Behavioral Health Consultant-Clinically Integrated Network

Highmark Health•Pittsburgh, PA

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) is a member of the core healthcare team and helps care managers manage the overall health of the enrolled population. The role supports the recognition, treatment, and management of psychosocial and behavioral problems and medical conditions. Within the scope of the applicable state professional license, the BHC provides clinical mental health consultation for patients referred by the care team and helps manage psychosocial aspects of acute and chronic disease, lifestyle and health risks, mental disorders, and related psychosocial concerns. The BHC serves as the team’s resource for mental health and substance abuse assessment, intervention, and connection to higher levels of care when needed. The BHC works with multidisciplinary care teams and patients in ambulatory settings, providing short-term, evidence-based counseling and immediate support, often on the day a patient presents. The role includes assessment, referrals, brief follow-up, crisis support, patient outreach, and connection to community resources. Services are available to all enrollees, not only those with diagnosable mental disorders. Employees must comply with ethical and legal standards, company policies, HIPAA and other privacy and information-security requirements, and the company’s Code of Business Conduct. The employer prohibits discrimination as described in the job posting.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a mental health field.
Two years of experience using 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.
Current licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Out-of-state license transfers must be completed within 60 days of hire.
American Heart Association CPR certification.
Act 34 Criminal Background Clearance Certificate.
Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance Certificate.
Act 73 FBI Fingerprinting Criminal Background Clearance Certificate.

Responsibilities

Develop clinical pathways or best-practice programs for targeted patient groups as a core care team member.
Participate in practice staff meetings, trainings, daily huddles, and the system-wide BHC learning collaborative.
Educate and support multidisciplinary team members on behavioral health, substance abuse, and psychosocial topics during patient treatment planning.
Provide registry-based population care to high-risk and high-need patients and services to all enrollees.
Promote ongoing change efforts in the practice and health system related to mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Document in the shared medical record in a location visible to providers and other team members.
Engage patients by telephone and in person.
Provide same-day assessment, intervention, and referrals to higher levels of mental health or addiction care when needed.
Encourage patient participation in the overall treatment plan and provide brief therapeutic counseling appropriate to ambulatory care, using 15–30 minute interventions.
Identify functional outcomes and recommend approaches targeting occupational, social, familial, home, and recreational functioning.
Use short-term, treat-to-target interventions, including solution-focused approaches, CBT, and Motivational Interviewing.
Coordinate with patients’ family members and other support systems with the patient’s permission.
Provide brief follow-up, including relapse-prevention education, and promote skill building to support psychological and physical health, sometimes through groups.
Help patients in crisis obtain urgent mental health and substance abuse services.
Triage and refer patients to specialty mental health and substance abuse services when appropriate.
Advocate for patients perceived as difficult to work with or non-compliant.
Reach out to patients who are not engaging, usually by phone, to re-engage them in care.
Encourage patients to actively participate in their care and treatment.
Connect patients with community resources related to social determinants of health.