Primary Accountability

The Integrated Behavioral Health Clinician (LICSW, LCSW) is embedded within the primary care teams and works directly with the teams to assess individuals with behavioral health and/or substance use issues and to provide brief treatment services within the primary care setting. The IBH Clinician will expand the teams’ abilities to treat persons with chronic medical conditions that are complicated by lifestyle factors.

Description of Primary Responsibilities

1. Maintains an active presence on primary care clinical teams. Participates in daily medical team hurdles, medical staff meetings, multidisciplinary teams, and individual supervision sessions with coordinator/director.

2. Consults with primary care providers in real time to assist patients with psychosocial issues. This is frequently done as a “warm hand off” during hours of clinical operation. Informal consultations and referrals from the primary care providers happen at other times as well.

3. Assists the primary care provider in recognizing, treating, and managing mental health and psychosocial issues and acts as a contributing member to the primary care team.

4. Provides an 80/20 split of warm-handoffs and scheduled direct therapy services. Responsible for triaging-- to the lowest level of care to support the patient's mental health needs and providing timely communication to the interdisciplinary care team.

5. Provides brief treatment interventions for behavioral health concerns, as well as crisis intervention.

6. Demonstrates competence in brief assessment, crisis management, triage, diagnosis, as well as mental health/substance abuse treatment within a brief solution-focused model.

7. Conducts patient intakes both for Behavioral Health Services as well as Medication Assisted Treatment, focusing on diagnostic and functional evaluations and makes recommendations to the primary care provider concerning the patients’ treatment goals and plan.

8. Provides consultation and training to primary care providers to enhance their skill and effectiveness in the treatment of mental health problems.

9. [AB1] Develops, where indicated, relapse prevention plans and helps patients maintain stable functioning.

10. Assists in the detection of “at risk” patients and in the development of plans to prevent worsening of their condition.

11. Documents in the patients’ electronic health record in a complete and timely manner. All progress will be fully completed and signed within 48 hours of the encounter.

12. Keeps the primary care providers fully informed of the patient’s needs and progress and works with the providers to formulate treatment plans.

13. Works, where indicated, to effect behavioral changes in patients with, or at risk for, physical disorders and helps them to understand healthier lifestyle choices.

14. Provides patients with self-management skills and educational information needed so they can be full participants in their own treatment and recovery.

15. Helps the patients, where indicated, to cope with chronic conditions like pain and diabetes.

16. Demonstrates customer-centered approach to treatment, as measured by respectful interactions with patients and their families, high patient satisfaction, and lack of patient complaints.

17. Places high value on the treatment team, as measured by willingness to meet regularly, work collaboratively, and demonstrate flexibility when consulting with medical providers in the consultation and treatment of new patients, whether they are scheduled or referred as “warm hand-offs” or unscheduled emergencies.

18. Demonstrates a thorough understanding of DSM V, as measured by thoroughness and accuracy of diagnostic formulations brought for review to the multidisciplinary team.

19. Shows the ability to obtain complete history and full conceptualization of the patient’s problem within the time limited session(s), as measured by the quality of the written assessment and the timely case presentation to the interdisciplinary team.

20. Adapts therapeutic strategies to individual characteristics of the patient, including but not limited to, disability, gender, sexual orientation, developmental level, culture, ethnicity, age, health status as measured by return visits and patient satisfaction.

21. Participate in meetings, trainings, and supervision required by Agency and other trainings necessary for the maintenance of professional licensure and or/supervisory requests for growth and improvement.

22. Performs other duties as requested.

** Supervisory Responsibilities:**

None

** Qualifications:**

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the essential duties 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.

** Minimum Requirements/ Knowledge/ Skill:**

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret medical documentation, professional journals, and government regulations.

• Ability to write reports and correspondence.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from providers, hospitals, health center staff and patients and their families.

• Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with the health care team, providers, and management staff.

• Ability to perform duties and responsibilities across all life cycles (infants, children, adolescents, adults, prenatal and geriatric) required.

• Commitment to work in community health with the challenges of a high risk, and often uninsured and diverse patient population.

• Proven writing skills to document in a medical record and submit documentation.

• Strong/demonstrated communication skills, written and verbal, required.

• Ability to multi-task and manage concurrent situations.

• Flexibility to deal with noise, frequent interruptions, and constant changes in schedules.

• Ability to perform responsibilities in a solution-focused model with appointments usually lasting less than 30 minutes.

• Function well in a team-approach, accepting the fact that they are not in charge of patient’s care.

• Proficiency in the identification and treatment of mental disorders

• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office required.

• Previous experience in Electronic Health Records preferred.

• Knowledge of principles, theories, and practices of social work, including NASW standards, code of ethics, and HIPAA.

• Ability to utilize scarce resources to maximize services/benefits for patients.

• Practices in a professional manner and collaborates with other health team members. Strives to improve own level of competence through skill development, keeping abreast of social work trends and new developments in health care. Knowledgeable of social service procedures, policies, and resources and has the ability to analyze and interpret information to plan appropriate interventions.

• Emotional Stability, because Clinical Social Work frequently involves dealing with crises, the profession requires emotional resilience and stability.

• CPR BLS certified.

• Valid Driver’s license and automobile insurance.

• Annual TB test in accordance with CHP TB policy and procedures.

• Hepatitis B vaccination/waiver in accordance with CHP Hepatitis B vaccination/waiver protocol

• Annual Flu Vaccine per CHP’s Flu vaccine policy.

• Education:

o Masters or Doctorate in social work from an accredited college or university.

o Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Illinois (LCSW)

o Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in Illinois.

o Previous experience or internship in a medical setting which supports a primary care integration model preferred.

• Language Skill:

o Cultural sensitivity necessary to work with a diverse patient and staff population

o Bilingual (Spanish English) highly desirable or, depending on specific clinic location, required.

** Physical Demands:**

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

· The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit.

· Extensive eye contact with a computer screen.

** Work Environment** :

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

· Noise level is moderate.

· Activity is busy, fast-paced.