Behavioral Health Consultant

Definition

Under general supervision of the Behavioral Health Services Manager, works as part of integrated healthcare team within the Salt River Clinic to provide needed critical behavioral health services including screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment. Assumes primary responsibility for providing skills training through psycho-education and development of specific behavioral change plans for patients. Assists primary health care providers in recognizing and treating mental, psychosocial and substance abuse problems, identifying "At Risk" patients and assessing the clinical status of patients referred to them. This job class is treated as FLSA Exempt.

Distinguishing Features: The Behavioral Health Consultant differs from the Behavioral Health Counselors and Senior Behavioral Health Counselors by providing more short-term counseling and "triage" intervention therapy in the primary care environment. This differs from the traditional, long-term, in-depth approach by the Behavioral Health Counselors.

Essential Functions : Essential functions may vary among positions and may include the following tasks and other characteristics. This list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not intended to be comprehensive listing of tasks performed by all positions in this classification.

Examples of Tasks

Tasks :

1. Integrated Healthcare : Works on an integrated healthcare team within the Salt River Clinic to provide needed critical services including behavioral healthcare.

• Works closely with the Health Services staff, including medical and psychiatric professionals, within the primary care setting and in an integrated treatment team model.
• Works to identify behavioral health issues in the medical setting rather than solely in the behavioral health services environment. Continues to coordinate needed behavioral health services with health services professionals.
• May provide immediate and abbreviate, but quality, patient education related to newly diagnosed conditions, chronic diseases or behavioral issues that positively impacts the patient's overall health.
• Performs outreach and engagement to promote achievement of positive health outcomes.
• Develops proficiency in identifying behavioral disorders utilizing screening tools and techniques.
• May provide education and consultation to other primary care health providers regarding behavioral health disorders and interventions.

2. Intake & Intervention : Provides patient intake screening and intervention in a primary care setting to provide immediate behavioral healthcare intervention service, short-term follow-up or make referrals to the Behavioral Health Services Division for needed critical and timely mental health and/or substance abuse services.

• Provides brief, but immediate and quality, targeted intervention counseling sessions (usually not more than 15-30 minutes) designed to address critical needs and transition to longer-term care.
• Identifies and prioritizes "At-Risk" patients and provides immediate intervention and follow-up referrals.
• Practices evidence-based behavioral assessments and interventions relevant to behavioral and substance abuse conditions.
• Practices the initial intervention "Stepped Model" techniques to provide immediate behavioral health remedies before moving patients on to other levels of patient care.
• Works to obtain quality clinical outcomes with high prevalence behavioral and substance abuse disorders.
• Makes recommendations to the primary care provider regarding follow-up behavioral treatment plans.
• Documents patient symptomatology, progress and diagnostic information.
• Provides on-demand support for urgent situations requiring immediate or very short-term responses.

3. Screening & Referral : Practices the "SBIRT" method of: S creening, B rief I ntervention and R eferral to T reatment.

• Asks all necessary questions to determine patient condition and needs for referral to treatment.
• Identifies patients of all age groups "At-Risk" for behavioral health disorders or substance abuse including, but not limited to, alcohol and drug use, depression and suicide risk.
• Administers brief patient contact and makes quick and accurate clinical assessments of behavioral conditions.

4. Miscellaneous: Performs other job related duties as assigned by the Behavioral Health Services Manager or Behavioral Health Division Director.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics:

• Knowledge of the customs, culture and traditions of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
• Knowledge of general behavioral health disorders with a specific focus on trauma and substance abuse.
• Knowledge of the methods and techniques for diagnosis and treatment in a behavioral health program.
• Knowledge of substance abuse and chemical dependency disease processes.
• Knowledge of resources within, and outside, the Community that may be utilized for referrals.
• Knowledge of the laws and court procedures relating to, or applicable to, alcohol and substance dependency treatment and other behavioral health issues.
• Knowledge of basic physiology, psychotherapy methods, medical and behavioral health terminology.

• Skill providing critical intervention and make quick and accurate clinical assessments.
• Skill with targeted, brief intervention counseling sessions.
• Skill evaluating client needs and utilizing resources to meet those client needs.
• Skill providing counseling and therapy to individuals, groups and families.
• Skill establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with Community Members, patients, other staff, referral resources and agencies, SRPMIC officials, court and legal system staff.

• Ability to work effectively with an interdisciplinary health care provider team.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and preparing appropriate reports.
• Ability to utilize the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of mental disorders.
• Ability to provide immediate patient feedback.
• Ability to interact effectively with primary care health providers.
• Ability to accurately document treatment and services.
• Ability to work in a fast paced, high-demand environment.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications:

Education & Experience: AMaster's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Human Services or a closely related area required, AND three(3)years full-time experience in a major behavioral health services related program providing integrated healthcare services required.

• Arizona Board of Behavioral Health licensure required.
• A professional license such as Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) highly preferred.

Equivalency: Any equivalent combination of education and/or experience that would allow the candidate to satisfactorily perform the duties of this position, will be considered.

Underfill Eligibility: An enrolled Community Member whom closely qualifies for the minimum qualifications for a position may be considered for employment under SRPMIC Policy 2-19, Underfill.

Special Requirements

• May be required to work outside normal work hours including nights, weekends and holidays.
• May be required to travel.
• Employees in, and applicants applying for, jobs providing direct services to children are subject to the "Community Code of Ordinances", Chapter 11, "Minors", Article X. "Investigation of Persons Working With Children".

Prior to hire as an employee, applicants will be subject to drug and alcohol testing. Will be required to pass a pre-employment background/fingerprint check.

"SRPMIC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer" Preference will be given to a qualified : Community Member Veteran, Community Member, Spouse of Community Member, qualified Native American, and then other qualified candidate.

In order to obtain preference, the following is required: 1) Qualified Community Member Veteran (DD-214) will be required at the time of application submission 2) Qualified Community Member (must provide Tribal I.D at time of application submission),3) Spouse of a Community Member (Marriage License/certificate and spouse Tribal ID or CIB is required at time of application submission), and 4) Native American (Tribal ID or CIB required at time of application submission).

Documents may be submitted by one of the following methods:

1) attach to application

2) fax (480) 362-5860

3) mail or hand deliver to Human Resources.

Documentation must be received by position closing date.

The IHS/BIA Form-4432 is not accepted .

Your Tribal ID/CIB must be submitted to HR-Recruitment-Two Waters.