Social Worker - Rural Health

The Social Worker-Rural Health position is a full-time, grant-funded position within the School of Dentistry. The Social Worker will play a critical role in identifying, assessing, and addressing social determinants of health that impact patients' ability to access and maintain oral healthcare services. The Social Worker will provide case management, benefits navigation, resource coordination, advocacy, and referral services to support patients receiving care through the School of Dentistry's community dentistry programs, including the After-Hours Clinic, Emergency Room Diversion Program, and rural outreach initiatives.

Working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, community partners, and healthcare providers, the Social Worker will help remove barriers to care, connect patients with community resources, facilitate access to financial assistance and public benefits, and support overall patient well-being. This position will supervise a Healthcare Navigator and contribute to grant reporting, program evaluation, and continuous improvement efforts.

Essential Functions:

Patient Assessment & Care Coordination
* Conduct comprehensive psychosocial and social determinants of health (SDOH) assessments to identify barriers to oral healthcare, including transportation, housing instability, food insecurity, financial hardship, language access, behavioral health concerns, and insurance coverage.
* Develop and implement care plans that address identified barriers and support patients in accessing needed dental and healthcare services.
* Provide case management and follow-up services to ensure successful connection to community resources and treatment recommendations.
* Assist patients in navigating healthcare, insurance, and social service systems.

Benefits Enrollment & Resource Navigation
* Screen patients for eligibility and facilitate enrollment in local, state, and federal assistance programs, including Medicaid, SNAP, disability services, and other available benefits.
* Connect patients with financial assistance resources, community organizations, behavioral health services, transportation programs, housing resources, and other support services.
* Advocate for patients experiencing barriers to receiving recommended oral healthcare services.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration
* Collaborate with dentists, dental students, faculty, healthcare navigators, community partners, social service agencies, and healthcare providers to address patient needs.
* Participate in interdisciplinary care coordination meetings and case discussions.
* Communicate patient needs, assessment findings, and recommendations to the care team while maintaining appropriate confidentiality standards.
* Facilitate referrals to internal and external providers and track outcomes.

Supervision & Program Support
* Provide supervision, training, and guidance to the Healthcare Navigator assigned to the After-Hours Clinic.
* Monitor workflow and ensure patients receive timely benefits, enrollment, assistance and referrals.
* Develop processes and tools that improve patient access, resource coordination, and program effectiveness.

Data Collection, Evaluation & Reporting
* Maintain accurate records of patient assessments, referrals, benefits enrollments, and service outcomes.
* Collect and report program metrics related to patient encounters, referrals, benefits enrollment, and social needs interventions.
* Assist with grant reporting, program evaluation activities, and quality improvement initiatives.
* Contribute data and patient outcome information for presentations, reports, and funding requirements.

Qualifications:

Required
* Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited program.
* Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or eligible for licensure in Nebraska.
* Two to five years of experience in healthcare, community health, behavioral health, case management, or social services.
* Knowledge of social determinants of health, community resources, public benefits programs, and healthcare systems.
* Strong communication, assessment, organization, and documentation skills.
Preferred
* Experience working with underserved, rural, uninsured, or Medicaid populations.
* Experience in healthcare, dental, hospital, community clinic, or academic health settings.
* Supervisory experience.
* Bilingual skills (Spanish preferred).
* Experience working with grant-funded programs and outcome reporting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
* Skilled in promoting positive interactions with patients, team members and community partners
* Culturally competent
* Familiar with existing nonprofit services providers to provide appropriate referrals
* Strong organizational and communication skills
* Flexibility and humor a plus

Licenses/Certifications:

Certified Masters Social Worker (CMSW) required. Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) preferred.