Behavioral Health Specialist

Northern Counties Health Care, Inc.; St. Johnsbury (VT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Counties Health Care, Inc. is seeking a Behavioral Health Specialist in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. This role involves providing short-term counseling, crisis intervention, and behavioral health assessments, collaborating closely with healthcare providers. Ideal candidates will have strong organizational and communication skills, and experience with electronic medical records. Responsibilities include patient education and coordinating care with community resources. The ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure is essential. Join a supportive team dedicated to enhancing patient care.

Qualifications

• Experience in providing short-term counseling for behavioral health needs.
• Ability to work collaboratively with medical providers and community resources.
• Familiarity with electronic medical records and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provides short-term counseling for patients with behavioral health needs.
• Clinically assesses patients for appropriateness of behavioral health services.
• Provides crisis intervention services to patients experiencing acute emotional distress.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Communication skills

Clinical skills

Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure

Job description

Job Summary

The Behavioral Health Specialist provides short‑term counseling, crisis intervention, and behavioral health assessments within an integrated primary care setting. They collaborate closely with medical providers, coordinate care with community resources, and offer education to patients, families, and staff. The role involves documenting in electronic medical records, making appropriate referrals, and participating in care teams and quality improvement efforts. Strong organizational, communication, and clinical skills are essential, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities

• Provides short‑term counseling for patients with behavioral health needs.
• Orients patients to the behavioral health program.
• Clinically assesses patients for appropriateness of behavioral health services and establishes a psychiatric diagnosis.
• Works with patients (and the primary care provider, if indicated) to establish and obtain treatment goals, and monitors follow‑up.
• Provides crisis intervention services to patients experiencing acute emotional distress.
• Contacts patients face to face or by phone.
• Contacts may include patients experiencing chronic pain or addiction issues.
• Consults with medical providers and other professionals on patient treatment and/or services.
• Communicates with primary‑care providers, external psychiatrists, community therapists, community mental health centers, treatment facilities, or other community resources.
• Provides behavioral health education.
• Instructs patients and families on management of behavioral health issues.
• Provides patients and families with educational materials for behavioral health issues that are both paper‑ and web‑based.
• Educates staff on behavioral health issues.
• Provides referral of patients.
• Identifies patient needs that may require referral to outside community services.
• May refer patients to a primary care provider for intervention and/or follow‑up.
• Assists in referral of patients to outside agencies, community therapists, psychiatrists, and/or community resources.
• Meets regularly with administrative staff, nursing, and medical providers to identify, assess, and support patient behavioral health needs.
• Completes all EMR and other documentation as required; daily, weekly, and monthly.
• Records results of assessment and treatment goals through a progress note using behavioral health templates.
• Uses messaging system/review bins for provider and/or nursing communications.
• Documents patient contacts through EMR notes.

The incumbents may be requested to perform other job‑related tasks not listed in this description.