VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital is seeking an experienced Social Worker to pioneer a new role within this large specialty, emergency and general practice animal hospital in Santa Monica, CA. In joining this 300+ member team the Social Worker will partner with veterinarians, staff and hospital leaders to create a veterinary social work program that provides training, resources and crisis intervention.

In order to relieve the emotional toll on the hospital team, the social worker will primarily provide emotional support to veterinary clients and assist veterinary staff with communication and coping tools surrounding the care of complex patients.

The ideal candidate will have experience working in grief and/or trauma as part of a multi-disciplinary team. An understanding of the human/animal bond and comfort with cats and dogs is critical.

This is a full-time, in-office position located at 1900 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Evening and/or weekend hours may be required.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Extend support to clients and family members during appointments, treatments, intensive care unit visits and emergency situations

Provide support to clients experiencing long wait times alone, or for clients experiencing high stress and emotion.

Provide pet loss support to clients in person or over the phone and follow up when necessary.

Assist clients with making difficult decisions concerning their pet’s health.

Support clients as they navigate end-of-life decisions.

Establish and maintain consistent documentation of client communication and formulate an additional record that maintains confidentiality of clients.

Connect clients to community resources.

Attend staff meetings and rounds functioning as a member of the multi-disciplinary team to improve patient and client care.

Associate Care:

Prepare and deliver training on topics such as; compassion fatigue, stress management, pet loss and bereavement, empathy, and communication skills.

Provide resources for staff around well-being topics and company benefits.

Offer informal debriefing, one on one or in a group setting.

Provide short-term interventions and refer to appropriate resource.

Community Care:

Create and offer educational presentations for clients, referring veterinarians, and the community.

Enhance the facility environment regarding euthanasia and memorialization.

Generate educational materials for clients and the community to utilize.

Develop a celebration program to honor the pets who have passed.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), required.

Experience in medical social work, PTSD, hospice, or mental health settings.

Experience with grief, bereavement, and/or trauma.

Experience working successfully with multi-disciplinary teams.

Ability to work independently.

Ability to present information confidently.

Awareness of the human/animal bond.

Additional Information 

Compensation is negotiable based on education, experience, and other relevant credentials. The US base salary range for this full-time position is $90,000-$110,000. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only. 

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If you are a current associate, you need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs.

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development).

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com.