Behavioral Health Consultant

Description

SUMMARY:

The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) is part of the Primary Care Behavioral Health collaborative framework for an integrated team-based process in our outpatient medical clinics. The BHC provides brief behavioral modification and clinical interventions for patients with chronic illness who’s emotional and/or behavioral issues negatively impact their disease management. The BHC’s role is to resolve symptoms/concerns within the primary care service context. 

This position provides screening, triage, case management, and clinical intervention services to individuals who are receiving care in the primary care clinics, BHC will provide consultation and assist on the management of behavioral concerns in primary care and assist in providing clinical BH triaging and referrals. 

Annual Pay $57,000-$82,250 DOE

Eligible for Patient Incentive Bonuses and a $20,000.00 Sign on Bonus

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Master’s in Counseling, Social Work, or an equivalent field. Current State of Idaho Master of Social Worker or Professional Counselor license in good standing required, or license eligible. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

· Comfortable working with variety of individuals with co-morbid conditions; able to work in an interdisciplinary team; and excellent verbal and written communication skills.

· Able to read, write, and speak the English language.

· Able to work with clients with limited English proficiency, including interpretation services when needed.

· Able to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.

· Able to organize work, take initiative and problem solve.

· Able to exchange information and communicate with the patient, any available family member, other FHS medical providers, and community agencies.

· Able to interpret facts and advise.

· Familiar with St. Luke’s Health System location and the locations of relevant service providers.

· Able to work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset and sometimes hostile clients.

· Able to use computers proficiently; electronic charting and telehealth visits will be required. 

· Able to move frequently and quickly throughout the workday.

· Able to cope with interruptions, be flexible and be a team player.

· Possess sight/hearing senses, or uses prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.

· Functions independently and has flexibility for changes that come up during the work day. 

· In good general physical health and demonstrates emotional stability.

· Able to cope with mental and emotional stress of the position.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

1. Serves as a core member of the health care team within primary care clinics.

2. Provide brief clinical intervention to a caseload of primary care patients per established standards and guidelines. 

3. Job functions include engagement and relationship building, assessment, treatment planning, therapeutic interventions, interdisciplinary coordination, coordinating discharge plans, and monitoring referrals. BHCs also assist with resource location and advocating for benefits.

4. Provide brief interventions for primary care patients who would benefit from behavior change to address their health needs. Interventions include but are not limited to motivational enhancement counseling, Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, adjustment to illness, treatment adherence issues, behavior modifications, stress management, and pyscho-education.

5. Provide brief intervention therapy for patients who are not in need of longer-term mental health services or are waiting to get into longer-term MH services and could benefit from brief interventions for stabilization.

6. Provide mental health triage and crisis intervention for patients with more emergent behavioral health needs in the primary care setting..

7. Effectively collaborate and communicate with health care providers within Family Health Services and the larger community to meet the needs of mutual patients, including coordinating interdisciplinary case conferences.

8. Appropriately refer patients to community resources and consistently monitor the outcomes of the referrals.

9. Complete documentation of services in a legible manner in accordance with established formats.

10. Collaborate with other Family Health Services Departments, i.e., Care Managers, Outreach and Enrollment, and Specialty Behavioral Health to ensure continuity of care and a seamless transition back to primary or specialty care. 

11. Facilitate groups designed to engage patients in treatment, especially in the areas of disease management, coping skills, and behavior change.

12. Regularly attend staff meetings, team meetings, in-services, etc.

13. Actively participate in performance improvement activities within the agency and team.

14. Actively participate in advocacy activities that support the mission of Family Health Services.

15. Appropriately perform other activities not described above that are deemed appropriate by the agency.

16. Other duties as assigned. 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

SAFETY:

Family Health Services enforces a safety culture whereby all employees have the responsibility for continuously developing and maintaining a safe working environment. Each employee is responsible for completing all training requirements, participating in emergency response tasks as requested, and serving on safety committees and teams as requested. In addition, employees must accept the responsibility for maintaining the safety of themselves and others by adhering to all written and verbal instructions, promptly reporting and/or correcting all hazards or unsafe conditions, and providing feedback to supervisors and management on all safety issues.

COMPLIANCE (MEDICARE):

Family Health Services is committed to the very highest standards of ethics and integrity. It is our policy to properly determine the accuracy of reporting and billing our services in accordance with the rules, laws and regulations of FHS, the state government, and the federal government. FHS employees will do their part to ensure accurate documenting and billing practices, participate in compliance trainings and will identify and report any concerns or activities that may violate these standards.

Each employee will be trained on the FHS Medicare Compliance Plan and the Standards of Conduct and asked to sign a Conflict of Interest Statement at hire and annually thereafter. A copy of the Medicare Compliance Plan and the FHS Standards of Conduct are available on the FHS home page under the Compliance tab. 

PATIENT CENTERED MEDICAL HOME (PCMH):

Family Health Services is committed to providing our patients with the highest standards of care by becoming recognized as patient centered medical home. FHS staff is expected to participate in this process by being an active and willing PCMH team member. Specific duties and expectations may vary and will be identified by position and site.

PROCEDURE COMPLIANCE:

Employee must read and understand the general and specific operational, safety, and environmental requirements of all plans, procedures, and policies pertaining to this job. 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment. No or very limited physical effort required. No or very limited exposure to physical risk.

Requirements

EDUCATION/WORK EXPERIENCE

1. Master’s Degree in Social Work or Counseling Program

2. Licensed as an LMSW, LCSW, LPC or LCPC

3. Comfortable working with variety of individuals with co-morbid conditions.

4. Able to work in an interdisciplinary team.

5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

1. Able to read, write, and speak the English language.

2. Able to work with clients with limited English proficiency, including interpretation services when needed.

3. Able to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.

4. Able to organize work.

5. Able to exchange information and communicate with the client, any available family members, other FHS providers, and community agencies.

6. Able to interpret facts and advise.

7. Able to take initiative and problem solve.

8. Familiar with St Luke’s Health System location and the locations of relevant service providers.

9. Able to work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset and sometimes hostile clients.

10. Able to use computers proficiently and electronic charting will be required. Training and utilization of FHS’s EHR.