Social Worker - Nurturing Resilience Initiative's Strong Kids

UTHealth Houston Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Nurturing Resilience Initiative is hiring social workers to support our Strong Kids program! Strong Kids is an evidence-based, preventive social-emotional learning intervention currently implemented across multiple school- and community-based sites in Fort Bend and Harris Counties. 

The Social Worker will play a critical role in delivering direct and indirect clinical services to youth and families participating in Strong Kids programming. This includes conducting psychosocial assessments, developing and implementing developmentally appropriate, skills-based intervention plans aligned with the Strong Kids curriculum, and collaborating closely with supervisors and multidisciplinary team members to support students’ emotional regulation, resilience, and positive coping skills. The social worker will also coordinate with site staff and community partners to identify participant needs, monitor progress, and facilitate referrals to appropriate community resources. This role requires the ability to respond to emergencies, deliver in‑person services in Fort Bend and Harris County, reside within the Houston metro area, and maintain a valid driver’s license (mileage reimbursed). 

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:  

• 100%25 paid medical premiums for our full-time employees  
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year) 
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue! 
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service) 
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan! 

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as... 

• Free financial and legal counseling 
• Free mental health counseling services 
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs 
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc. 
• Resources for child and elder care 
• Plus many more! 

Position Summary:

Independently provides professional social work services to address medical, psychiatric and social concerns by using a Biopsychosocial perspective to asses, evaluate, implement, monitor, advocate and implement services for patients and their families.

Position Key Accountabilities:

1.    Conducts comprehensive assessments with children and adolescents to interpret patients’ social, emotional, environmental, and financial needs.
2.    Plans course of treatment or refers cases to appropriate professionals, institutions or agencies to ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment or referral.
3.    Obtains data from patients and/or relatives in the best interest of their problems to assist in the development of a number of significant teaching endeavors, programs, and social services.
4.    With the objective of meeting total patient care, assesses patients and/or relatives to gain understanding of the individual's problems and needs. Collaborates with the physician and other members of the multi-disciplinary team to coordinate care, enhance the patient experience and achieve collaborative goals. Collaboratively develops patient goals, monitors progress, addresses barriers to goal achievement, and evaluates outcomes of individualized care plans. Conducts individual and or group counseling.
5.    Provides brief therapeutic interventions (up to 4 sessions) and extended care (up to 20 sessions) focused on trauma, utilizing evidence-based treatment modalities.
6.    Maintains all documentation in multiple data management systems in a timely manner.
7.    Provides education to physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers on community resources and the impact of psychosocial factors on care need.
8.    Utilizes crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and mediation to address patient/family concerns.
9.    Responds to emergency situations.
10.  Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) by State of Texas required

Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) by State of Texas preferred

Minimum Education:

Bachelor Degree in Social Work or related field.

Minimum Experience:

One year of social work experience required.
Medical social work experience is preferred.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Veteran Information:

Military occupations that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include but are not limited to: 0868, 42S1, 42S3, 42S4, 42SX, 73A.

For a complete list please visit www.uthealth-veterans.jobs.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.