Palliative Care Social Worker Jobs
Palliative Care Social Worker jobs are open across hospice agencies, hospital systems, home health organizations, and long-term care facilities, from entry-level to senior clinical roles, with specializations in end-of-life counseling, grief support, and interdisciplinary care coordination. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 32+ Palliative Care Social Worker jobs
Description
We are currently seeking a highly motivated Lead Social Worker, Palliative Care & Population Health. This role will report to the Regional Chief Medical Officer and enable us to continue to scale in the healthcare industry.
The Lead Social Worker will provide both direct patient care and program leadership for Astrana Health's Population Health, Care at Home, and Palliative Care programs. This individual will support patients and families with complex psychosocial needs while leading social work program development, staff mentorship, advance care planning initiatives, quality improvement efforts, and interdisciplinary care coordination.
What You'll Do
Clinical Responsibilities
- Completes introductory home visit to Care at Home patients in need of Palliative Care services, advance directives completion and transition to higher level of care as appropriate.
- Assesses the psychosocial status of members and families/caregivers related to the member's mental conditions and environment and communicates findings to the other members of the interdisciplinary group.
- Provides an in-home assessment of member's psychosocial and living status and assistance when it is not safe for the member and another plan is required.
- Customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in the performance of duties.
- Carries out social evaluations and plans intervention based on evaluation findings.
- Counsel patients and families/caregivers as needed regarding stress, anxiety, illness adjustment, grief, and other identified coping difficulties.
- Provides information and referral services for organization patients and families/caregivers regarding practical and environmental needs.
- Provides information to patients and families/caregivers and community agencies.
- Serves as liaison between patients and families/caregivers and community agencies.
- Maintains collaborative relationships with organization personnel to support patient care.
- Maintains and develops contacts with public and private agencies as resources for patients and personnel.
- Participates in the development of individualized plans of care and attends regularly scheduled interdisciplinary group meetings.
- Educates physicians and other team members regarding significant social and emotional factors related to health problems and end-of-life issues.
- Actively participates in quality assessment and performance improvement activities.
- Manages the assessment and delivery of counseling services to ensure timely and appropriate services for family/caregivers.
- Plans for Palliative Care Program development, expansion and refinement through annual evaluation of services.
- Functions independently while seeking and accepting guidance from members of the interdisciplinary group and community resources.
- Performs other duties as delegated by Population Health leadership.
Leadership & Program Development Responsibilities
- Serve as the lead social work resource for Astrana Health's Population Health, Care at Home, and Palliative Care programs in Texas.
- Develop, implement, and maintain social-work workflows, protocols, standard operating procedures, and best practices.
- Develop and update training materials, tools, and educational resources for social workers.
- Train, mentor, and provide ongoing support to social workers and interdisciplinary team members.
- Provide consultation and guidance on complex psychosocial, behavioral health, palliative care, and social determinant of health cases.
- Lead Advance Care Planning (ACP) initiatives, including education, process development, documentation standards, and auditing activities.
- Facilitate patient and family discussions regarding goals of care, advance directives, and transitions of care.
- Assist with development, implementation, expansion, and evaluation of palliative care services.
- Participate in quality improvement, utilization management, and performance initiatives.
- Support regulatory readiness, accreditation activities, and compliance requirements.
- Monitor program outcomes and social work quality metrics.
- Travel within service areas to support program implementation, training, and operational needs.
Qualifications
- Master's Degree in Social Work.
- Meets personnel qualifications stated in
- Active social work licensure as required by applicable state regulations.
- Minimum 7+ years of clinical social work experience, preferably in palliative care, hospice, home-based care, population health, managed care, or complex case management.
- Minimum 2 years of leadership, mentoring, training, supervisory, or program development experience.
- Demonstrated ability to supervise and direct professional and administrative personnel.
- Ability to deal tactfully with patients, families and the community.
- Knowledge of corporate business management, governmental regulations, CMS requirements, and Joint Commission standards.
- Demonstrates good communication and public relations skills.
- Demonstrates autonomy, organization, assertiveness, flexibility, and cooperation.
- Must have clinical experience relevant to the psychosocial needs of patients and families.
- Ability to drive to patient homes.
