Behavioral Health Consultant - Grant - Primary Care

El Rio Health•Tucson, AZ

About The Position

The Primary Care Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) provides assessment and intervention for health behaviors that affect patients’ management of chronic medical illnesses. The BHC and behavioral health teams work collaboratively to maintain communication and coordination and provide cohesive, whole-health care. Services may address life stressors, acute or chronic medical conditions, acute or severe mental health conditions, substance use, barriers to healthy lifestyles, and other behavioral health concerns. The BHC supports referrals and warm hand-offs, builds patient education and self-management skills, and works with primary care and interdisciplinary teams to develop integrated treatment plans and support patients’ physical and behavioral health needs. The role includes coordinating with specialty behavioral health services, maintaining accurate and confidential electronic health records, and completing documentation in accordance with organizational policies, billing and coding guidelines, and regulatory requirements. The BHC also provides education to primary care and behavioral health teams, attends applicable meetings and training, helps patients navigate crisis services and transitions to higher levels of care, and participates in the Behavioral Emergency Response Team. The position requires maintaining a safe and hygienic work environment and complying with Joint Commission Certification standards. A master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field and three years of post-graduate clinical behavioral health experience are required. Candidates must hold a current independent-level Arizona behavioral health license and current BLS certification. A current Level I fingerprint clearance card, or application for one within seven working days after employment begins, is required. Reliable transportation is required to accommodate organizational reassignments during the workday; employees who drive during work hours must have a valid driver’s license and meet Arizona vehicle insurance requirements. A doctoral degree, five years of post-graduate clinical experience, three years of integrated medical setting experience, and English/Spanish bilingual ability are preferred.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field from an accredited university.
Three years of post-graduate experience working with behavioral health patients in a clinical setting, outpatient and/or inpatient.
Previous training in crisis intervention, non-violent crisis intervention, and/or related intervention care models.
Current independent-level Arizona behavioral health license (LPC, LCSW, or Clinical Psychologist) in good standing with the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for health care providers.
Current valid Level I fingerprint clearance card in good standing, or application for one within seven working days after beginning employment.
Reliable transportation capable of meeting organizational operational reassignments during the workday.
If driving during work hours, a valid driver’s license and compliance with Arizona vehicle insurance requirements.
Compliance with pre-employment drug testing and applicable post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing requirements.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field from an accredited university.
Five years of post-graduate experience working with behavioral health patients in a clinical setting, outpatient and/or inpatient.
Three years of post-graduate experience working in an integrated medical setting.
Bilingual English/Spanish ability, including speaking, reading, and writing in both languages.

Responsibilities

Provide focused clinical services, including consultation, health behavior assessment and intervention, and care coordination for patients’ medical, behavioral health, substance use, and lifestyle concerns.
Make appropriate recommendations to medical providers, patients, and multidisciplinary team members.
Provide accessible, interruptible services in response to referrals and warm-hand-off requests.
Educate patients and cultivate self-management skills for comorbid medical and mental health conditions, chronic disease, and other health-related concerns.
Collaborate with primary care providers and interdisciplinary medical team members to support patients’ health behaviors and address physical health conditions and comorbidities.
Coordinate with Specialty Behavioral Health to staff cases, promote continuity of care, support transitions, and strengthen primary care teams’ ability to manage mild behavioral health conditions.
Maintain accurate electronic patient records and comply with HIPAA, confidentiality, documentation, billing, coding, and recordkeeping policies and procedures.
Protect the confidentiality of patient, proprietary, and personnel information, and complete clinical documentation clearly, accurately, thoroughly, and within required timeframes.
Educate primary care and behavioral health teams on behavioral health assessment and intervention, related conditions, safety and risk assessment, and effective use of behavioral health services.
Attend applicable behavioral health and medical provider meetings and participate in ongoing training as needed.
Collaborate with primary care providers and the interdisciplinary medical team to provide health counseling and develop integrated treatment plans.
Help patients navigate crisis services and engage mobile crisis teams when needed to support safe transitions to higher levels of behavioral health care.
Participate in the Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT), using rapid intervention techniques such as verbal de-escalation and therapeutic communication to support patient and staff safety.
Maintain a clean, safe, and hygienic work environment and follow applicable policies and procedures for work areas, examination rooms, handwashing, and infection prevention and control.
Demonstrate proficiency with compliance and reporting requirements applicable to Joint Commission Certification standards.