Behavioral Health Consultant-Clinically Integrated Network

Allegheny Clinic; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Highmark Health is seeking a Behavioral Health Counselor to work within the care team, supporting population health goals. The BHC provides clinical mental health services and consultation within licensure scope, and collaborates with care managers to address psychosocial and medical needs in the enrolled population.

The role emphasizes short-term interventions, crisis response, and referrals to higher levels of care when required; you will engage patients both in person and by phone,

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in mental health field required.
• 2 years of experience with evidence-based counseling techniques and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.
• Knowledge of the relationship between medical and psychological aspects of health and disease.
• Licensed Clinician (LCSW/LPC/LMFT) or eligible for license transfer within 60 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Member of Care Team & Population Health Efforts: participate in team meetings, develop pathways, provide education to the multidisciplinary team.
• Effective Communicator & Change Agent: document in the medical record and engage patients by phone and in person.
• Clinical Interventions: provide assessments, short-term counseling, referrals to higher levels of care, crisis intervention, and follow-up.

Skills

Counseling techniques

Screening

Diagnosis

Treatment planning

Medical-psychological relationship

Education

Master’s degree in mental health field

LCSW/LPC/LMFT licensure or eligible

Job description

GENERAL OVERVIEW:

A BHC is a member of the core healthcare team who assists the care managers in managing overall health of their enrolled population. The BHC’s goals are to help improve recognition, treatment, and management of psychosocial/behavioral problems and medical conditions in the enrolled population. The BHC provides clinical mental health consultation services within the scope of their state's professional licensure board to all patients referred by the care team. The BHC participates in the management of psychosocial aspects of chronic and acute diseases, application of behavioral principles to address lifestyle and health risk issues, consultation and co-management in the treatment of mental disorders and psychosocial issues. The BHC is the team's go-to expert for mental health and substance abuse assessment, intervention, and connection to higher levels of care for mental health and addiction services as required.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Member of Care Team & Population Health Efforts

   Acts as a core care team member to develop specific clinical pathways or best practice programs for targeted patient groups

   Participates in practice staff meetings and trainings

   Provides education and support on a variety of topics from behavioral health and substance abuse background, training, and expertise to multidisciplinary team members during the course of treatment planning for patients

   Participates in daily huddles, listening for behavioral health, substance abuse, and psychosocial needs

   Provides population based care based on registry to high risk/high need patients

   Provides services to all enrollees (not just those with diagnosable mental disorders)

   Participates in system-wide BHC learning collaborative

2. Effective Communicator and Change Agent

   Promotes ongoing change efforts in the practice and within the AHN health system around mental health and substance abuse disorders

   Documents in the same medical record as the rest of the team in a place that is easily visible by providers and other team members

   Engages patients via telephone as well as in person

3. Clinical Interventions

   Meets patients and providers where they are, usually the same day a patient presents in clinic providing immediate support to include assessment, intervention and referrals to higher levels of care for mental health and addiction needs when required Often sees patients immediately after other team members (often in exam room or nearby consult room) and encourages patient participation in the overall treatment plan Provides therapeutic counseling services appropriate to the ambulatory care environment: using 15-30 minute interventions Identify functional outcomes; make recommendations that target occupational, social, and familial functioning; home activities; recreation Treat patients with short term interventions based on “treat to target” approach using solution focused approaches, CBT, Motivational Interviewing and other short term counseling interventions Coordinates with patient family members and other support systems (with patient permission) Provide brief follow up, including relapse prevention education Promote skill building to enhance psychological and physical health/sometimes in the form of groups Helps patient in crisis get urgent mental health and substance abuse needs met Triage and refer patients to specialty mental health and substance abuse services when appropriate (i.e. Childhood trauma, IOP, inpatient hospitalization, PTSD, psychiatry, etc.)

4. Advocacy, Outreach, Community Linkages, and Coaching

   Advocates for patients who are perceived as difficult to work with or “non-compliant”

   Reaches out to patients who are not engaging (usually via phone) to re-engage them in their care

   Encourages patient to become an active participant in their own care and treatment

   Connects patient to a variety of resources in the community related to social determinants of health

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum Master’s degree in Mental Health Field
• 2 years experience in use of evidence-based counseling techniques, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of common mental health and substance abuse disorders
• Knowledge of the relationship between medical and psychological aspects of health and disease
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) - for out of state license transfers allow 60 days from hire to transfer license

Additional Employment Requirements:

• CPR – American Heart Association
• Act 34 Criminal Background Clearance Certificate
• Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance Certificate
• Act 73 FBI Fingerprinting Criminal Background Clearance Certificate

The job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this job title. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

Compliance Requirement: This job adheres to the ethical and legal standards and behavioral expectations as set forth in the code of business conduct and company policies. As a component of job responsibilities, employees may have access to covered information, cardholder data, or other confidential customer information that must be protected at all times. In connection with this, all employees must comply with both the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as described in the Notice of Privacy Practices and Privacy Policies and Procedures as well as all data security guidelines established within the Company’s Handbook of Privacy Policies and Practices and Information Security Policy. Furthermore, it is every employee’s responsibility to comply with the company’s Code of Business Conduct. This includes but is not limited to adherence to applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations as well as company policies and training requirements.

Highmark Health and its affiliates prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on any category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. California Consumer Privacy Act Employees, Contractors, and Applicants Notice Highmark Health is a national, blended health organization that includes one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network. Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., Highmark Health’s 35,000 employees serve millions of customers nationwide through the nonprofit organization’s affiliated businesses, which include Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, HM Insurance Group, United Concordia Dental, HM Health Solutions and HM Home & Community Services. Highmark Health’s businesses proudly serve a broad spectrum of health-related needs including health insurance, health care delivery, population health management, dental solutions, reinsurance solutions, and innovative, technology solutions.