Behavioral Health Consultant - Grant - Primary Care

El Rio Community Health Center•Tucson, AZ

About The Position

The Primary Care Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) provides assessment and intervention services for health behaviors that affect patients’ management of chronic medical illnesses. The BHC works collaboratively with behavioral health teams and primary care providers to coordinate communication and deliver cohesive, whole-health care. The role provides focused clinical services addressing behavioral and health concerns, including life stressors, acute or chronic medical conditions, mental health conditions, substance use, and barriers to healthy lifestyle changes. Services include consultation, health behavior assessment and intervention, care coordination, patient education, self-management support, and recommendations to patients, medical providers, and multidisciplinary team members. The BHC supports accessible referrals and warm hand-offs, helps patients navigate crisis services and transitions to higher levels of care, and participates in the Behavioral Emergency Response Team. The position also maintains accurate and confidential electronic patient records in accordance with HIPAA, organizational policies, billing and coding guidelines, and applicable regulatory requirements. It provides education to primary care and behavioral health teams, attends relevant meetings and training, and maintains a clean, safe, hygienic work environment while meeting Joint Commission Certification standards. Applicants must have a relevant master’s degree, three years of post-graduate clinical experience with behavioral health patients, crisis intervention training, an independent Arizona behavioral health license, current BLS certification, and a valid fingerprint clearance card or an application submitted within seven working days after beginning employment. Reliable transportation is required; employees driving during work hours must have a valid driver’s license and comply with Arizona vehicle insurance requirements. A doctoral degree, additional clinical and integrated-care 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 submitted within seven working days after beginning employment.
Reliable transportation capable of meeting organizational operational reassignments during the workday.
Valid driver’s license and compliance with Arizona vehicle insurance requirements if driving during work hours.
All employees must undergo pre-employment drug testing and may be subject to post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing under applicable regulations.
Positions responsible for the safety and welfare of others are classified as safety sensitive.

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.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered if directly related to the job’s functions and responsibilities.

Responsibilities

Provide focused clinical services, including consultation, health behavior assessment and intervention, and care coordination for patients’ behavioral and health concerns.
Make appropriate recommendations to medical providers, patients, and multidisciplinary team members.
Provide accessible, interruptible services for referrals and warm hand-offs.
Support education and self-management for targeted populations with medical, mental health, behavioral health, and other health-related conditions.
Collaborate with primary care providers and interdisciplinary medical teams to support health behaviors and develop integrated treatment plans.
Coordinate with Specialty Behavioral Health to staff cases, promote continuity of care, support transitions, and help primary care teams manage mild behavioral health conditions.
Maintain accurate electronic patient records and complete clinical documentation clearly, thoroughly, accurately, and within required timeframes, following applicable documentation, billing, coding, confidentiality, and regulatory requirements.
Protect the confidentiality of patient, proprietary, and personnel information.
Educate primary care and behavioral health teams on behavioral health assessment and intervention, related conditions, safety and risk assessment, and appropriate use of behavioral health services.
Attend applicable behavioral health and medical provider meetings and participate in ongoing training as needed.
Help patients navigate crisis services and engage mobile crisis teams when needed to ensure safe transitions to higher levels of behavioral health care.
Participate in the Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT), using techniques such as verbal de-escalation and therapeutic communication to support patient and staff safety.
Maintain a clean, safe, and hygienic work environment in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.
Demonstrate proficiency with compliance and reporting requirements related to Joint Commission Certification standards.