Pediatric Integrated Behavioral Health Specialist

The Integrated Behavioral Health Specialist provides brief assessment, psychoeducation, and appropriate therapeutic intervention to children, adolescents, and their families within the pediatric medical home to improve psychosocial functioning. The Behavioral Health Specialist monitors the progress of his/her patient caseload using an electronic registry and coordinates care for assigned patients with primary care team members and community resources. The Behavioral Health Specialist works closely with a child and adolescent psychiatrist to support psychiatric medication management in the pediatric office. The ideal candidate has strong initiative, flexibility, and enthusiasm, the ability to work some evenings/weekends, and is open to working collaboratively and in shared workspaces.

Essential Functions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Provides PCP-initiated consultation services that may include differential diagnosis, psychoeducation, brief therapeutic intervention, referral for further treatment, etc.
2. Provides services appropriate to the age-specific needs of all patients in accordance with the principles of growth and development for infant, child, and adolescent patients.
3. Conducts mental health screenings utilizing standardized instruments.
4. Assesses patients to determine the appropriate level of treatment in accordance with relevant ethical and legal standards.
5. Provides patient education about common mental health disorders and the available treatment options.
6. Supports psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence, monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
7. Facilitates patient engagement and follow-up care.
8. Provides interventions ranging from brief behavioral interventions to traditional psychotherapy to children and families.
9. Systematically tracks treatment response for patients with a subset of mental health diagnoses and monitors those patients (in person or by telephone) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects.
10. Evaluates crisis situations and applies appropriate interventions.
11. Coordinates care with patient’s pediatric healthcare team as well as community providers when involved, including facilitating referrals to other levels of care when indicated.
12. Participates in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicates resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s medical provider.
13. Develops and completes a relapse prevention self-management plan with patients who have achieved their treatment goals and are soon to be discharged from the Integrated Behavioral Health caseload.
14. May facilitate groups for parents or patients depending on need.
15. Follows procedures for the electronic health records system for accurate and timely clinical documentation consistent with organizational standards.
16. Maintains daily records of clinical productivity in the program as instructed.
17. Creates written material for use in psychoeducation of patients referencing established, peer reviewed, and evidenced based practices.
18. Collaborates with team members and Behavioral Health Medical Director to monitor and improve the care provided within the Integrated Behavioral Health program.
19. Participates in team meetings, in-services and supervisory sessions as required.
20. Participates in weekly supervision, either individually or in a group format.
21. Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities):

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and abilities required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Excellent customer service skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrates professionalism, confidentiality, and diplomacy and can serve a wide range of employees with equity and tact. Critical Evaluation.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of people at all levels of the organization.
• Commitment to excellence and high standards
• Detail oriented with strong follow-up initiative
• Versatility, flexibility and a willingness to work within constantly changing priorities with enthusiasm.

Required Education and Experience:

• Licensed social worker or equivalent experience.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• Experience using an electronic health record.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Licensed Social Worker
• 2 years post-Masters experience
• Substantial clinical experience in pediatric settings

Supervisory Responsibility:

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Abilities:

Ability to work with all members of the community regardless of race, age, sex and cultural or ethnic background.

Ability to make critical decisions independent of immediate supervision.

Ability to demonstrate commitment, caring, and respect for children and adults from diverse backgrounds who have multiple needs or problems.

Skills:

Strong clinical assessment skills.

Competence in the delivery of crisis intervention services and in brief and time-limited therapy.

Can perform evidence-based psychotherapies with fidelity to the model as appropriate.

Experience working with parents on behavioral management and child development related concerns.

Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with physicians, office staff, administrators, and community resources.

Computer literacy, including being able to learn and utilize eCW software application as well as use the Microsoft Office suite.

Effective verbal and written communication skills.

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.

Work is performed in an office environment and requires desk, table & copier work.

Frequent contact with patients, parents, physicians, pediatric office staff, and Advocare administrative staff is required.

Work may transition to a hybrid or telemedicine delivery model on an as-needed basis during global pandemic or due to patient needs.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to an office environment with ringing phones, printing equipment, and people moving around. This role uses standard office equipment.

The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work vary. Applicants will be expected to work some evenings and/or weekends.

Travel:

No travel is expected for this position.