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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 6, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Social Worker Psychiatry LCSW, Psych ED Program Day Shift

Northwestern Medicine · Chicago, IL · Part time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 5, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you de-escalated someone in crisis.

What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and use proven techniques in the volatile setting of an ED.

Tell me how you take care of yourself in high-acuity psychiatric work.

What they are checking: Whether they have real ways to avoid burnout in a demanding emergency setting.

Tell me about a group or family session you led. What went well and what would you change?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead the individual, group and family services the program requires.

What would you do

A patient is ready for discharge but has no safe place to go tonight. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they know community resources and can push for a safe linkage under time pressure.

How do you involve family when a patient doesn't want them involved?

What they are checking: Whether they respect consent and privacy while still gathering collateral when safety demands it.

A psychiatrist and you disagree on whether a patient needs inpatient admission. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can advocate with clinical reasoning while respecting the team's roles.

About the work

Walk me through a biopsychosocial assessment for a patient who just arrived in the psych ED.

What they are checking: Whether they gather the right information quickly to guide treatment and disposition.

How do you assess suicide risk, and how does your assessment shape the plan?

What they are checking: Whether they use a structured approach and connect risk level to safety planning and disposition.

How do you handle funding or insurance barriers that stand in the way of a patient's care?

What they are checking: Whether they can work through coverage problems, which the posting names as part of the job.

What do you know about involuntary admission in Illinois, and what is the social worker's part in it?

What they are checking: Whether they understand petitions and patient rights in the state where they would practice.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Northwestern Medicine from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The Social Worker, Psych reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. The Social Worker, Psychiatry is a licensed, master’s prepared social worker who is responsible for developing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive psychiatric social work services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary care team. Provides clinical social work services to patients of the programs of the Stone Institute of Psychiatry in accordance with department and NMH policies and procedures. Integrates the assessment and treatment of patients into the social environment of their family, significant others, and community to maximize the benefits of treatment. Responsibilities: • Completes biopsychosocial assessment as appropriate to setting in order to guide treatment planning. • Conducts individual, group and family services specific to the program scope of care, and as indicated by the assessed needs of the patients. • Participates with members of the treatment team, the NMH network of programs, and community systems to plan and implement treatment, including discharge/linkage. • Participates in managing funding issues related to patient care. • Provides education to patients and families and significant others about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment. • Participates in projects beneficial to the provision of clinical services within SIP and NMH. • Supervises graduate social work student(s). • Documents timely, accurate and appropriate clinical information in patient’s medical record per documentation standards. • Collaborates with other departments/programs and external resources as needed. Additional Functions: Administration of Work: • Performs a comprehensive assessment including social, emotional, cultural, mental status, environmental and financial circumstances for diverse populations of patients and recommends a plan of treatment based on mutually established goals. • Provides psychosocial treatment to patients, families and groups, utilizing up-to-date knowledge of clinical, case management, and human service delivery system interventions. • Utilizes expertise in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses to optimize psychosocial functioning of assigned patients. • Participates in clinical treatment planning as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. • Educates patients and families about mental illnesses and treatments and provides other information necessary for the patient to participate in treatment. • Demonstrates knowledge of community resources and an ability to connect patients and families with these resources. • Acts as an advocate on behalf of patients who require assistance to gain access to needed information, resources, or services. • Performs the discharge planning function to obtain a timely discharge through early identification, assessment and intervention for post-hospital care needs (inpatient units). Leadership/Problem Solving: • Fosters a milieu conducive to communication and cooperation among patients, significant others, and staff. • Uses established communication channels to resolve work related problems. • Understands and models “Patient First” standards. • Participates in unit/program meetings, Psychiatry Open Forums, and other Institute–wide or Hospital–wide programs and meetings. • May represent the Social Work group and the program/unit in Institute-wide committees. Staff Development: • Participates in orienting new staff as appropriate. Continuing Education: • Assumes responsibility for meeting mandatory requirements. • Assumes responsibility for professional development plan and education by participating in workshops, conferences, Psychiatry Grand Rounds, and/or in-services related to clinical specialty. • Provides graduate level social work field supervision for students of accredited schools of social work. AA/EOE #LI-AD1 Required : • State of Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) • Masters Degree in Social Work from an accredited university graduate program. Preferred : • 1-3 years experience in mental health setting; • Training in chemical dependence • Knowledge of community resources and systems of care. Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.