BH Care Specialist

UVA Health•Manassas, VA

About The Position

The BH Care Specialist assists with patient education groups and facilitates complex discharge plans, including coordination with patients’ support systems. As a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team, the specialist helps maintain safety, best practices, and high-quality care throughout discharge planning and establishes connections with providers for patients leaving the hospital. The specialist collaborates with providers and the treatment team to plan, implement, and evaluate proactive, complex, and safe discharge plans with patient involvement, and seeks guidance from team members on medically or psychosocially complex cases. The role also serves as a resource for discharge planning and care coordination and requires providing services appropriate to patients’ ages and cultural diversity. The specialist is expected to uphold UVA’s mission, vision, and values of compassion, diversity, personal excellence, and teamwork. The role provides guidance, teaching, coaching, and relationship-building support to team members in addressing patient concerns and connecting effectively with patients. It involves maintaining positive relationships with colleagues, leaders, and community providers, and supporting team development through mentoring, precepting, orientation, and feedback. The specialist applies behavioral health expertise and evidence-based interventions to implement treatment plans and support optimal patient outcomes, including responding appropriately to psychiatric crises and violent behavior. This is a full-time, non-exempt position, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The position may require on-call responsibilities as directed and travel between campus buildings, remote facilities, and out of town as needed. Safety equipment, such as a HEPA mask, may be required for infection prevention.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, or a similar health-related field.
Good working knowledge of computers.
Ability to care for behavioral health age-specific populations.
NVCI certification within three months of hire.
Ability to provide services appropriate to the age and cultural diversity of patients served.
Ability to travel between campus buildings, remote facilities, and out of town as needed.
Ability to meet the physical demands of constant standing, frequent walking, bending/stooping, and lifting, pushing, or pulling up to 100 pounds; Safe Handling Equipment must be used for weights over 35 pounds.
Proficient communicative, auditory, and visual skills; attention to detail; and ability to write legibly.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of relevant experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist with patient education groups.
Facilitate complex discharge plans, including coordination with patients’ support systems.
Collaborate with providers and interdisciplinary treatment team members to plan, implement, and evaluate proactive, complex, and safe discharge plans with patient involvement.
Support safety, best practices, and high-quality standards of care throughout discharge planning.
Establish care connections with providers when patients leave the hospital.
Collaborate with team members for guidance on medically and/or psychosocially complex cases.
Serve as a resource for discharge planning and care coordination.
Provide guidance, teaching, and coaching to team members on addressing patient concerns and connecting effectively with patients.
Use patient feedback to develop ideas to meet patient needs and ensure team members have pertinent information to educate patients on procedures and processes.
Build and maintain positive relationships with team members, leadership, and community providers.
Support team development through mentoring, precepting, orientation, and timely feedback.
Implement treatment plans using best-practice modalities and interventions to support optimal patient outcomes.
Establish and maintain control of violent patients, defend self and others against violent assaults, and respond appropriately during psychiatric crises.
Continue professional development and assume responsibility for continuing education.
Perform additional duties as assigned.