Oncology Clinical Social Worker

Oncology Clinical Social Worker

US-OR-Portland

Requisition ID: 2026-40259
Position Category: Hospital/Clinic Support
Job Type: AFSCME union represented
Position Type: Regular Full-Time
Posting Department: Patient and Family Services
Posting Salary Range: $44.02 - $60.45 per hour with offer based on experience, education and internal equity
Posting FTE: 0.80
Posting Hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm
HR Mission: Healthcare
Drug Testable: Yes
LinkedIn Job Code: #LI-EC1

Department Overview

The Oncology Clinical Social Worker (OCSW) is a mental/behavioral health clinician who operates as a core member of a multi-disciplinary oncology team. The OCSW offers social work intervention through direct treatment and/or coordination of needed services to patients and/or their families experiencing psychosocial adjustment difficulties associated with illness, injury, disability, and related hospitalization. Interventions may include: biopsychosocial assessment, brief supportive counseling, care coordination, information/resource referrals, crisis intervention, and patient/support person(s) advocacy. The primary goal of the intervention is to assist patients in achieving maximum physical and psychosocial functioning, using evidence-based interventions targeted at improving health and well-being for a variety of patients. The OCSW also provides mental health support for patient’s support person(s) as they navigate adjustment to the patient’s illness, advanced care planning, palliative care needs, and other difficult decisions related to cancer diagnosis/care, also providing grief/bereavement support when appropriate.

 

The OCSW will participate in department and clinical team meetings. The OCSW will practice in accordance with performance standards, ethical principles, and NASW/AOSW core values with a commitment to service excellence. The OCSW may participate in or provide professional education programs within the agency and community, may provide supervision to social work interns, and may provide social work consultation to community agencies.

 

Patient and Family Services Department (PFS) is committed to providing an open and equitable recruitment process with the goal of recognizing diverse work and lived experience that will contribute to responsive patient-centered care and effective patient advocacy within the institution. PFS strives for a department that reflects the diversity of the community served by the Knight Cancer Institute and welcomes applications from candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives.

 

The Oncology Clinical Social Worker supports patients at OHSU’s Community Hematology Oncology (CHO) clinics who have experienced a cancer or hematology diagnosis. The CHO clinic social workers may support patients at one or more of the CHO locations located around the Portland Metro area (NW, Tualatin,Beaverton, East Portland, and Gresham). Social workers in this role will support adult cancer patients and their support people, under the care of a physician at the Knight Cancer Institute. The OCSW will complete assessments, provide resources, and emotional/behavioral support for patients receiving medical oncology services and may consult as part of the outpatient Palliative Care team. The OCSW may attend tumor boards, clinic staff meetings or care rounds as appropriate. Individuals will be expected to cross-cover for their CHO social work colleagues for planned and unplanned absences. Individuals may meet with patients in exam rooms, consult rooms, infusion spaces, virtually or by phone. Individuals may also provide support to patients hospitalized at partnering hospitals (Legacy and Adventist). 

 

Function/Duties of Position

Psychosocial Assessment:

• Conducts psychosocial evaluations of patients/support person(s) to identify needs and areas of support, including but not limited to: adjustment to cancer diagnosis, care coordination, mental health status, barriers to treatment process, substance use, child or elder abuse/neglect, intimate partner violence concerns, financial concerns, and resource needs.
• The OCSW may participate in treatment team meetings or care conferences as the behavioral health clinician to support treatment planning.

Patient Services –

• Refers patient/support person(s) to resources within and outside of the hospital for assistance (i.e. financial, housing, transportation, insurance, prescription assistance, etc.)
• Acts as an advocate for patients within the medical setting and the community
• Maintains knowledge of community resources for oncology patients
• May interact with the oncology social work specialist for assistance.

Supportive Counseling –

• Provides brief short-term, evidence-based clinical behavioral health interventions to patients and/or their support person(s) in health care settings.
• Works to coordinate transition to long-term counseling support in the community for patients requiring long-term follow-up.
• Provides counseling to reinforce patients’ strengths and assist them in coping with a cancer diagnosis.
• Counsels' patients to assist them in decisions related to treatment options and educates patients regarding anticipated social or emotional impacts of treatment.
• May participate in urgent situations by providing crisis intervention services to patients and/or their support person(s).
• May also conduct group work including support group facilitation to patients, caregivers, and/or staff.

Other Duties as Assigned 

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s Social Work (MSW) required.  Health care experience preferred.

• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Healthcare experience
• Experience in behavioral/mental health counseling and application of brief, short-term therapy strategies.
  • This requirement may be waived in lieu of an applicant’s lived experience.
• Clinical behavioral health skills including mental health assessment acumen and short-term counseling skills.
• Crisis Intervention skills
• Effective communication skills, including conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated understanding of Trauma informed and patient-centered care. 
• Ability to practice with minimal supervision using sound clinical judgement. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of anti-oppressive practices. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Licensed in Washington 
• 2 years Oncology Social Work Experience 
• Experience as a behavioral health clinician in a healthcare setting 
• Bilingual/Second language proficiency
• Bicultural
• Experience working with diverse identity populations. 

Additional Details

Routine office:

Frequent interruptions in an environment of frequent change and fluctuations May be exposed to body fluids, tissue, possible radiation exposure, and infectious processes Subject to computer work for several hours, as needed Able to utilize office equipment within work area, including computer, smartphone, and pager in-clinic and remote. Comfortable working in a shared office environment.

For outpatient positions: Some opportunities for flexible remote work. Remote work at OHSU is a work arrangement under which an employee performs the duties and responsibilities of their position, and other authorized activities, from a non-OHSU location as part of their approved, regular schedule. The OCSW is expected to be in-person all but one day of the work week, unless FTE is 0.5 or less which requires on-site presence each day. Some specialty clinic positions may differ. The OCSW is expected to follow the terms outlined in the department Telehealth work agreement and may be required to come to the hospital/clinic at short notice on a remote day.

For CHO locations: Some travel may be required.

 

Posted 7/8/2026 11:25am

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

PI285709259