Psychiatric Social Worker Jobs & Career Guide 2024

Search hundreds of psychiatric social worker jobs across the country Psychiatric Social Worker Jobs

What’s in this guide?

By PsychologyJobs.com Staff Writer

Our career guides are produced by staff writers in conjunction with our expert career coaches. We may earn a referral fee from some links.

What Is a Psychiatric Social Worker?

Psychiatric social work is a subset of social work. These specialized social workers work with people with severe mental illnesses, addictions, and neurological problems. Their patients are often in emotional distress while struggling with complicated, difficult disorders. Psychiatric Social Workers are often caring for individuals with major traumas and emotional distress who may be a danger to themselves or others in their community.

A Psychiatric Social Worker can support, therapize, or coordinate care for the individuals they’re treating. Their patients often require hospitalization or other psychiatric interventions. Their ultimate job function is getting people with severe mental health issues the support they need to function.

What Is a Psychiatric Social Worker Responsible For?

Generally, a Psychiatric Social Worker will complete a detailed intake of their patient to assess their mental state. This may involve an entire team of professionals, like psychiatrists and neuropsychologists, depending on their patient’s condition. Their information, along with the rest of the group’s, helps determine an appropriate treatment plan for the person.

After the treatment plan is developed, the Psychiatric Social Worker ensure their patient follows through with it. They may even be a part of the plan. For instance, their role could be providing therapy to the individual.

Outside of patient interaction, Psychiatric Social Workers are often speaking to the person’s family members. They give updates about their patient’s condition, their progress within the treatment plan, and provide education about what the person is experiencing with their condition. They may also run support groups for the patient’s family.

If their patient is hospitalized, a Psychiatric Social Worker will likely be involved with their discharge and transition to reenter society.

There are a multitude of tasks a Psychiatric Social Worker could be responsible for completing. Depending on where they work, they might be specialized in one of these functionalities or all of them.

On the job, a Psychiatric Social Worker can expect to”

  • Complete patient assessments and use these to help develop treatment plans.
  • Communicate with an interdisciplinary team about the patient’s care and how they are functioning within their treatment plan.
  • Document a person’s psychiatric care.
  • Meet with the patient’s family (likely alongside another member of their medical team) to discuss their progress.
  • Lead educational classes about medical wellness and mental health.

Where Does a Psychiatric Social Worker Work?

With this career, there are plenty of options of where to work.  Psychiatric Social Workers are most commonly found in some kind of care setting: hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers (both inpatient and outpatient), government settings (local and state), substance abuse clinics, jails, and outpatient healthcare locations.

What Other Career Options Are Available to a Psychiatric Social Worker?

Being a Psychiatric Social Worker means having a choice in two important factors: the population they want to work with and the type of facility where they’d like to practice. The job can be focused on a singular issue or on a larger set of problems. It depends on their preference.

A Psychiatric Social Worker can expect to find a career in the following areas:

  • Inpatient Psychiatric Social Workers: These social workers are often employed by a psychiatric department within a hospital system. They treat hospitalized patients with psychosis, addictions, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other severe psychological or behavior problems. Their work includes completing assessments about a patient’s well-being and health needs, providing therapy, and cooperating with other members of the patient’s care team. They’re advocates for their patients.
  • Psychiatric Emergency Services and Crisis Response Social Workers: In this social work niche, patients are in active crisis. Crisis Response Social Workers give assessments, provide short-term support, and coordinate care. After determining their patient’s needs, they may recommend an involuntary hospitalization. It depends on the severity of the individual. They are often working with people who are a danger to themselves or others.
  • Outpatient Psychiatric Social Workers: When a person with severe mental illness doesn’t currently need to be hospitalized, they work with an Outpatient Psychiatric Social Worker. These social workers have patients with a range of issues who are either at risk for hospitalization or were recently released from an inpatient program.

What Degree Is Required to Become a Psychiatric Social Worker? What Do They Study?

Getting into psychiatric social work will require earning a college degree — both undergrad and graduate. Prospective students normally major in psychology or social work for their bachelor’s degree. Then, they’ll earn a master’s in a subject like mental health or psychiatric social work.

With their two degrees in hand, the next step is getting their social work license. This requires an internship and thousands of hours of supervised social work activities. Once they’ve earned their license, they’ll need to keep it current. These rules vary by state, but Psychiatric Social Workers can expect to attend a certain number of classes that cover social work issues.

