Behavioral Health Consultant-Behavioral Health Consultant-Cranberry

Highmark Health•Cranberry, PA

About The Position

A Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) is a member of the core healthcare team who assists care managers in managing the overall health of their enrolled population. The role aims to improve recognition, treatment, and management of psychosocial and behavioral problems and medical conditions. Within the scope of the professional licensure board in the applicable state, the BHC provides clinical mental health consultation services to patients referred by the care team. The BHC participates in managing psychosocial aspects of chronic and acute diseases, applying behavioral principles to lifestyle and health-risk issues, and consulting and co-managing treatment for mental disorders and psychosocial concerns. The BHC serves as the team’s expert resource for mental health and substance abuse assessment, intervention, and connection to higher levels of care when needed. The position also supports population health efforts, team communication and change initiatives, brief clinical interventions in an ambulatory care setting, patient advocacy, outreach, community referrals, and coaching. Employees must follow applicable ethical, legal, privacy, information-security, and business-conduct requirements, including HIPAA and company policies.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a mental health field.
At least 2 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.
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.
Compliance with applicable ethical and legal standards, company policies, HIPAA, privacy and information-security requirements, and the company Code of Business Conduct.

Responsibilities

Serve as a core care team member and help develop clinical pathways or best-practice programs for targeted patient groups.
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 treatment planning.
Provide registry-based population care to high-risk and high-need patients and services to all enrollees, including those without diagnosable mental disorders.
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 timely assessment, intervention, and referrals for mental health and addiction needs, often on the same day and after another team member’s visit.
Encourage patient participation in the overall treatment plan and provide brief therapeutic counseling suited to ambulatory care, typically in 15–30 minute interventions.
Identify functional outcomes and recommend approaches supporting occupational, social, familial, home, and recreational functioning.
Use short-term, treat-to-target interventions, including solution-focused approaches, CBT, motivational interviewing, and other brief counseling methods.
Coordinate with patients’ family members and support systems with patient permission.
Provide brief follow-up and relapse-prevention education; 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.
Contact patients who are not engaging, usually by phone, to encourage re-engagement in care.
Encourage patients to participate actively in their care and treatment.
Connect patients with community resources related to social determinants of health.