CoCM - Behavioral Health Care Manager

Essen Medical Associates•Bronx, NY

11d

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Care Manager is a core member of the Collaborative Care team, working with the patient’s medical provider and Psychiatric Consultant as well as the broader primary care or medical team. The role supports and coordinates the mental and physical health care of patients on an assigned caseload, coordinating with primary care providers and, when appropriate, other mental health providers. The manager screens and assesses patients for common behavioral health disorders, encourages engagement and follow-up, educates patients about mental health conditions and treatment options, and monitors symptoms, treatment response, side effects, and adherence. The role also provides brief evidence-based behavioral interventions, participates in caseload consultations, documents progress and recommendations in the EHR and registry, helps coordinate treatment-plan changes for patients who are not improving, and facilitates referrals to clinically indicated services outside the organization.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work from a school accredited by the Council of Social Work Education; the posting also identifies an LMHC or Professional Counselor license or a Master’s in Psychology as other backgrounds.
At least 1 year of experience.
Behavioral health experience in clinical or care coordination settings.
Familiarity with evidence-based treatment approaches.
Comfort using validated screening tools such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7.
Experience working in team-based, interdisciplinary environments.
Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively in a team setting.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to effectively engage patients in a therapeutic relationship.
Experience with assessment and treatment planning for common mental health disorders.
Proficiency with electronic health records.
Strong documentation skills to meet billing and compliance requirements.
Bilingual Spanish required.

Responsibilities

Support and coordinate the mental and physical health care of patients on an assigned caseload.
Coordinate care closely with patients’ primary care providers and, when appropriate, other mental health providers.
Screen and assess patients for common behavioral health disorders and facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care.
Educate patients about common mental health conditions and available treatment options.
Track treatment response and monitor changes in clinical symptoms, treatment side effects, and complications.
Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, monitoring adherence, side effects, and effectiveness.
Provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based approaches such as behavioral activation, CBT, DBT, problem-solving treatment, and motivational interviewing, as appropriate.
Participate in regularly scheduled caseload consultations with the Psychiatric Consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s medical provider.
Track and document patient progress and treatment recommendations in the EHR and registry.
Facilitate treatment-plan changes for patients who are not improving, in collaboration with the medical provider and Psychiatric Consultant.
Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside the organization, such as housing assistance and vocational rehabilitation.