Behavioral Health Specialist

Sign on Bonus for qualifying new external Behavioral Health Specialists.

In 2020, united in a fierce commitment to deliver the highest quality care and exceptional patient experience, Virginia Mason and CHI Franciscan Health came together as natural partners to build a new health system centered around the patient: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Our combined system builds upon the scale and expertise of our nearly 300 sites of care, including 11 hospitals and nearly 5,000 physicians and providers. Together, we are empowered to make an even greater impact on the health and well-being of our communities.

CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason are now united to build the future of patient-centered care across the Pacific Northwest. That means a seamlessly connected system offering quality care close to home. From basic health needs to the most complex, highly specialized care, our patients can count on us to meet their needs with convenient access to the region’s most prestigious experts and innovative treatments and technologies.

Job Summary:

This job is responsible for coordinating and supporting mental health care with the assigned clinic(s) and for coordinating referrals to clinically-indicated services outside the clinic. An incumbent functions as a core member of a Collaborative Care team that is made up of the patient’s primary care provider, a psychiatric consultant and, when available, other providers in the primary care clinic. An incumbent may provide evidence-based treatments or consult with other mental health providers when such treatment is indicated.

Essential Duties:

Performs patient assessment/data collection, interprets findings and formulates treatment plans.

• Reviews medical record/documentation prior to initial evaluation to familiarize self with patient’s history and obtains necessary information to perform a thorough, quality assessment.
• Screens and assesses patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders.
• Selects and administers assessment tools according to standards as established by profession and department.
• Assesses the clinical status of patients referred by primary care providers through brief consultative contacts.
• Works with primary care provider to refer cases to mental health specialists and psychiatrist as appropriate.
• Assists in the detection of “at risk” patients and development of plans to prevent further psychological or physical deterioration.

Implements and updates psychosocial plan of care and treatment based on patient needs throughout patient’s course of care.

• Works with primary care team and psychiatrist to treat and provide limited management of patients with chronic emotional and/or health problems efficiently and effectively.
• Assists in preventing relapse or comorbidity in conditions that tend to recur over time.
• Implements treatment through brief consultative and therapeutic contacts.
• Regularly assesses clinical signs and symptoms to determine effectiveness of treatment, progress of patient towards goals, the need for modifying goals and treatment.
• Conducts treatment according to established protocols or accepted clinical standards of practice.
• Adheres to most recent treatment plan and documented frequency per evaluation/certification or reassessment/recertification.
• Facilitates treatment plan changes (e.g. changes in medication, psychosocial treatments and/or appropriate referrals for services, etc.) for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the PCP and the psychiatric consultant.

Works with treatment team to provide and manage treatment.

• Supports and closely coordinates mental health care with the patient’s primary care provider and, when appropriate, other treating mental health providers.
• Participates in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicates resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s PCP; focuses consultations focus on patients new to treatment or who are not improving as expected.
• Supports psychotropic medication management prescribed by PCPs, focusing on treatment adherence, side effects and other complications, and effectiveness of treatment.
• Provides or facilitates in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e.g, CBT, IPT) as clinically indicated.
• Monitors patients (in person or by telephone) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.

Provides effective psychotherapy and brief interventions within scope of practice.

• Provides brief interventions using evidence-based techniques such as Behavioral Activation, Problem-Solving Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, or other treatments appropriate for primary care settings.
• Completes relapse prevention plan with patients who are in remission.
• Facilitates patient engagement and follow-up in care.

Identifies and implements strategies to meet the educational needs of the patient/family/significant others as relates to psychological health and/or substance use.

• Teaches patients, families, and staff care, prevention, and treatment enhancement techniques for psychosocial/behavioral health issues.
• Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and available treatment options.

Designs effective curricula for education to address psychosocial/behavioral health issues in primary care and leads effective classes for staff/medical practitioners and other behavioral health providers.

• Trains and teaches effective behavioral health interventions and the primary behavioral health model to medical practitioners and other behavioral health providers.

Completes all required documentation, in an accurate and thorough manner, in accordance with CHI-FH and/or grant documentation standards.

• Utilizes documentation that meets the accepted clinical, hospital and departmental standards and chart review criteria.
• Completes documentation responsibilities in a timely manner according to hospital and departmental criteria.
• Participates in chart review process and adjusts practices according to feedback as provided.
• Tracks patient follow-up and clinical outcomes using a registry; documents in-person and telephone encounters in the registry and utilizes the system to identify and re-engage patients.
• Documents patient progress and treatment recommendations in the registry so they can be easily shared with PCPs, the psychiatric consultant, and other treating providers.

Monitors the site’s behavioral health capabilities, identifying issues related to patient services and makes recommendations for improvement.

Cultural Sensitivity and Competence: Demonstrates proper use of communication tools/materials for effective communication and understands how the culture(s) of patient populations can affect communication, collaboration and the provision of care, treatment and services. Patient Population Served: Demonstrates knowledge and proper skills associated with the department’s defined specific populations served.

Performs related duties as required

Education/Work Experience:

• Master’s degree in Social Work and two years of related work experience that would demonstrate attainment of the requisite job knowledge/abilities.
• One (1) year of work experience as a member of an interdisciplinary team is preferred.

Licensure/Certification:

• Possession of a valid Washington State license to practice as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LiCSW) at hire OR within 12 months of date of hire.
• Eligible to be credentialed and enrolled in Medicare and private payers for reimbursement.