Provide persons, families, or vulnerable populations with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, such as Alzheimer's, cancer, or AIDS. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making necessary referrals for other social services.

Other names for Medical and Public Health Social Workers: Public Welfare Worker, Referral Coordinator, Renal Social Worker, Social Work Case Manager, Social Worker, Transition Specialist, Home Based Primary Care Social Worker, Home Health Care Social Worker, Hospice Home Care Social Worker, Hospice Social Worker, Hospital Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Social Worker, Long Term Care Social Worker, Medicaid Specialist, Medical Case Manager, Medical Case Worker, Medical Social Consultant, Medical Social Worker, Neonatal Social Worker, Nephrology Social Worker, Nursing Home Social Worker, Older Adult Social Work Specialist, Oncology Social Work, Oncology Social Worker, Outreach and Education Social Worker, Outreach Coordinator, Outreach Specialist, Patient Resource Coordinator, Pediatric Social Worker, Perinatal Social Worker, Psychiatric Social Worker, Psychosocial Coordinator, Public Health Social Worker, Bereavement Counselor, Case Managers, Clinical Social Worker, Community Advocate, Director of Social Services, Director of Social Work, Disability Advocate, Disability Coordinator, Disability Specialist, Discharge Planner, Domestic Violence Advocate, Elder Counselor, Family Advocate, Family Support Specialist, Family Support Worker, Geriatric Care Manager, Geriatric Social Worker, Group Social Worker, Health Care Social Worker,

• Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
• Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary.
• Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
• Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
• Organize support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient.
• Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
• Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
• Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
• Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients' status.
• Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
• Supervise and direct other workers providing services to clients or patients.
• Develop or advise on social policy and assist in community development.
• Oversee Medicaid- and Medicare-related paperwork and recordkeeping in hospitals.
• Conduct social research to advance knowledge in the social work field.
• Plan and conduct programs to combat social problems, prevent substance abuse, or improve community health and counseling services.

• Desktop computers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers

Office suite software

Word processing software

Presentation software

Web page creation and editing software

Calendar and scheduling software

Spreadsheet software

Desktop publishing software

Data base user interface and query software

Medical software

Internet browser software

Electronic mail software