Behavioral Health Counselor MS

IU Health•Bloomington, IN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Counselor facilitates patient involvement in treatment and education within a multidisciplinary hospital setting. This role involves conducting individual, group, and family counseling, discharge planning, utilization review, and crisis intervention. The counselor collaborates with healthcare teams, community agencies, and protective services to ensure patients receive safe, timely, and resource-rich care. The position also entails managing complex cases such as abuse, neglect, guardianship, and high-risk crises, employing de-escalation and safety techniques as needed.

Requirements

Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related field.
0-3 years of relevant healthcare, mental health, or community-based experience.
License-eligible in Indiana as an LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, or LCAC; must have a minimum of a permanent LSW, LMHC-A, or LMFT-A upon hire.
Certification in crisis intervention (may be required).
BLS certification (may be required).
Knowledge of psychosocial assessment, therapeutic counseling, and crisis intervention techniques.
Understanding of disease processes and human behavior related to health and social needs.
Knowledge and application of evidence-based practices (CBT, MI, DBT).
Familiarity with legal mandates for child and adult protective services at the state and county levels.
Understanding of growth and development principles across the lifespan.
Ability to maintain principles and techniques of crisis intervention and de-escalation.
Ability to create a safe, therapeutic environment and instruct patients in daily activities and programming.
Basic proficiency in Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Strong ability to develop and sustain collaborative relationships with community agencies, medical teams, law enforcement, and protective services.

Nice To Haves

Open to new graduates not yet licensed.
Collaborative environment with growth opportunities, including clinical supervision hours for licensure advancement.

Responsibilities

Facilitate patient participation in treatment, education, and recovery through individual, group, and family counseling sessions.
Conduct psychosocial assessments evaluating prior functioning, support systems, reactions to illness, and coping strategies.
Provide mental health assessments upon physician referral and deliver therapeutic interventions, including crisis management and community resource referrals.
Support complex discharge planning, including guardianship, foster care, adoption, and mental health placements.
Serve as the primary point of contact for cases involving child abuse/neglect, adult/elderly abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence.
Act as a liaison between IU Health, protective teams, law enforcement, and community agencies.
Respond to dangerous or potentially dangerous situations with clinical intervention and de-escalation techniques.
Support patients in acute crises, utilizing de-escalation skills to prevent violence and ensure safety.
Lead and support decision-making and goals of care conversations to promote patient-centered care.
Develop and maintain strong working relationships with community organizations, law enforcement, schools, probation, and other agencies.
Provide clinical supervision and support ongoing professional development.
Document all assessments and interventions accurately within the electronic medical record system.