- Valid driver's license.
Preferred:
- LCSW.
- Hospice, palliative care, supportive care, or serious illness management experience.
- Experience developing workflows, training programs, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Experience auditing documentation and coaching clinical staff.
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
Environmental Job Requirements and Working Conditions
- This is a full-time position.
- This position requires traveling to patient homes throughout Houston.
- The national target compensation for this position is $65,000 - $81,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on geographic location (current or future), qualifications, and other job-related factors.
About Astrana Health, Inc.
Description
We are currently seeking a highly motivated Lead Social Worker, Palliative Care & Population Health. This role will report to the Regional Chief Medical Officer and enable us to continue to scale in the healthcare industry.
The Lead Social Worker will provide both direct patient care and program leadership for Astrana Health's Population Health, Care at Home, and Palliative Care programs. This individual will support patients and families with complex psychosocial needs while leading social work program development, staff mentorship, advance care planning initiatives, quality improvement efforts, and interdisciplinary care coordination.
What You'll Do
Clinical Responsibilities
- Completes introductory home visit to Care at Home patients in need of Palliative Care services, advance directives completion and transition to higher level of care as appropriate.
- Assesses the psychosocial status of members and families/caregivers related to the member's mental conditions and environment and communicates findings to the other members of the interdisciplinary group.
- Provides an in-home assessment of member's psychosocial and living status and assistance when it is not safe for the member and another plan is required.
- Customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in the performance of duties.
- Carries out social evaluations and plans intervention based on evaluation findings.
- Counsel patients and families/caregivers as needed regarding stress, anxiety, illness adjustment, grief, and other identified coping difficulties.
- Provides information and referral services for organization patients and families/caregivers regarding practical and environmental needs.
- Provides information to patients and families/caregivers and community agencies.
- Serves as liaison between patients and families/caregivers and community agencies.
- Maintains collaborative relationships with organization personnel to support patient care.
- Maintains and develops contacts with public and private agencies as resources for patients and personnel.
- Participates in the development of individualized plans of care and attends regularly scheduled interdisciplinary group meetings.
- Educates physicians and other team members regarding significant social and emotional factors related to health problems and end-of-life issues.
- Actively participates in quality assessment and performance improvement activities.
- Manages the assessment and delivery of counseling services to ensure timely and appropriate services for family/caregivers.
- Plans for Palliative Care Program development, expansion and refinement through annual evaluation of services.
- Functions independently while seeking and accepting guidance from members of the interdisciplinary group and community resources.
- Performs other duties as delegated by Population Health leadership.
Leadership & Program Development Responsibilities
- Serve as the lead social work resource for Astrana Health's Population Health, Care at Home, and Palliative Care programs in Texas.
- Develop, implement, and maintain social-work workflows, protocols, standard operating procedures, and best practices.
- Develop and update training materials, tools, and educational resources for social workers.
- Train, mentor, and provide ongoing support to social workers and interdisciplinary team members.
- Provide consultation and guidance on complex psychosocial, behavioral health, palliative care, and social determinant of health cases.
- Lead Advance Care Planning (ACP) initiatives, including education, process development, documentation standards, and auditing activities.
- Facilitate patient and family discussions regarding goals of care, advance directives, and transitions of care.
- Assist with development, implementation, expansion, and evaluation of palliative care services.
- Participate in quality improvement, utilization management, and performance initiatives.
- Support regulatory readiness, accreditation activities, and compliance requirements.
- Monitor program outcomes and social work quality metrics.
- Travel within service areas to support program implementation, training, and operational needs.
Qualifications
- Master's Degree in Social Work.
- Meets personnel qualifications stated in
- Active social work licensure as required by applicable state regulations.
- Minimum 7+ years of clinical social work experience, preferably in palliative care, hospice, home-based care, population health, managed care, or complex case management.
- Minimum 2 years of leadership, mentoring, training, supervisory, or program development experience.
- Demonstrated ability to supervise and direct professional and administrative personnel.
- Ability to deal tactfully with patients, families and the community.
- Knowledge of corporate business management, governmental regulations, CMS requirements, and Joint Commission standards.
- Demonstrates good communication and public relations skills.
