ED Crisis Clinician - LCSW, LMFT, LPC

Hartford Healthcare•Bridgeport, CT

About The Position

The ED Crisis Clinician conducts emergency psychiatric assessments and interprets patients’ psychiatric and psychosocial needs, gathering collateral information to determine appropriate disposition. The clinician provides crisis intervention, advocacy, referrals, and discharge planning, and coordinates care with patients’ families, community behavioral health and medical providers, and Emergency Department staff. The role also includes documenting assessments and case management activities, initiating treatment plans for patients with longer stays in collaboration with a provider, and contributing to quality, safety, administrative, and staff-development activities.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work, Professional Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy.
At least two years of experience in a psychiatric setting; emergency department or crisis experience preferred.
Current Connecticut license as an LCSW, LMFT, or LPC.
Computer proficiency.
Ability to assess problems, determine solutions, and make timely decisions.
Ability to use supervision and team approaches in patient assessment and clinical interventions.
Excellent communication skills and ability to establish relationships within and outside the entity.
Demonstrated competencies, including knowledge and behaviors, to meet age-specific patient needs.
Focus on personal, patient/client, and unit/staff safety.
Responsibility for self-improvement, including identifying and seeking resources or instruction to meet learning needs and maintaining current validations, certifications, licensure, and training.
Awareness of health-related social needs and cultural competence, including recognition of health disparities, inequalities, and injustices related to access to care and provision of health services.
Ability to develop and maintain cultural competence, understand client groups’ histories, traditions, values, and family systems as they relate to health care and decision-making, and integrate awareness of cultural diversity into practice.

Nice To Haves

Four years of experience in a psychiatric setting, preferably in an emergency department or crisis role.

Responsibilities

Conduct emergency psychiatric assessments.
Interpret patients’ psychiatric and psychosocial needs and gather collateral information to determine appropriate disposition.
Provide advocacy, referrals, and discharge planning to meet patient and family needs.
Coordinate clinical care with patients’ community behavioral health and medical providers.
Refer patients and family members to appropriate levels of care and other resources, and provide direct crisis intervention services.
Coordinate psychiatric patient care and dispositions with Emergency Department staff, working collaboratively across clinical settings.
Document assessments and all case management activities related to patients.
Initiate treatment plans for patients with longer lengths of stay in collaboration with a provider.
Participate in quality and safety initiatives, which may include committees, workgroups, and aftercare calls.
Participate in administrative and development activities, including debriefings, team meetings, clinical supervision of staff, and staff education.
Contribute as a team member to an improved patient experience.
Ensure cost-effective utilization of resources.