Clinical Social Worker

Social Work is a professional, licensed discipline using a variety of methods to assist inmates in solving problems that are interfering with their lives. This process may involve clinical social work, advocacy with other systems, locating and securing resources, intervening in crisis situations and group/individual therapy. Bureau Social Workers assist inmates who are experiencing medical illnesses, psychiatric disorders, complicated pregnancies, terminal illnesses, and life circumstance problems. Additionally, Social Workers serve the general population with child welfare crises, discharge assistance, and in specialized programming, such as the Mental Health Step-Down Units. It is anticipated Clinical Social Worker positions at FCC Butner is currently posted on USAJob.gov – Announcement Number BUT-2023-0112.

Bureau social workers may perform the following functions, depending on the mission of the institution:
• Discharge planning for medical and psychiatric patients as well as re-entry services for general population inmates
• In accordance with USC Title 18, sections 4243 and 4246, arrange follow-up placement of long-term mentally ill in state hospitals or other appropriate facilities, and/or establish conditional release plans as ordered by the court
• Compassionate Release/Reduction in Sentence consultant or coordinator
• Clinical social work conducts inmate assessments, diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders and conditions. Treatment methods include the provision of individual group counseling and psychotherapy and crisis intervention.
• Liaison between patient, family, and community in treatment planning, during serious illness and in aftercare planning to enhance continuity of care for re-entry
• Assist with End-of-Life care such as advance directives and comfort care programs
• Assist in reporting suspected child abuse or adult abuse to the appropriate state or community resources
• Represent the Social Work discipline on institution committees
• Provide educational services in areas of expertise to staff, inmates, and local university students
• Advocacy for reasonable treatment of the intellectually, emotionally, or physically challenged
• Medication Assisted Treatment discharge planning
• National Parenting Program

The Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Butner consists of the Federal Correctional Institution
I, Federal Correctional Institution II, Federal Prison Camp, Low Security Correctional Institution, and the Federal Medical Center (FMC). FMC Butner is a Medical Referral Center and as such has an emphasis on high care level Medical and Mental Health Inmates. At any given time, we have more than one-hundred oncology patients receiving active chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In addition, this past year, we provided in excess of four-hundred reports to the Court, the majority of those forensic evaluations.

FMC Butner is the Bureau of Prison’s first newly constructed medical referral center since the 1930’s. This state of the art medical facility is comprised of an inpatient mental health unit as well as a medical unit. In addition, it houses approximately 295 work cadre inmates who assist with the day to day operation of the facility. The total rated capacity of FMC Butner is 743 male inmates.

As we develop and bring additional medical services on board, we are growing as a true medical complex who in concert with our sister institutions in the complex present a unique opportunity for the Bureau to provide necessary medical and mental health treatment to an offender population.

Our motto, “Excellence in Correctional Health Care” is mirrored by the outstanding staff who have chosen to work here. As we provide health care to an inmate population, the balance between care and custody is always on our minds. We cannot provide good health care without good custody and we cannot have good security without good health care. It is through this understanding of the uniqueness of correctional health care that we reach our vision to be the best-valued correctional health care facility in the nation.

In addition to competitive salary and benefits packages, employment in the Federal Bureau of Prisons offers a multitude of exciting career growth and enhancement opportunities.

Katie Cook, LMSW – Clinical, Supervisory Social Worker, is available to talk with interested applicants about the positions and institution (919-575-3900 ext. 5233; kcook1@bop.gov).

For additional details and apply for the position, please select a Bureau of Prisons Social Worker job announcement on www.USAJobs.gov.