Behavioral Health Consultant, (Licsw, Lmhc, Lmft) 0.8 FTE - (Greater Seattle Area)

Purpose

The primary care Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) provides behavioral health services within a multidisciplinary primary care medical team. The BHC works with the other health care providers at their clinic to identify and manage patients with mental health, substance use, and health behavior concerns. Activities include the provision of evidence-based behavioral interventions, real-time consultation with providers, and brief behavioral health assessments. The BHC works in partnership with other team members to increase patient access to behavioral health and substance abuse services and achieve Neighborcare's Mission, Guiding Principles and Goals.

Health, Wellness & Retirement benefits:

• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance
• Paid time off & paid holidays
• Retirement with contribution match
• Life & AD&D, pet insurance
• Employee assistance program, & more!

Compensation:

• The target wage range for this position is $50.83 per hour to $62.89 per hour for Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, (LICSW), Licensed Mental Health Counselor, (LMHC) or Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, (LMFT).
• Final offers are individually based on various factors, including skill set, years of experience, location, qualifications, work schedule and other job-related reasons.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide high quality, culturally sensitive health services that are in line with organizational productivity expectations.
• Provide brief behavioral health assessment and intervention services for patients across the lifespan (children, adolescents, and adults) who present with a broad range of psychopathology, substance misuse, and health compromising behaviors contributing to chronic medical conditions.
• Provide services in a manner consistent with the Primary Care Behavioral Health Consultant Model of integration, including same day access, team-based care, and a flexible, population-based approach to care.
• Provide care to a subset of patients using strategies from the Collaborative Care integration approach, including the use of a panel management database and consultation with a psychiatric provider.
• Provide screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) to reduce the unhealthy use of alcohol and other substances.
• Maintain a balance in daily schedule of same-day access to BH services, and a caseload of scheduled follow-up patients.
• Support PCPs and consulting psychiatric providers with regard to psychiatric medications, including basic patient education and helping to monitor adherence, side effects and effectiveness.
• Work with the primary care team to refer patients to community mental health centers when appropriate, and support patients during transition.
• Facilitate time-limited behavioral therapy groups, including psycho-education and skill-building.
• Maintain patient electronic medical charts in accordance with the organization's policies and procedures, including appropriate use of Disclosure/Consent forms, documentation completed within 72 hours of visit, and accurate use of CPT coding.
• Attend meetings as directed by supervisors.
• Work in cooperation with other behavioral health staff, including peer consultation and information sharing.
• Work with clinic reception and other support staff to maximize patient access to behavioral health services.
• Coordinate care with staff at community mental health centers to facilitate exchange of information on services and shared patients.

KEY SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES

Required for this job:

• Actively promotes team-based care within multidisciplinary medical teams including comfort in communicating with medical colleagues about clinical care.
• Demonstrates excellent working knowledge of a wide range of behavioral health conditions across the lifespan and clinical spectrum.
• Demonstrates skill in assessing and intervening on patients with complex presentations, including those with comorbid medical and psychiatric symptoms.
• Ability to utilize brief behavioral health assessments to form diagnostic impressions and develop initial care plans.
• Ability to provide evidence-based treatments for behavioral health concerns in a brief format (e.g., 30-minute sessions and shorter courses of therapy).
• Ability to provide behavioral interventions to promote improved physical health and healthy management of chronic medical conditions.
• Demonstrates good knowledge of substance use disorders and ability to provide brief screening and evidence-based behavioral interventions for them.
• Demonstrates expertise in using contemporary, validated assessment instruments for behavioral health conditions that are appropriate to the primary care setting.
• Demonstrates experience in or willingness to become proficient in the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model of managing substance use disorders.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of psycho-pharmacology.
• Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with persons of varied racial, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds as well as individuals with disabilities.
• Ability to utilize interpretation services to provide care to non-English speaking patients.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with patients, families, co-workers, and community resources.
• Knowledge of and ability to maintain professional standards and follow the treatment policies and procedures of Neighborcare and of state, local and federal regulators.
• Knowledge of and skill in the use of computers with the ability to learn and use required software programs, including clinical documentation in an electronic health record program.
• Maintains all necessary credentials per agency and licensing requirements.
• Willingness to do home visits and outreach in supportive housing.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Required:

• A graduate degree (doctoral or masters) in a clinical mental health field and a full, active, and unrestricted mental health license in Washington State and are able to independently bill for services.
• License types accepted are Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).

Preferred:

• 2+ years of relevant experience providing behavioral health care in a team-based medical setting.
• Experience working with people who have experienced homelessness.
• Experience working with people active in their substance use disorder.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and social justice.

About Neighborcare Health:

Since 1968, Neighborcare Health has been removing barriers to health care for our neighbors. We believe everyone deserves a place to call their health care home, where a team of medical, dental and mental health professionals work in collaboration with each patient to develop a personal health improvement plan.

We are one of the largest providers of primary medical, dental and behavioral health care services in the Seattle area serving low-income and uninsured families and individuals, seniors on fixed incomes, immigrants, and people experiencing homelessness. Each year we care for nearly 60,000 patients at our nearly 30 non-profit medical, dental and school-based clinics. We ask everyone to pay what they can, but no one is turned away due to inability to pay.

Our clinics are located in neighborhoods where health disparities are the greatest, and our care teams, who speak over 55 languages and dialects, are as diverse as our patients. No matter who you are, or where you come from, regardless of your insurance, income or immigration status, you are welcome at Neighborcare Health.

Learn more about us here.

The full job description is available upon request