Behavioral Health Consultant - Grove City - Full Time

Highmark Health • Grove City, PA

65d • Onsite

About The Position

A Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) is a vital member of the core healthcare team, dedicated to enhancing the overall health of the enrolled population by managing psychosocial and behavioral health issues alongside medical conditions. The BHC provides clinical mental health consultation services, operating within their professional licensure scope, to patients referred by the care team. This role involves managing the psychosocial aspects of both chronic and acute diseases, applying behavioral principles to address lifestyle and health risks, and offering consultation and co-management for mental disorders and psychosocial issues. The BHC serves as the team's primary expert for mental health and substance abuse assessment, intervention, and facilitating connections to higher levels of care when necessary.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a Mental Health Field
• 2 years of experience in the use of evidence-based counseling techniques, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of common mental health and substance abuse disorders
• Knowledge of the relationship between medical and psychological aspects of health and disease
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) - for out-of-state license transfers, allow 60 days from hire to transfer license
• CPR – American Heart Association
• Act 34 Criminal Background Clearance Certificate
• Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance Certificate
• Act 73 FBI Fingerprinting Criminal Background Clearance Certificate
• Compliance with ethical and legal standards, company policies, HIPAA, and data security guidelines.
• Adherence to the company's Code of Business Conduct.

Responsibilities

• Acts as a core care team member to develop specific clinical pathways or best practice programs for targeted patient groups.
• Participates in practice staff meetings and trainings.
• Provides education and support on behavioral health and substance abuse topics to multidisciplinary team members during treatment planning.
• Participates in daily huddles to identify behavioral health, substance abuse, and psychosocial needs.
• Provides population-based care to high-risk/high-need patients based on registry data.
• Serves all enrollees, not just those with diagnosable mental disorders.
• Participates in system-wide BHC learning collaboratives.
• Promotes ongoing change efforts within the practice and the AHN health system regarding mental health and substance abuse disorders.
• Documents in the shared medical record in a visible location for providers and team members.
• Engages patients via telephone and in person.
• Meets patients and providers promptly, often on the same day of referral, providing immediate support including assessment, intervention, and referrals.
• Provides therapeutic counseling services appropriate for the ambulatory care environment, utilizing 15-30 minute interventions.
• Identifies functional outcomes and makes recommendations for occupational, social, familial functioning, home activities, and recreation.
• Treats patients with short-term interventions using a 'treat to target' approach with solution-focused methods, CBT, and Motivational Interviewing.
• Coordinates with patient family members and support systems (with patient permission).
• Provides brief follow-up, including relapse prevention education.
• Promotes skill-building for psychological and physical health, sometimes through groups.
• Assists patients in crisis with urgent mental health and substance abuse needs.
• Triage and refers patients to specialty mental health and substance abuse services when appropriate (e.g., Childhood trauma, IOP, inpatient hospitalization, PTSD, psychiatry).
• Advocates for patients who may be perceived as difficult to work with or 'non-compliant'.
• Reaches out to non-engaging patients (usually via phone) to re-engage them in care.
• Encourages patients to become active participants in their own care and treatment.
• Connects patients to community resources related to social determinants of health.

Benefits

• Highmark Health and its affiliates prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on any category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level