- Demonstrates autonomy, organization, assertiveness, flexibility, and cooperation.
- Must have clinical experience relevant to the psychosocial needs of patients and families.
- Ability to drive to patient homes.
- Valid driver's license.
Preferred:
- LCSW.
- Hospice, palliative care, supportive care, or serious illness management experience.
- Experience developing workflows, training programs, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Experience auditing documentation and coaching clinical staff.
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
Environmental Job Requirements and Working Conditions
- This is a full-time position.
- This position requires traveling to patient homes throughout Houston.
- The national target compensation for this position is $65,000 - $81,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on geographic location (current or future), qualifications, and other job-related factors.
About Astrana Health, Inc.
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Insurance
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in palliative care social worker jobs.
- Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from an accredited program
- Active LCSW or LMSW licensure in the state of employment
- Experience providing psychosocial support in hospice, palliative, or oncology settings
- Proficiency with electronic health records such as Epic or Netsmart
- Knowledge of advance care planning, POLST, and goals-of-care conversations
- Certification in Hospice and Palliative Care (APHSW-C) preferred by many employers
Tips for Your Palliative Care Social Worker Job Search
Tailor your resume to interdisciplinary teams
Palliative care employers want proof you've collaborated with physicians, nurses, and chaplains, not just managed a caseload. Highlight specific IDT meetings you contributed to, care conferences you led, and any POLST or advance directive work you've done.
Highlight your LCSW or licensure status clearly
Many postings require an LCSW or LMSW, and some specify state licensure explicitly. Put your credential and issuing state in your resume header so hiring managers don't have to hunt for it, especially if you're applying across state lines.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists palliative care social worker openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Search by care setting, not just job title
Hospice, inpatient palliative care, and home-based programs each have distinct day-to-day responsibilities. Filter or search by setting so you're applying to environments where your direct experience, whether facility-based or community-based, is the strongest match.
Prepare bereavement and ethics scenarios for interviews
Interviewers in palliative care routinely ask how you've handled family conflict around withdrawal of treatment or how you've supported a patient through anticipatory grief. Have two or three concrete, de-identified examples ready that show your clinical reasoning under emotional pressure.
Negotiate continuing education and supervision support
If you need supervised hours toward your LCSW or want to maintain specialized certifications, ask during the offer stage whether the employer funds CEUs or provides licensed supervision. Many hospice and hospital employers budget for this but don't mention it unprompted.
Palliative Care Social Worker Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most palliative care social workers?
The companies hiring the most palliative care social workers right now include DaVita, Kaiser Permanente, and US Department of Veterans Affairs, with the largest share of openings in Pennsylvania, Texas, and California, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Hospice networks and large hospital health systems tend to post the highest volume of openings consistently.
How many palliative care social worker jobs are remote?
About 50% of palliative care social worker openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though fully in-person roles remain the majority given the hands-on nature of end-of-life care. Telephonic bereavement counseling and care-coordination roles within larger hospice organizations are the sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements.
How do you become a palliative care social worker?
You'll need an MSW from an accredited program, followed by state licensure as an LMSW or LCSW. Gain clinical hours in hospice, oncology, or acute care settings, since hands-on experience with serious illness is what most employers weight most heavily. Pursuing the Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Work Certification (APHSW-C) strengthens your candidacy once you have the required practice hours.
Can you get hired as a palliative care social worker with little experience?
Yes, some hospice agencies and hospital palliative care programs hire MSW graduates into entry-level positions with supervision toward full licensure. Your best path in with limited experience is a field placement or internship in a hospice or palliative care setting during your MSW program, since that direct exposure often leads to a job offer at the same organization or makes your resume stand out to comparable employers.
What does the palliative care social worker interview process look like?
Most palliative care social worker interviews include a phone or video screen with HR, followed by a clinical panel interview with the social work supervisor, a nurse, and sometimes a physician or chaplain from the interdisciplinary team. Expect scenario-based questions about family conflict, ethical dilemmas, and grief support. Some employers add a brief writing sample or case presentation before extending an offer.
Where can I find and apply to palliative care social worker jobs?
You can find and apply to palliative care social worker jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your licensure level, care setting preference, and location, then apply directly to each listing that fits your background.
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