A professional who provides psychiatric social work assistance to mentally or emotionally disturbed patients of hospitals, clinics, and other medical centers, and to their families, collaborating with psychiatric and allied team in diagnosis and treatment plan. Responsibilities include:

• Investigates case situations and presents information to psychiatrist and psychologist, clinical and other members of health team, on patient's family and social background pertinent to diagnosis and treatment.
• Helps patients to respond constructively to treatment and assist in adjustment leading to and following discharge.
• Interprets psychiatric treatment to patient's family and helps to reduce fear and other attitudes obstructing acceptance of psychiatric care and continuation of treatment.
• Serves as link between patient, psychiatric agency, and community.
• May work directly in treatment relationship with patients, individually or in groups, in consultation with psychiatrist.
• May refer patient or patient's family to other community resources.
• Usually required to have knowledge and skill in casework methods acquired through degree program at school of social work.