Behavioral Health Specialist

002 Sea Mar Community Health Center; Kelso (WA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Sea Mar Community Health Centers is seeking a Behavioral Health Specialist to join our mission-driven team in Washington State. You will assess client needs, provide case management, and coordinate care within an interdisciplinary group to deliver culturally aware, comprehensive services.

Responsibilities include documentation, adherence to mandated reporting, and collaboration with colleagues to support clients and families across settings.

Qualifications

• Good character and integrity.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent communication abilities.
• Ability to liaise with community resources.
• Outreach experience with clients.
• Professionalism and appropriate boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient-centered behavioral health services within an inter-disciplinary team.
• Assess client needs and provide case management as needed.
• Maintain accurate documentation and client records.
• Adhere to state mandated reporting requirements for abuse/neglect.
• Promote culturally aware, respectful services.
• Collaborate with staff to coordinate comprehensive care.

Job description

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered, culturally-aware services. Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following.

• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
• Able to identify and categorize each patient's age-specific grouping of needs, such as those for infant, adolescent, or geriatric patients.
• Conducts intake screenings to determine client's need for case management. Interviews client, (either in home or at clinic) performing systematic social services assessment to determine current status and needs in a variety of areas. Makes a Client Service Plan with each client for each activity that will be done with the client.
• Makes referrals, based on identified need, to appropriate agencies/services or provides information and assists client for self-referral.
• Maintains regular contact with client, including home visits, and provides advocacy as needed to encourage cooperation in implementing the Service Plan or to resolve problems which are interfering with active participation in plan (such as transportation or language barrier).
• Maintains files that document case management activities as required by the State and the clinic.
• Assists client in accomplishing necessary tasks in accessing services such as filling out appropriate forms, obtaining necessary documentation or authorization and finding transportation.
• Participates in regular interdisciplinary team case reviews.
• Will promote a positive team approach. Team member will collaborate with all staff members to provide comprehensive services that are individualized to best serve each client and will welcome and orient all new staff and visitors in a positive manner.
• Maintains professional standards and follows the treatment policies and procedures of the agency, as well as applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Completes daily record keeping as directed by the Program Manager. Reports any unusual incidents to the Program Manager.
• As the Behavioral Health Specialist is a State mandated reporter, he/she will report to the State any suspected case of child/elder abuse or neglect as mandated by WAC.
• Observes and assesses clients' basic needs, strengths and weaknesses, and refers client to appropriate department as needed.
• Participates in supervision as directed and provided.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The person in this position must be of good character and able to maintain the understanding, physical health, emotional stability and personality suited to meet the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of the population served.
• This person must have the capacity to establish a liaison relationship with community resources and provide outreach service to clients.
• Must have good organizational and communication skills.
• Demonstrate professionalism and appropriate bound