Behavioral Health Care Manager

Emory•Lithonia, GA

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM) will be a core member of a collaborative care team that includes the patient's medical provider (PCP) and psychiatric consultant in supporting the coordinated management of psychiatric conditions within a primary care setting. The primary responsibilities of the BHCM within this team are to screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders in primary care. Facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care. Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications. Track patient follow up and clinical outcomes using a registry. Document in-person and telephone encounters in the registry and use the system to identify and re-engage patients. Document patient progress and treatment recommendations in EHR and other required systems so as to be shared with medical providers, psychiatric consultant, and other treating providers. Provide brief psychotherapeutic interventions using evidence-based techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)/behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate. Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and the available treatment options. Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, by monitoring and communicating issues around treatment adherence, side-effects, and effectiveness of treatment. Develop and complete relapse prevention self-management plan with patients who have achieved their treatment goals and are soon to be discharged from the caseload. Provide or facilitate in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e.g. problem-solving treatment or behavioral activation) as clinically indicated. Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside of the organization (e.g. , vocational rehabilitation, mental health specialty care, substance abuse treatment). Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the medical provider and the psychiatric consultant and who may need more intensive or more specialized mental health care. Dually participate in collaborative care / integrative behavioral health with both Primary Care and Psychiatry. Participate in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with a psychiatric consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient's medical provider. Consultations will focus on patients new to the caseload and those who are not improving as expected under the current treatment plan. Case reviews may be conducted by telephone, video, or in person. This role will also require developing skills in population-based health management, such as the implementation of measurement-based behavioral health metrics, as well as the conduct of clinical research under a supervising physician.

Requirements

Master's Degree, completed certificate/degree program in social work, counseling or equivalent.
At least 2-years' experience in providing psychotherapy or counseling in a mental health or primary care setting.
Current licensure to provide therapy or counseling services in the state of Georgia.
LMHC, LMFC, LCSW, LPC, PsyD or related field licensure.
Basic Life Support certification (includes CPR) or attain within 30 days.

Nice To Haves

Experience with primary care-based behavioral health or similar collaborative care models.
Interest/background in health psychology.
Further experience in addiction counseling or chemical dependency treatment preferred.

Responsibilities

Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders in primary care.
Facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care.
Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.
Track patient follow up and clinical outcomes using a registry.
Document in-person and telephone encounters in the registry and use the system to identify and re-engage patients.
Document patient progress and treatment recommendations in EHR and other required systems.
Provide brief psychotherapeutic interventions using evidence-based techniques.
Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and available treatment options.
Support psychotropic medication management by monitoring and communicating issues around treatment adherence, side-effects, and effectiveness.
Develop and complete relapse prevention self-management plan with patients who have achieved their treatment goals.
Provide or facilitate in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments.
Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside of the organization.
Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected.
Dually participate in collaborative care / integrative behavioral health with both Primary Care and Psychiatry.
Participate in regularly scheduled caseload consultation with a psychiatric consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient's medical provider.
Develop skills in population-based health management.
Conduct clinical research under a supervising physician.