What Skills are Required in Psychiatric Social Work?

This subset of psychology is known for its difficult patients and challenging, yet depressing, situations. Being a Psychiatric Social Worker requires an individual who has patience, empathy (within boundaries), and a strong sense of resolve.

Choosing this career path also means choosing to be tolerant of others’ situations. Psychiatric Social Workers must be able to meet people where they are with a nonjudgmental attitude.

Practicing in this niche requires plenty of critical thinking and rationality as well. This is the type of career where workers learn much more in the field than they do in school. College is only a jumping off point — the environment is the real classroom.

How Much Money Does a Psychiatric Social Worker Earn?

On average, a Psychiatric Social Worker can expect to make $52,891. Based on location and experience level, their salaries can vary from $30,000 for entry level positions to $90,000 for senior positions.

The social work field is expected to expand by 12 percent — which is faster compared to other job sectors. This growth is influenced by the United States’ ever-growing need for healthcare and social services. See also: Psychology jobs salary guide

Latest Psychiatric Social Worker Jobs & Career Guide 2024 Listings

PositionCompanyLocationPosted
Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian Mentorship – $110K First Year + Relocation AssistanceDoveLewis Animal Hospital Portland, Oregon US04/18/2024
Advance your career at our state-of-the-art, non-profit, AAHA-accredited and VECCS Level 1-certified teaching hospital. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital is seeking Veterinarians to join our new Emergency Mentorship program. Whether you are a new grad or a seasoned veterinarian seeking to transition into emergency medicine, we want to connect!The … More
Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian Mentorship – $110K First Year + Relocation AssistanceDoveLewis Animal Hospital Portland, Oregon US04/18/2024
Advance your career at our state-of-the-art, non-profit, AAHA-accredited and VECCS Level 1-certified teaching hospital. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital is seeking Veterinarians to join our new Emergency Mentorship program. Whether you are a new grad or a seasoned veterinarian seeking to transition into emergency medicine, we want to connect!The … More
Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian Mentorship – $110K First Year + Relocation AssistanceDoveLewis Animal Hospital Portland, Oregon US04/18/2024
Advance your career at our state-of-the-art, non-profit, AAHA-accredited and VECCS Level 1-certified teaching hospital. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital is seeking Veterinarians to join our new Emergency Mentorship program. Whether you are a new grad or a seasoned veterinarian seeking to transition into emergency medicine, we want to connect!The … More
Mental Health Professional or PractitionerStellher Human Services Cass Lake, Minnesota US04/15/2024
SIGN ON BONUS UP TO $15,000 PLUS RETENTION BONUS UP TO $15,000 FOR SECOND YEAR We’re looking for a Mental Health Professional or Practitioner for our school-based CTSS program in Cass Lake, MN. The Mental Health Practitioner is responsible to provide individual, group, and/or family skills as determined by a diagnostic assessment for children and adolescents experiencing mental health issues, communication challenges, or family conflict. Clinical supervision … More
Clinical SupervisorStellher Human Services Detroit Lakes, Minnesota US04/15/2024
**Up to $10,000 Sign-On Bonus** For A Clinical Supervisor Join our team at Stellher Human Services, Inc. Were looking for a full-time Clinical Supervisor. The position is half-time at our crisis stabilization facility, Willow Tree, in Detroit Lakes, MN and half-time in school-based and outpatient programs. This position could also be half-time only, working as the Clinical Supervisor at Willow Tree. Duties include providing clinical supervision through … More
Staff Mental Health TherapistTeladoc Health, Inc. Virtual, US04/15/2024
Help more people find their healthier ever after! Want to be part of one of the most innovative healthcare experiences in the world? Enjoy building a better world through connections? If you answered yes to both, Teladoc Health Medical Group may be the right place for you! Here, all kinds of clinicians work to connect everyone, everywhere with high-quality care. As an employed Staff Clinician at Teladoc Health, you will have the opportunity to lend your expertise … More
Vet TechHire Power Consulting East Syracuse, New York US04/14/2024
Life is short. Work somewhere awesome!The Veterinary Medical Center is a well-established, thriving 24-hr emergency and specialty referral practice located in the Syracuse area of upstate New York. We offer a collaborative work environment with board certified specialists in Surgery, Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Cardiology, Anesthesiology, and Radiology. We also offer certified professionals in Physical Rehabilitation, Pain Management, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic care. … More
