Behavioral Health Counselor MS

Riley Children's Health; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

IU Health in Indianapolis is seeking a Behavioral Health Counselor, MS to join Riley Hospital's behavioral health team for full-time night shifts. You will provide individual, group, and family counseling, participate in discharge planning, and collaborate with the care team to ensure safe, timely care.

You will assess psychosocial risks, connect families to community resources, and act as liaison with protective services for abuse cases, guardianship, and related placements.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or related field.
• State licensure eligibility (LSCW/LMHC/LMFT/LCAC) at hire.
• 0–3 years relevant mental health experience.
• Knowledge of CBT/MI/DBT evidence-based practices.
• Knowledge of protective services mandates and abuse reporting.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual, group, and family counseling.
• Perform utilization review and discharge planning.
• Collaborate with care team to ensure safe, timely care.
• Assess psychosocial risk factors and coordinate resources.
• Serve as liaison with protective services for abuse cases.
• Interventions for guardianship and foster care placements.

Skills

Crisis intervention

De-escalation techniques

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Psychosocial assessment

Education

MS in mental health

Tools

EMR knowledge

MS Office

Job description

Overview

Position Title: Behavioral Health Counselor MS

Location: Riley Hospital

Shift: Full-Time Night Shift

Position Summary

The Behavioral Health Counselor, MS facilitates patient involvement in the milieu of treatment and education, performing individual, group, and family counseling as well as utilization review and discharge planning. This role communicates and collaborates with all members of the health care team to ensure patients receive safe, timely, and comprehensive care, while interpreting and communicating complex patient and family needs and role modeling caring practices to other caregivers. The Counselor assesses patients' and families' psychosocial risk factors, counsels on the emotional, social, and financial consequences of illness or disability, and mobilizes family and community resources to meet identified needs. This position serves as the point person for child abuse/neglect, adult and elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence cases, acting as liaison between Indiana University Health and state and county protective service teams, and provides intervention related to guardianship, foster care, adoption, and mental health level II placements.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitates patient involvement in the milieu of treatment and education.
• Performs functions of individual, group, and family counseling.
• Performs all functions related to utilization review and discharge planning.
• Communicates and collaborates with all members of the health care team to facilitate the episode of care so the patient receives services in a safe and timely manner, and the patient and family are provided all necessary resources and education.
• Interprets and communicates complex patient/family needs and role models caring practices to other caregivers.
• Assess patients' and families' psychosocial risk factors through evaluation of prior functioning levels, appropriateness and adequacy of support systems, reaction to illness, and ability to cope.
• Counsels patients and families regarding emotional, social, and financial consequences of illness and/or disability.
• Accesses and mobilizes family/community resources to meet identified needs.
• Provides mental health assessments of patients upon physician referral.
• Provides therapeutic intervention to facilitate complex discharge planning.
• Serves as the point person in child abuse/neglect, adult/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence.
• Serves as liaison between Indiana University Health and state and county child and adult protective teams.
• Provides intervention in guardianship (temporary/permanent), foster care, adoption, and mental health level II placements.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in a mental health field such as Social Work, Counseling, Psychology or related field is required.
• Requires 0-3 years of relevant experience.
• Requires license eligible in the state of Indiana as an LCSW, LMHC, LMFT or LCAC. Must have a minimum of a permanent LSW, LMHC-A, or LMFT-A upon hire.
• Certification in crisis intervention may be required.
• BLS certification may be required.
• Requires relevant health care, mental health, or community-based experience. Requires knowledge of the impact of the disease process and of human behavior to provide psychosocial assessments, therapeutic counseling, and crisis intervention to patients, families and staff.
• Requires knowledge and implementation of relevant Evidenced Based Practices (CBT, MI, DBT).
• Requires knowledge of state and county adult and child protective legal mandates.
• Requires knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
• Requires the ability to maintain principles, practices and techniques of crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
• Requires the ability to provide a safe and therapeutic environment, including instruction of daily activities and programming.
• Requires basic proficiency in Electronic Medical Record and MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Requires the ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with the community, medical teams, law enforcement, APS/CPS, schools, probation and other agencies as indicated.

About IU Health

IU Health is Indiana’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare system, with nearly 40,000 team members, 16 hospitals, and $8.64 billion in operating revenue. Our programs in cancer, cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedics, pediatrics, and transplants are nationally recognized. In partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine, IU Health combines research, education, and clinical excellence to improve health outcomes for Indiana communities.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer. IU Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, national origin, gender identity and/or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.