UW Medicine is Washington’s only health system that includes a top-rated medical school and an internationally recognized research center. UW Medicine’s mission is to improve the health of the public by advancing medical knowledge, providing outstanding primary and specialty care to the people of the region, and preparing tomorrow’s physicians, scientists and other health professionals.

The UW Medicine Diabetes Institute is the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, integrating superb care for patients with diabetes, obesity, and their complications with a comprehensive program for translating basic research discoveries into improved strategies for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these disorders. Housed in the new, state-of-the-art UW Medicine South Lake Union 3.2 facility, the UWMDI brings together basic research, clinical care and translational research under one roof, creating a synergistic environment for advancing new breakthroughs from bench to bedside. 

The Latinx Diabetes Clinic (LDC) is located at the UWMDI. Established in 2019, LDC aims to provide exceptional, culturally responsive diabetes care for Spanish- and English-speaking Latinx community members with diabetes or prediabetes, irrespective of their insurance status or ability to pay. The clinic occurs on Tuesdays 8:00-5:00 pm and Fridays from 9:00-12:00 pm. Patients can self-refer or seek a referral from their healthcare provider. 

LDC’s interdisciplinary team includes dedicated, Spanish native-speaking staff familiar with cultural and linguistic issues in the Latinx community, including an endocrinologist, an internal medicine physician, a nutritionist, a nurse, a medical assistant, and a patient services specialist who is able to assist patients at the front desk with scheduling and referrals. 

This practicum includes opportunities for shadowing social workers, patient navigators, and psychologists at UW Medical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and UW Primary Care. Weekly supervision is provided through the UW Latino Center for Health (LCH) by co-director Dr. Gino Aisenberg, faculty at the UW School of Social Work. 

The social work intern is a bilingual Spanish/English student with an interest in and commitment to health equity in the Latine community. The social work intern works within a multidisciplinary team of diabetes care providers providing culturally responsive, integrated care for Latine adults with prediabetes or diabetes. The social work intern’s responsibilities include:

Assessment:
- Conduct brief intakes of patients who need support meeting their basic needs (housing, food, transportation, health insurance, and safety) and/or express mental or behavioral health concerns during their routine diabetes care appointment.
- Conduct ongoing assessments in follow-up appointments as needed:
1) Diabetes – management, distress, burnout, eating behaviors, physical activity, and physical health.
2) Psychosocial – mental health, social drivers of health (food, housing, transportation, health insurance, etc.), strengths and social supports.
- Conduct initial risk assessment and safety planning when SI is endorsed.

Intervention:
- Using a strengths-based approach, conduct brief interventions to address diabetes management behaviors and related behavioral and mental health concerns. Interventions can include (but are not limited to) motivational interviewing, supportive counseling, brief solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other mindfulness-based approaches.
- Provide problem-solving and healthcare navigation support, including assistance with applying for UW financial assistance, setting up MyChart, finding a PCP or mental health provider, and understanding mental health treatment options.

Care coordination:
- Care linkage to a higher level of care and follow up as clinically appropriate to ensure transition of care.
- Care coordination with external PCP, other social worker, case manager, or other mental health provider as needed.
- Care management, including patient education, medication management, and regular check-ins with more vulnerable patients.
- Identify, develop, and/or provide resources to patients as needed: SDOH needs, nutrition, legal, immigration, tech support, ESL, community mental health clinics, etc.
- Directly assist patients with connecting to social services and/or navigating systems of care.

Case management:
- Track UW financial assistance application statuses and expiration dates. Coordinate with UW FA office as needed.
- Track Apple Health expansion patients, provide support in reapplying as needed.

Clinical documentation
- Attend all required trainings including to learn how to use UW’s electronic health record system (Epic) at the clinic and remotely.
- Accurately and succinctly document in-person, phone, and telemedicine encounters with patients on Epic.
- Schedule in-person, phone, and telemedicine appointments with patients through Epic.

The social work intern’s mezzo-level responsibilities include:

Community Health:
- Attend community health fairs (Convivios de Salud Integral) or community health screenings organized by the UW Latino Center for Health in partnership with community-based organizations:
1) Provide resources to community members as needed: SDOH needs, nutrition, legal, immigration, tech support, ESL, community mental health clinics, etc.
2) Register community members in the UW Medicine system and connect them to care (Latinx Diabetes Clinic or primary care).
3) Assist community members apply for UW financial assistance as needed.
- Health communication and education: provide diabetes and mental health education at Spanish-speaking community radio programs.

The social work intern can gain further experience at the Mezzo level by engaging in community outreach, conducting a community asset map, attending community events, and developing authentic, reciprocal partnerships with community-based organizations and community health workers (Promotores/as de Salud).

The social work intern can gain further experience at the Macro level by bridging social work practice with policy. This could include advocacy efforts at the city, county, or state level regarding access to culturally responsive diabetes care for the Latine community.

- Must be in the second year of MSW program (Clinical or CCIP track).
- Must be fluent in Spanish.
- At least 1 year of experience working with the Latine community.

- Interest in and familiarity with diabetes.
- Experience in a clinical setting or in community health or community-engaged research.

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Dr. Lorena Alarcon-Casas Wright (lorenaac@uw.edu), founder and director of LDC and Dr. Gino Aisenberg (ginoa@uw.edu), co-director of LCH.