Behavioral Health ConsultantYakima Medical-Dental Clinic Yakima, Washington US04/01/2024
Position Title: Behavioral Health ConsultantCity: YakimaState/Territory: US-WAEmployment Duration: Full timeOffer Relocation: YesExcempt Status: ExemptID: 12748Description: Join our team as a Behavioral Health Consultant in Yakima, WA, and be … More
Position
Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian Mentorship – $110K First Year + Relocation Assistance
Advance your career at our state-of-the-art, non-profit, AAHA-accredited and VECCS Level 1-certified teaching hospital. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital is seeking Veterinarians to join our new Emergency Mentorship program. Whether you are a new grad or a seasoned veterinarian seeking to transition into emergency medicine, we want to connect!The … More
Company
DoveLewis Animal Hospital
Location
Portland, Oregon US
Posted
04/18/2024
Position
Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian Mentorship – $110K First Year + Relocation Assistance
Advance your career at our state-of-the-art, non-profit, AAHA-accredited and VECCS Level 1-certified teaching hospital. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital is seeking Veterinarians to join our new Emergency Mentorship program. Whether you are a new grad or a seasoned veterinarian seeking to transition into emergency medicine, we want to connect!The … More
Company
DoveLewis Animal Hospital
Location
Portland, Oregon US
Posted
04/18/2024
Position
Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian Mentorship – $110K First Year + Relocation Assistance
Advance your career at our state-of-the-art, non-profit, AAHA-accredited and VECCS Level 1-certified teaching hospital. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital is seeking Veterinarians to join our new Emergency Mentorship program. Whether you are a new grad or a seasoned veterinarian seeking to transition into emergency medicine, we want to connect!The … More
Company
DoveLewis Animal Hospital
Location
Portland, Oregon US
Posted
04/18/2024
Position
Mental Health Professional or Practitioner
SIGN ON BONUS UP TO $15,000 PLUS RETENTION BONUS UP TO $15,000 FOR SECOND YEAR We’re looking for a Mental Health Professional or Practitioner for our school-based CTSS program in Cass Lake, MN. The Mental Health Practitioner is responsible to provide individual, group, and/or family skills as determined by a diagnostic assessment for children and adolescents experiencing mental health issues, communication challenges, or family conflict. Clinical supervision … More
Company
Stellher Human Services
Location
Cass Lake, Minnesota US
Posted
04/15/2024
Position
Clinical Supervisor
**Up to $10,000 Sign-On Bonus** For A Clinical Supervisor Join our team at Stellher Human Services, Inc. Were looking for a full-time Clinical Supervisor. The position is half-time at our crisis stabilization facility, Willow Tree, in Detroit Lakes, MN and half-time in school-based and outpatient programs. This position could also be half-time only, working as the Clinical Supervisor at Willow Tree. Duties include providing clinical supervision through … More
Company
Stellher Human Services
Location
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota US
Posted
04/15/2024
Position
Staff Mental Health Therapist
Help more people find their healthier ever after! Want to be part of one of the most innovative healthcare experiences in the world? Enjoy building a better world through connections? If you answered yes to both, Teladoc Health Medical Group may be the right place for you! Here, all kinds of clinicians work to connect everyone, everywhere with high-quality care. As an employed Staff Clinician at Teladoc Health, you will have the opportunity to lend your expertise … More
Company
Teladoc Health, Inc.
Location
Virtual, US
Posted
04/15/2024
Position
Vet Tech
Life is short. Work somewhere awesome!The Veterinary Medical Center is a well-established, thriving 24-hr emergency and specialty referral practice located in the Syracuse area of upstate New York. We offer a collaborative work environment with board certified specialists in Surgery, Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Cardiology, Anesthesiology, and Radiology. We also offer certified professionals in Physical Rehabilitation, Pain Management, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic care. … More
Company
Hire Power Consulting
Location
East Syracuse, New York US
Posted
04/14/2024
Position
Behavioral Health Consultant
Position Title: Behavioral Health ConsultantCity: YakimaState/Territory: US-WAEmployment Duration: Full timeOffer Relocation: YesExcempt Status: ExemptID: 12748Description: Join our team as a Behavioral Health Consultant in Yakima, WA, and be … More
Company
Yakima Medical-Dental Clinic
Location
Yakima, Washington US
Posted
04/01/2024