Behavioral Health Counselor

Behavioral Health Counselor

Location: School-Based Health Centers

Salary: $35.54 – $55.97 per hour, payable bi-weekly. This is an exempt union position. The salary scale for this position is between steps 0 and 19, depending on experience and license (Associate vs independent BHC). We use the resume submitted on your application to determine your hourly wage, so please ensure that all relevant work experience is listed in your resume. Applicants must pass an extensive background check.

Schedule: This is an Exempt, 40-hour-a-week. This position works in conjunction with the Seattle Public School calendar and is active from September to June of each year. You will be furloughed in the summer months of July and August, then return to work again on the first of September. You will not be paid during your furlough. If there are special projects during July and August, you may have the option to work rather than be furloughed. Still, prior approval is required by the Program Manager and Executive Director or Deputy Executive Director. Should you be assigned to work on special projects in July and August, you will be paid your regular wage, though your FTE may be adjusted if the project does not require a 40-hour week. If you decide to be furloughed in July and August but wish to continue your benefits, you must pay your regular premium amount.  You will be able to make these arrangements before going out on furlough.

About Us
Seattle Roots Community Health is a not-for-profit organization that operates two primary care clinics, an After-Hours Clinic, two School-Based Health Centers, a low barrier Medication-assisted treatment clinic, and a Dental Clinic. Our Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center was founded in 1970 by the Seattle Black Panther Party in Seattle’s Central District. Our Country Doctor Community Clinic was established in 1971 by residents of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in conjunction with the Seattle Liberation Front. The primary goal of each clinic was to provide low-barrier, high-quality healthcare services and promote social justice.

Seattle Roots is passionate about serving patients of all ethnicities, races, gender identities, languages, and backgrounds and employing individuals who are equally committed to this mission. To ensure our organization best serves these populations, we strive to promote policies that enable us to work effectively in all cross-cultural situations, with patients, coworkers, and the community.

Our Mission and Commitment to Social Justice
We remain committed to health equity and our founding principle of social justice. Every day our actions are guided by our mission: to improve the health of our community by providing high-quality, caring, culturally appropriate primary health care that addresses the needs of people, regardless of their ability to pay. At Carolyn Downs and Country Doctor, health care is a right, not a privilege.

What You’ll Be Doing
The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) serves as an integral part of a patient’s primary care team and works in close collaboration with the patient, primary care provider, psychiatric consultant, and other members of the patient’s support teams.  This position works on-site full-time. This role is a highly valued and respected and will practice via the Collaborative Care model of integrated behavioral health to work alongside the patient and medical providers to assist patients in meeting their goals.

• Serves a caseload of patients with mental, substance-use and/or medical co-morbidities via a short-term integrated behavioral health counseling model (4-6 months using evidence-based interventions)
• Provide brief behavioral interventions such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, CBT, or other treatments as appropriate
• Manages mental health crises as they arise within a primary care setting
• Provides flexible behavioral health services to patients on and off current caseload, both through scheduled appointments and immediate interventions via warm handoffs during medical visits with primary care providers (i.e. SBIRT and depression screenings)
• Proactively monitors population/caseload to meet treatment goals and guidelines
• Advocates for patient while maintaining a patient-centered approach
• Works with primary care provider to refer cases to specialty mental health or substance use disorder treatment as appropriate
• Assists clinic in meeting goals, including those set by grantors and other payors (i.e. depression screening and follow-up, SBIRT, etc.)
• Refers patients to appropriate community resources
• Teaches patients, families, and staff care, prevention, and treatment enhancement techniques
• Effectively documents interactions and communicates with other members of treatment team via electronic health records
• Participates in staff meetings and the staff evaluation process.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to make quick and accurate clinical assessments of mental and behavioral conditions
• Clinical skills in evidence-based treatments, including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and more
• Experience and expertise in working in collaborative or team-based models of care
• High level of comfort in working with primary care medical providers using a consultative style
• Ability to monitor adherence to care plan, evaluate effectiveness, monitor patient progress in a timely manner and facilitate changes as needed
• Good working knowledge of psychopharmacology
• Ability to function independently and in a team, interfacing with patient, primary care providers, consulting psychiatrist and mental health specialists, as well as with administrative and support staff
• Ability and willingness to work in a time-limited, structured, and solution-focused environment
• Knowledge of medical co-morbidities
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively among competing requests
• Flexibility to adapt to unforeseen needs or circumstances
• Familiarity with community resources for specialty mental health, substance use, and support for social stressors
• Treats patient in accordance with the mission and philosophy of Country Doctor Community Health Center
• Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills

You’ll need these qualifications

• You have knowledge of poverty, family disorganization, and health issues
• You have knowledge of human growth and development through the life span, which can be applied to psychosocial assessment and intervention methods
• Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy; or bachelor’s degree in counseling, Social Work, or Marriage and Family Therapy.
• Minimum of 2 years post-graduate experience (excluding internships or Practicum)
• Current credentialing by the WA State Department of Health as one of the following: Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, licensed psychologist, Mental Health Counselor Associate, Licensed Social Work Associate Independent Clinical, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, or Certified Counselor.

It would be nice if

• You had experience working with EPIC (EMR)
• You have experience working with a Federally Qualified Health Center
• Bilingual in Spanish and English and a solid ability to communicate verbally and written in both languages.
• Experience: 2 years post-graduate experience preferred

Benefits: We provide a robust suite of benefits, including the choice of three medical plans, two dental plans, long-term disability, life, and other insurance programs. You’ll have access to flexible spending accounts, a subsidy of up to 80% of the cost of an ORCA pass, plus an additional match of 50% of the employee's contribution up to 8% after one year of employment. (Ex. if employee contributes at 4%, Seattle Roots will match with an additional 2%, plus the safe harbor contribution totaling a 8% contribution to the employee's 401k)  We’ve got you covered!

Salary : $36 - $56