Serving six counties in Northern Michigan, North Country Community Mental Health is a public behavioral health organization committed to improving the quality of life for people with mental illness and/or developmental disabilities in our communities. We are currently paying a $1,000 sign on bonus for all employees who complete six months of continuous employment with us. If you’re interested in joining a welcoming team and creating a rewarding career with excellent benefit package, visit our website to submit your application: http://www.norcocmh.org/careers/ *

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JOB TITLE: Access Clinician
LOCATION: Petoskey, MI 49770
REPORTS TO: Director of Access, Quality and Outcomes
STATUS: Full-Time, Exempt, Non-Union
HYBRID ELIGIBLE: Yes
STARTING WAGE RANGE: $58,718 - $61,069 per year
Generous benefit package, including:

• No cost health, dental and vision insurance options
• 14.2% employer paid retirement plan contribution
• Vacation, sick and personal time
• Employer paid disability and life insurance
• Tuition reimbursement programs
• Referral programs

QUALIFICATIONS:Education: Requires minimum of a Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or Counseling with appropriate State of Michigan Licensure.
Experience: Minimum two years’ experience in assessment of individuals with mental illness, intellectual/developmental disability, and/or co-occurring SUD.
Other: Ability to communicate clearly and interact with physicians, clinicians, and other healthcare providers in a professional manner. Working knowledge of physical and mental health, chronic health conditions, and behavioral health medications. Lived experiences with behavioral health issues are valued.
SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES: The Access Clinician completes a telephonic clinical screening to determine eligibility for an intake assessment into the public mental health system. The access clinician will also be required to complete telehealth or in-person bio-psychosocial assessments for individuals seeking mental health services, to determine further eligibility and treatment recommendations. Collaboration with the clinicians and clients to obtain the appropriate level of care either within the agency or a referral to another provider. The Access Clinician performs risk assessments and mental status evaluations and assists with psychiatric hospitalization, when indicated. The Access Clinician serves on the emergency services rotation team, providing after-hours crisis intervention, pre-screens for psychiatric hospitalization, and treatment recommendations.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Provides initial access evaluations by gathering required clinical information from persons who present for services into the mental health system.
• Works in collaboration with the Quality and Utilization Support Staff within the Access Call Center to receive calls from persons in the community regarding general service inquiries, crisis calls and evaluates clinical appropriateness for individuals. In addition, ensure these individuals receive services in a timely manner.
• Provides crisis intervention as needed by assessing risk, developing safety plans, reporting abuse or neglect and coordinating hospitalization screens or other emergencies.
• Makes referrals based on access screening to the most appropriate programs/agencies which may provide a level of care to best meet their treatment needs.
• Maintains a referral resource file for persons in need of services, not meeting NCCMH qualified severity indexes.
• Works collaboratively with Intake Specialist to ensure individuals who meet priority status criteria are provided services in a manner that meets their current level of need.
• Provides timely, professional intake assessments for persons with severe and persistent Mental Illness, Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities, Autism, and Children with severe emotional disturbance.
• Works in coordination with community inpatient hospitals to complete concurrent reviews for continued authorizations based on medical necessity.
• Completes retrospective reviews on community inpatient admissions.
• Coordinates with clinical treatment team for admissions for treatment and provides supporting documentation.
• Completes timely and accurate documentation of services in the health record.
• Conducts data gathering, documentation and analysis.
• Participates in weekend rotation of emergency services, when assigned.
• Maintains working knowledge of MDHHS Contract Technical Requirements and Medicaid Provider Manual relevant to job duties.
• Maintains confidentiality of service recipients in accordance with HIPAA Privacy Laws and 42 C.F.R., Part 2.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:Ability to walk, bend, stand, sit, lift up to 25 pounds with or without assistance, stretch/reach, hear, see, hand/finger dexterity and drive a vehicle. Position requires physical ability to complete and maintain certification in CPI techniques which will be a training class provided to the job incumbent. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions in accordance with applicable laws.
OTHER JOB SPECIFICATIONS (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES):

• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to organize, prioritize and communicate effectively, at all levels of the organization.
• Strong problem solving and creative skills; ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analyses.
• High level of integrity and dependability; is results-oriented.
• Able to maintain a positive attitude with work assignments and in relationships with co-workers.
• Maintains appropriate professional image; able to maintain composure and effectiveness under pressure and in changing conditions; able to accept feedback as it relates to job performance and responsibilities.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be current in Adult CPR and First Aid; provided by NCCMH.
• Complete initial training in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (CPI); provided by NCCMH.
• Have own phone for communication, reliable access to messages, and multi-factoring capabilities.
• Have reliable transportation in carrying out agency duties.
• Possess a valid Michigan driver’s license and have a satisfactory driving record.
• Ability to work within guidelines of the code of conduct, regulatory compliance plan and personnel policies.
• Supports a philosophy of service delivery that is recovery-based, person centered and culturally competent.
• Adhere to applicable policies and procedures as required by MDHHS and other pertinent regulatory agencies.
• Proficient with Microsoft Windows and Office Suite, especially Outlook, Word, and Excel; able to maneuver on the Internet to conduct research or obtain information, including EHR and Video Conferencing

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.