Behavioral Health Clinician

Position Summary:

The Behavioral Health Clinician (BHC) is integrated within a primary care clinic to function as a member of the multi-disciplinary team in the provision of mental health and substance use screening protocols, brief treatment, and services, including referrals and coordination of care for patients in need of specialty mental health and substance abuse treatment services.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of:
  • Community resources and placement options for mental health and substance use disorders
  • Substance use dependencies, withdrawal symptoms, and addiction/abuse related issues
  • Psychopharmacology, behavioral health medications and drug interactions
  • Psychosocial aspects of chronic and acute diseases
  • Laws, policies, and regulations regarding mental health and substance use disorder treatments
  • Current evidence based treatments for mental health and substance use disorders
• Skills:
  • Demonstrate cultural competency in serving diverse populations
  • Provide consultation and co-management of patients presenting with mental health, substance use disorders, physical health conditions and/or psychosocial factors that affect overall health in collaboration with the primary care team
  • Administer and interpret mental health and substance use screens in a primary care setting
  • Provide brief, targeted, evidence-based behavioral interventions to address mental health, substance use health, psychosocial and/or physical health condition risk factors with emphasis on prevention or early intervention
  • Demonstrate practical application of therapeutic approaches, group dynamics, crisis intervention, and case management
• Abilities:
  • Coordinate/monitor specialty mental health and substance use disorder treatment referrals
  • Provide as needed case management and crisis intervention services
  • Demonstrate strong organizational and computer competency
  • Provide clear and concise documentation
• Other duties as assigned

Clinical Goals:

• Improve patient adherence to healthcare goals
• Support patient self-management of conditions and/or risk factors
• Agent of behavioral change
• Decrease over or under utilization of health services
• Reduce health-risk behaviors and increase health enhancing behaviors
• Monitor and improve population outcomes

Quality Improvement:

BHCs must understand and help enforce the meaning of quality improvement identified as the combined and unceasing efforts of everyone – healthcare professionals, patients, and their families, researchers, payers, planners and educators – to make the change that will lead to better patient outcomes, better system performance and better professional development (Batalden 2007). BHCs will demonstrate commitment to promoting TAPM as a medical home and incorporating the core components of a Patient Centered Medical Home into your position on a daily basis:

• Patient centered
• Comprehensive care
• Team based
• Coordinated
• Accessible
• Focusing on quality and safety

System Wide Accountabilities:

• Maintain a professional appearance
• Demonstrate a positive attitude
• Maintain a safe, clean and attractive environment
• Communicate with compassion and courtesy
• Anticipate needs of customers and others
• Maintain patient privacy and confidentiality

Preparation and Training:

Minimum requirement of a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, social work, or related human services field. Position requires proficient verbal and written communication skills, proficient organization/record keeping skills, ability to accurately prioritize patient needs, provide/track resource/referral assistance, and assist clinical team in crisis situations. Preference is for a bilingual candidate with previous behavioral health experience and accurate knowledge of behavioral health resources in our area. Licensure through the corresponding NC agency (LCSW and/or LCAS) at the provisional level or higher is required. For provisionally licensed individuals, licensing requirements will be adhered to according to the appropriate board including documentation of hours, supervision and continuing education. All degrees/licenses must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

Experience:

Three years of clinical experience providing therapeutic treatment services with mental health and/or substance use disorders with adult/adolescent populations preferred. Knowledge of public/private mental health/substance use treatment delivery system. An equivalent of knowledge and experience may be considered.

Working Conditions:

Work requires contact with clients, family members and other professional disciplines and service agencies. Contacts may also include volunteers, court officials, interns and residents. These contacts involve an exercise of influence, tactful judgement, and proper conduct in order to negotiate matters and carry out policies and programs for the best interests of the company/patient. Applicant must be medically able to work and manage effectively with changing situations, varying workloads, interruptions, etc. in a fast-paced environment. Employees may be exposed to communicable diseases, biohazard substances, and other conditions found in a clinical environment.

Mental Attention or Visual Demand:

Job requires continuous mental and visual attention, and manual dexterity when attending to patient care and medical record keeping. Repetitive work functions and diversified operations require constant alertness or activity. Must have acute visual perception for patient care and record keeping requirements. Must be able to communicate via telephone and other communication systems. Normal or corrected vision is required in order to view computer screens, medical record forms, and equipment screens. Normal or corrected hearing is required for hearing alarms and for other safety considerations.

Physical Demand:

Position may require frequent standing/walking for extended periods of time.

Safety:

Triad Adult & Pediatric require that all employee work in a safe manner with regards employees and patients. Any unsafe acts or condition are to be reported immediately.