care Unit, Acute Psychiatry unit, Short Term Rehabilitation unit, Emergency Room, and Psychiatric Emergency Services.

This includes needs assessment, assistance in financial resource management, crisis management, service delivery planning and follow up, and referrals to public, community-based services and programs.

The candidate should be familiar with the rules and regulations governing skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.

The ideal candidate will have direct experience working in an acute care hospital setting performing discharge planning, including appropriate documentation in accordance with all Medicare and Medi-Cal regulations, and should be experienced working with Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and LEAN principles.

The current vacancy is an on-site, Full-Time, Regular position. In addition to the regular vacancy, we also have an Extra-Help vacancy on site.

Experience with psychiatric discharge planning is strongly preferred.

The ideal candidate will be :

• An experienced social worker with the ability to plan and execute complex treatment plans in a community- or acute care hospital-based setting.
• Experienced with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), as well as other mental health community programs.
• Knowledgeable of the systems of care related to older adults, mental health, substance abuse, developmental delay, pediatrics, primary care, palliative care, chronic illnesses, dialysis, conservatorship, and probation and parole.
• Able to work independently with little supervision and demonstrates a high degree of initiative.
• Knowledgeable of housing resources, their requirements for eligibility, and other community services such as In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), Institute on Aging (IOA), Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM), BHRS, and Bridges to Wellness, and more.
• Knowledgeable about County benefit and entitlement programs, such as Medi-Cal and ACE.
• Experienced and comfortable working with the following populations : multi-cultural, homeless, chronic diseases, end-of-life, mental health, domestic violence, parolees, and substance abuse disorders.
• Experienced working with a diverse population (race, ethnicity, age, ability, language, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender, religion, and sexual orientation).
• Able to accurately assess for signs of adult and child abuse and be a mandated reporter.
• Able to work in a politically charged environment under high degrees of stress and meet all deadlines.
• Able to develop effective and positive working relationships with community partners such as Aging and Adult Services, BHRS, and HPSM.
• An effective communicator to a broad range of stakeholders, including doctors, nurses, conservators, health advocates, families, and patients.
• Able to remain calm during crisis situations and perform emergency crisis counseling for families and patients as needed.
• Experienced documenting in an EMR.
• Able to communicate clearly and concisely.
• Spanish-speaking preferred.

NOTE : The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following :

• Provide information and assistance to patients of SMMC.
• Conduct initial screenings for patients and develop appropriate discharge / service plans to address identified issues.
• Provide skilled casework services to patients and their families.
• Schedule and conduct family care conference meetings with patients, families, and treatment team for short-term and long-term placement needs.
• Coordinate referrals, both internal and external, as part of the social service plan.
• Follow up on referrals and document outcomes as well as completion of items.
• Provide crisis intervention to patients and their families.
• Assist patients in meeting a variety of emergency needs, including financial, housing, and emotional crises.
• Assist patients with applications and securing of private and public benefits.
• Gather and maintain current information on community resources and disseminate this information to patients and staff.
• Maintain case files utilizing the electronic medical record.
• Work with the hospital's multidisciplinary team of staff to identify and address barriers to care, participate in quality assurance efforts such as outcome analysis, chart reviews, and patient and staff satisfaction efforts, and assist with maintenance of Center policies.
• Document interactions with patients / clients in EMR.
• Be a member of the Palliative Care Team.
• Work in the emergency room or any other areas in the hospital that social workers cover.

Qualifications

Education :

Satisfactory completion of 36 semester units of Social Welfare and / or appropriate behavioral science courses.

Experience :

Three years' experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.

Substitution : Possession of a Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work and two years' experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.

Licensure / Certification :

California class C driver license or equivalent.

Knowledge of :

• Theories of human behavior and their practical applications.
• Psycho-social, medical, and economic interrelationships that result in individual and social abnormalities.
• Philosophy and function of social work systems.
• Appropriate utilization of a variety of social resources.
• Laws, rules and regulations governing the operation of social work agencies, specifically those relating to the specific areas of assignment.

