Emergency Psychiatric Assess Counselor

Sioux Center Health; Sioux Center (IA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO from day 1

Employer matching retirement up to 5%

Career development mentorship

Job summary

Avera Behavioral Health Center-Sioux Falls is seeking a Behavioral Health Specialist to evaluate and treat individuals in crisis via telephonic, in-person, or video sessions. You will perform rapid assessments, determine care levels, and coordinate referrals across multiple clinics and partners.

Ideal candidates bring strong crisis intervention skills, teamwork, and the ability to manage a demanding schedule while ensuring top-quality patient care and safety. Equal opportunity employer.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's and 5 years of Behavioral Health experience or Master’s must be obtained within 6 months of hire.
• Visual acuity adequate for job duties and effective communication.
• Ability to perform in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.

Responsibilities

• Answers inquiry calls promptly, schedules assessments, and maintains up-to-date information as the point of contact for BHC services.
• Performs psychosocial assessments including suicide/homicide risk, determines level of care, and referrals.
• Manages emergency room flow with medical screening and EMTALA adherence.
• Collaborates with emergency physicians and supports E- assessment via the E-emergency program.
• Coordinates with law enforcement and security for holds and transports as needed.
• Provides crisis intervention, case management, EAP counseling, and inpatient bed tracking.

Skills

Communication skills

Crisis intervention

Multitasking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in Behavioral Health

Master's degree within 6 months of hire

Job description

Location

Avera Behavioral Health Center-Sioux Falls

Worker Type

Regular

Work Shift

Day Shift (United States of America)

Pay Range

The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.

$29.25 - $46.25

Position Highlights

You Belong at Avera

Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.

A Brief Overview

Provides evaluation and treatment for individuals of all ages who are suffering from an acute mental health crisis through telephonic, face to face, or interactive video communication. Ability to work in an intense, stressful work environment where you must perform rapid assessments, make swift treatment decisions and have the ability to multi task. Applies specialized clinical knowledge and advanced clinical skills in the areas of assessment, diagnosis, and crisis intervention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders, conditions and addictions, including severe mental illness in adults and seniors, severe emotional disturbances in children and adolescents, and acutely intoxicated or withdrawing individuals. Helps facilitate referral or placement to appropriate level of care or other resource.

What You Will Do

• Answers all inquiry calls in a timely fashion, offer and schedule assessments, complete the database and keep all information up to date. As the point of contact for all of BHC services, provides excellent customer service to all callers.
• Completes the psychosocial assessment including suicide/homicide risk assessment, determine appropriate level of care and make appropriate referrals.
• Manages the Behavioral Health Center emergency room by visiting with walk in patients, providing a medical screen, meeting all the EMTALA guidelines.
• Assists the emergency room physicians, including E- assessment through the E-emergency program.
• Works with law enforcement to petition or place Board of Mental Illness holds when needed, and with security regarding transports and Crisis Prevention Intervention when needed.
• Provides crisis intervention and case management for local mental health clinics, medical clinics and psychiatry clinics. Provide EAP assessment and counseling including phone intervention. Manages the psychiatric inpatient beds through a system wide tracking board, manage the physician rotation assignments and on call schedules. Maintains current knowledge of admitting modules and the ability to register Clinical ARC patients and Pre-admitted patients, in a timely fashion.
• Provides ongoing training/orientation for all students including psychiatric residents, nurses, counseling interns and paramedics. Provides mental health support services in the community and promote mental health services available through Avera Behavioral Health.
• Obtains and completes all insurance pre-certifications and authorizations as determine necessity for pre-certification; coordinates with insurance companies, patients and clinical staff to obtain information; and maintains complete and accurate documentation. Must have proficient knowledge of insurance requirements, medical/clinical terminology, psychotropic medications, and medical necessity associated with certification.
• Must maintain an updated working knowledge of the following: SD, Minnesota and Tribal Mental Illness Holds; Duty to Warn and Abuse reporting standards; Informed consent and competence to make treatment decisions; referral sources in a 4 state region; level of care criteria and pre-authorization requirements and processes; ASAM criteria; DSM criteria; ICD9 codes along with de-certification process and appropriate admission service types.

Essential Qualifications

The individual must be able to work the hours specified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds. These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.

Required Education, License/Certification, Or Work Experience

• Bachelor's and 5 years of Behavioral Health Experience or
• Master's must be obtained within 6 months of hire

Expectations and Standards

• Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
• Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
• Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
• Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.

Benefits You Need & Then Some

Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future.

• PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
• Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
• Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship

Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to [e-mail].