Are you interested in working in a fast-paced, challenging behavioral healthcare organization? Are you interested in a position that is rewarding and makes a difference in the lives of others? Do you like to be challenged and work in a setting that allows you to grow? Then Alvarado Parkway Institute wants to hear from you! 

Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) is a free-standing psychiatric hospital in La Mesa, California with three Intensive Outpatient/Partial Hospitalization Programs. Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) provides comprehensive adult inpatient behavioral health and addictive disorders services in a 66-bed hospital setting located in La Mesa, California. At Alvarado Parkway Institute, we are committed to improving the mental health and well-being of our community. Alvarado Parkway Institute in La Mesa is San Diego County's leading provider of comprehensive mental health and substance abuse care. API offers a variety of Outpatient Services designed to assist patients in functioning at the highest level. API provides Partial Hospitalization services and Intensive Outpatient services. These programs emphasize symptom management, community integration, and prevention of hospitalization or re-hospitalization. Value-added services enhance the patient's treatment experience. 

Alvarado Parkway Institute is currently seeking a qualified individual to join our inpatient team as a Social Worker. Social Workers provide quality case management and psychotherapeutic services to adult psychiatric patient population (age range approximately 18 and up) and their families, spouse, significant other. They serve as a member of the interdisciplinary team supporting the organization's treatment program and philosophy and assure the deliverance of quality treatment to adult psychiatric patients and their families.

You must complete an application online at our website to be considered for possible employment: https://apibhs.com/careers

Social Worker Responsibilities:

• Conducts psychosocial assessments to document history and identify preliminary issues for treatment focus by interviewing the patient and their family members.
• Provides family and collateral meetings to include process-oriented therapies as well as crisis intervention, psycho-education, discharge and aftercare planning and advocacy interventions for patients and family members.
• Develops and coordinates an individualized discharge plan for the patient by utilizing treatment team and chart information to determine the patient's aftercare needs. Identifies and assesses family or community resources, such as group homes or mental health practitioners, to meet patients' aftercare needs.
• Attends regular treatment team meetings to provide social work perspective to total case management of the patient by reading and discussing written progress notes from charts and communicating any state or local agency legal requirement for case management with the interdisciplinary team.
• Reports to community/state agencies any patient issues required and represents facility in any legal proceedings.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Required Skills and Experience:

• Written and oral communications skills
• Skills in case management, time management, and crisis intervention common to acute psychotic as well as to non-violent crises intervention practice.
• Knowledge of acute adult psychological disorders; advanced principals of abnormal psychology as specifically applied to adults.
• Familiarly with follow-up resource services available to adults.
• Skills in conducting marital and family group therapy.
• Skills in maintaining information as highly confidential.
• Must demonstrate the ability to treat other age populations as needed or have the capacity to develop skills through the organization's cross-training, orientation program.
• Ability to clearly summarize pertinent clinical information via written correspondence and medical records documentation.

Required Education:

• Master’s degree in social work or equivalent master’s degree in a recognized mental health field.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Certifications:

•  Experience in inpatient setting preferred.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, this position is frequently required to do the following:

• Use standard office equipment and access, input, and retrieve information from a computer.
• Use computer keyboard with manual and finger dexterity and wrist-finger speed sufficient to perform repetitive actions efficiently for extended periods of time.
• Communicate effectively in person or via telephone in a manner which can be understood by those with whom the person is speaking, including a diverse population.
• Give and follow verbal and written instructions with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Perform complex mental functions and basic arithmetic functions; interpret complex laws, regulations, and policies; collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information.
• Vision sees details of objects at close range.
• Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Reach forward, up, down, and to the side.
• Sit or stand for minimum periods of one hour at a time and come and go from the work area repeatedly throughout the day.
• Walk and/or stand for long periods of time (3/4 of the workday). 

Conditions of Employment

In compliance with API’s policies and guidelines, all API employees are required to adhere to the following:

Background/Reference Check & Licensure/Certification

• Completion of a satisfactory background and reference checks.
• Employee signed employment non-compete/confidentiality agreement
• Individuals whose position may require licensure, registration or certification must maintain such as current and valid. It is the employee's responsibility to send updated copies to Human Resources before the expiration date. It is the employee's responsibility to notify Human Resources of any changes or proposed changes in status to licensure, registration, or certification. Failure to do so could result in employee suspension.

Covid-19 and Flu Vaccinations; Medical

• Provide a copy of COVID-19 Vaccination OR have an Exemption Request (Deferred Pregnancy, Medical, or Religious) approved by the API HR Director; and those who have an approved Exemption must undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and observe all other infection control requirements, including face coverings.
• Annual Flu vaccination is required as a condition of hire and ongoing employment. Only those who are allergic to the vaccine or meet contraindications as indicated on the current CDC Vaccine Information Statement shall be exempt from this condition of hire and ongoing employment but are required to wear a mask while inside an API owned or operated building or vehicle during influenza season, Employees must provide physician documentation to support any reported allergy or contraindication. Flu season typically runs between November and March.
• Pass drug and alcohol test performed by Concentra.
• Clear TB skin test or Chest X-Ray at Concentra.
• Complete a satisfactory physical examination at Concentra designed solely to determine your ability to perform the duties of the position being offered. 

EEO Statement

API provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.