Skill / Ability to :

• Formulating, developing and implementing treatment plans.
• Working effectively with persons differing in value systems, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds and psychopathologies.
• Working with a variety of social resources to plan and coordinate services to individual clients.
• Acting as a consultant and trainer to other social service staff.
• Preparing clear and concise reports.

Application / Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, Confidential and Management extra-help / limited term, and SEIU or AFSCME represented extra help / limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight : 100%) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight pass / fail). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification.

All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT : Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button above or below.

If you are not on the County's website, please go to to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted 5 days in advance in the County of San Mateo Human Resources Department.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process.

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment.

The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst : Debbie Kong (04082024) (Social Worker III - G096)

Please visit for a complete listing of all benefits for this classification.

Benefits are offered to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. All benefits are subject to change.

As an additional benefit, the County offers extensive training and development programs designed to improve skills and enhance career opportunities.

Most programs are offered on County time at no cost to you.

County employees are also covered by the federal Social Security system and earn benefits for retirement based on salary and time worked.

IMPORTANT : Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the following supplemental questions. Your responses will give us additional information about your background and experience related to this position and will be used in the selection process.

Be concise and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process.

A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

Proceed to supplemental questions.

Please read carefully the minimum requirements below for the Social Worker III position, and select the option for which you qualify.

Satisfactory completion of 36 semester units of Social Welfare and / or appropriate behavioral science courses, and three years' experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.

ORPossession of a Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work and two years' experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.

• I possess satisfactory completion of 36 semester units of Social Welfare and / or appropriate behavioral science courses, and three years' experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.
• I possess a Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work and two years' experience performing duties comparable to those of a Social Worker II or higher in San Mateo County.
• None of the above. I do not meet the minimum requirement(s) of a Social Worker III.

List the coursework, experience, and education that qualify you for Social Worker III. Be specific by including course names, credits received, dates, and schools for coursework.

For the experience requirement, be specific and include title, dates, agency, and duties that qualify you for Social Worker III.

If you have a Master's in Social Work, include the information here and in the Education section of the Application Form.

With which of the following populations, case-types, or settings do you have direct work experience? (Select all that apply.)

• Geriatrics
• Pediatrics
• Parolees
• Substance Abuse
• Mental Health
• Developmental Delay
• Primary Care
• Hospice
• Palliative Care
• Chronic Disease
• None of the Above

Describe your case management experience with the population(s) you selected in the previous question. Include the resources you utilized to help you manage the case(s) and your experience working as a member of an interdisciplinary team to develop comprehensive care plans. Be specific.

Describe your experience in working with patients / families in a healthcare facility. Include your title, the facility name, your duties, the length of time you were in your position, your caseload size, and the type of setting (inpatient or outpatient). Be specific.

Describe a complex case in which you assisted a client with linking appropriate services. Include any barriers encountered and the resolution to those barriers. Be specific.

You may need to work with patients that are unable to make decisions on their own and they do not have designated decision-makers.

Describe a situation when you had to work with a patient that was unable to make decisions on their own and did not have a designated decision-maker.

What steps did you take and what was the outcome . Be specific.

Fluency in Spanish is preferred. Are you fluent in Spanish? (A "No" answer will not disqualify you from this recruitment.)

YES. Please Note : Spanish-speaking positions require that you have the ability to speak, read and write fluently in Spanish and English.

Prior to being hired for a Spanish speaking position you will be required to successfully complete a thorough Bilingual Proficiency Examination with the hiring department.

The evaluation factors for the examination will include comprehension and composition.

County of San Mateo departments sometimes need extra-help workers in addition to permanent employees. Extra Help positions offer temporary part-time or temporary full-time employment for 1040 hours (which equates to working full-time for approximately six months).

However, employment might end sooner depending on the needs of the hiring departments. Extra Help positions are paid on an hourly rate basis.

Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra-help workers are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the extra-help assignment.

Are you interested in extra-help employment? (A "No" answer to this question will not affect your application for permanent employment.)

The County has an Employee Referral Program whereby current employees are recognized monetarily for referring successful applicants for employment into "hard-to-fill" positions.

Were you referred to this position by a current County of San Mateo employee? Please provide the name of employee. (Must be provided at the time of application.)

Required Question