CHIEF PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER
DEFINITION:
Under direction plans, organizes, develops, supervises, directs, and has charge of the
psychiatric social work program; does related work as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This job is the "top" psychiatric social work position in an agency. The position may function under
the administrative direction of the agency director with the incumbent assuming full responsibility,
without technical advice and assistance for resolving any and all technical problems which may
arise. At this level, work is characterized by responsibility for planning, organizing, coordinating,
and controlling the work of the unit; for developing and establishing the flow of work in the unit; for
directing and recommending disposition of personnel matters; for securing of administrative
services for the unit; for developing and establishing new or revised work methods; for the training
of employees and for coordinating and correlating the work of the unit with other units. Incumbent
initiates requests for filling vacancies or for additional personnel and selects and participates in the
selection of personnel. He approves promotions, reassignments or other changes in status of
assigned personnel. Incumbent approves leaves and vacation schedules and resolves complaints,
grievances, or disciplinary problems. This position involves responsibility for unreviewed decisions
on the technical questions which arise in the normal course of work. Incumbent is responsible for all
technical determinations which arise, without technical advice or assistance on even the most
difficult and unusual problems, and without further review except from an administrative standpoint.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Plans, organizes, develops, and directs the psychiatric social work program.
Attends evaluative clinics.
Supervises and has charge of the work performed by the entire psychiatric social work staff.
Establishes and sees that plans for the in-service training of psychiatric social work staff members
are carried out.
Maintains a liaison with professional and lay groups.
Supervises the work involved in planning individual programs of psychiatric social work.
In addition to supervisory responsibilities, performs the most responsible work involved in
providing needed psychiatric social services for clients.
Responds to the most complex problems and inquiries relevant to psychiatric social work.
Gives suitable assignments and instructions to subordinate employees.
Prepares and directs the preparation of reports.
Assists in the preparation of the psychiatric social work budget.
Directs the establishment and maintenance of records and files.
REQUIREMENTS:
EDUCATION
Possession of a master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work.
EXPERIENCE
Five years of experience in psychiatric social work, two of which shall have been in a
supervisory capacity.
NOTE: The above experience must have been attained subsequent to the granting
of the master’s degree.
KNOWLEDGE
Thorough knowledge of and familiarity with administrative, supervisory, and psychiatric
social work practices and techniques.
ABILITY
Ability to plan, develop, organize, install, and direct psychiatric social work programs.
To give suitable assignments and instructions to assigned employees and to supervise the
performance of their work.
To direct the establishment and maintenance of related records and files.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the
essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known
limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer
undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
