Behavioral Health Counselor-Full Time
Martha's Vineyard Hospital (MVH)

Job Info

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PURPOSE OF YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION:

Given how much of individual and population health is related to the behaviors our patients chose, and the environment in which they live, a dedicated behavioral health counselor will be embedded into the Primary Care Offices. The behavioral health counselor will engage collaboratively with patients, families and the interdisciplinary healthcare team to address psychosocial barriers to care, lead efforts around management of psychiatric disorders for the team's patients, and coach patients and families in making the changes they need to maximize their health. The behavioral health counselor role is multifaceted, and the following description further clarifies the role and responsibilities in concert with the social work ambulatory care job description. Under the direction of the Nursing Director of Care Coordination and the Primary Care Medical Director, performs diversified duties both within and in support of Primary Care Department. Assists Primary Care Provider and the SUD team in implementing safe, comprehensive plans to meet individual patient/family needs. Communicates with the interdisciplinary team in planning for the patient's care.

DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY:

Under the direction of the Director of Care Coordination and the Primary Care Medical Director, you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to carry out your assigned duties.

JOB FUNCTIONS:

Every effort has been made to make your job description as complete as possible. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or is a logical assignment to the position.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES

• The Behavioral Health Counselor works with clients in a mental health context and makes use of the tools and skillsets to help the client to overcome their own mental and emotional struggles. Work collaboratively with Psychiatrist to provide therapeutic interventions for Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder clients.
• Provide collaborative assessment, triage, stabilization and brief interventions around acute psychosocial/behavioral health issues that impact patients/families functioning and/or medical adherence
• Provide counselling as part of the collaborative team using short term interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Intervention. Use in conjunction with other evidence-based practices including social narratives, reinforcement to alter behavior by teaching individuals to understand and change thoughts and behaviors.
• Provide recommendation and coordination of external and/or urgent psychiatric/social resources based on assessment and collaboration with patient/family
• Provide risk assessment and intervention in conjunction as part of the interdisciplinary team with emphasis on harm reduction and when necessary emergency services and coordination with appropriate resources
• Provide a care management approach around psychosocial/behavioral health needs using an evidence-based collaborative care management approach
• Acts as the lead liaison for collaboration with the consulting psychiatrist

Acts as the lead liaison for collaboration with the SUD team

• Provide clinical assessment with patients around chronic disease and health behavior self-management obstacles
• Provide health behavior interventions that include, but are not limited to; health action plans, utilizing change interventions, motivational techniques and problem solving that addresses obstacles to goals, and supports and increases patients and their family's self-efficacy of health behaviors
• Provide interventions around behavioral change as part of the interdisciplinary team during home visits, office warm handoff, shared medical appointments and/or scheduled appointment

• Clinical experience, understanding of, and comfort working with patients of all ages who suffer complex medical and psychiatric problems, ability to work with the families of such patients, and ability to help patients and families understand and access the resources required to support care.
• Ability to provide rapid clinical psychosocial assessments and brief, short- or long-term treatment/management with individuals, families, couples and/or groups.
• Advanced crisis intervention/treatment/management skills, strong assessment and treatment skills.
• Differential diagnosis and treatment with all modalities
• Competence in abuse/neglect/violence, trauma, grief loss and bereavement
• Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated competency in age specific behaviors
• Knowledge of specific medical/psychiatric illnesses, procedures and treatments
• Excellent clinical behavioral health assessment and crisis intervention knowledge and skills
• Strong understanding of psychiatric and family system problems, and ability to use this understanding to formulate succinct case summaries.
• Knowledge of community agencies/resources. Ability to advocate/negotiate systems for/with patients and families.
• Demonstrated ability to understand the role of behavioral health counselor in a complex, fast-paced medical environment
• Demonstrated ability to consult/teach
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effective orally and in writing. Excellent interpersonal skills including negotiation skills necessary to collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Tolerance for ambiguity, analytical skills and computer literacy
• A sense of humor

Qualifications
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION: Master of Social Work, Mental Health or related field degree from an accredited program required

LICENSURE: Current Massachusetts Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor required

EEO Statement
Martha's Vineyard Hospital and Windemere Nursing & Rehabilitation Center are Equal Opportunity Employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law.

This job has expired.