Part-Time Inpatient Behavioral Health Therapist

WVU Medicine • Burbank, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Inpatient Behavioral Health Therapist plans, organizes, implements, and evaluates therapy for assigned patients. The role provides social work services to patients and families, including discharge and aftercare planning and linkage to community resources. The therapist adjusts communication to account for the patient’s age, understanding, developmental stage, clinical status, and, where applicable, the needs of a legal guardian or family. Practice must follow the standards and ethics of the relevant professional association.

The therapist assesses patients and participates in multidisciplinary treatment planning, provides individual, group, and family counseling as needed, and supports discharge planning and follow-up. The position also requires accurate clinical documentation, coordination with community agencies and referral resources, participation in quality and safety activities, and ongoing professional development. The role is part-time, scheduled for 20 hours per week, and is based at Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Requirements

• Hold a current professional license required by the state where services are provided. For West Virginia, qualifying licenses include LPC or Provisional Licensed Counselor; Licensed Psychologist or Licensed Psychologist Supervised; Certified Nurse Practitioner with advanced national certification in psychiatric nursing; or LGSW, LCSW, or LICSW.
• For Maryland service, qualifying licenses include LCPC; Licensed Psychologist; Certified Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatric-Mental Health with advanced national certification in psychiatric nursing; or LCSW-C or LMSW.
• Obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) within 30 days of hire.
• Complete state criminal background checks and federal checks when applicable for regulated areas.
• Meet the Department of Labor medium-duty standard: exert up to 50 pounds occasionally, 20 pounds frequently, and 10 pounds constantly.
• Be able to bend, stoop, reach, rotate, stand, and walk during an 11–12-hour shift.
• Be able to use a computer keyboard, monitor, mouse, and hospital software programs.
• Be able to answer telephones and transcribe messages.
• Communicate verbally, in writing, and electronically with healthcare personnel, families, and patients.
• Be able to wear latex or vinyl gloves, change them frequently, and wash hands.
• Be proficient in equipment, supplies, and techniques associated with patient care.
• Be flexible to work outside the normal shift when needed, take call, and work overtime or leave early as workload requires.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of training and/or experience in behavioral health therapy.
• AVADE Certification, to be completed as established by the department.

Responsibilities

• Assess and evaluate patients, including personal, social, and emotional development, family dynamics, and, where appropriate, factors associated with substance dependence.
• Participate in multidisciplinary treatment planning, considering special treatment needs and relevant social, cultural, and spiritual influences.
• Assess discharge planning needs, support placement arrangements, and apply knowledge of community resources and access criteria.
• Petition for final commitments in conjunction with a provider for individuals needing involuntary commitment or longer-term psychiatric care.
• Share ongoing interpretations of patients’ social, psychological, and emotional concerns with the treatment team.
• Assess for signs or symptoms of abuse using age-appropriate evaluation and coordinate appropriate referrals and counseling.
• Document evaluations, plans of care, services, patient and family interactions, referral coordination, and discharge planning in the medical record.
• Facilitate individual, group, and family counseling as needed using evidence-based practices.
• Discuss advance directives, informed consent, and basic patient rights with patients as appropriate.
• Create and lead therapeutic activities during scheduled therapeutic groups.
• Provide follow-up resources with discharge instructions and document them in the patient record.
• Conduct individual or group discharge sessions with the patient’s support system.
• Complete initial treatment plans and reviews within required time frames.
• Organize and manage time to balance treatment needs, documentation, and education requirements and to serve patients effectively.
• Follow hospital, state, and federal safety guidelines and maintain compliance with safety, security, infection-control, privacy, confidentiality, and HIPAA requirements.
• Obtain continuing education required for professional licensure and participate in educational programs and professional development.
• Communicate professionally and with concern for patients, families, visitors, physicians, hospital staff, and the public.
• Develop working relationships with community health, welfare, and social agencies and seek community resources to meet patient needs.
• Stay current with changes in healthcare delivery, professional standards, regulatory and accrediting requirements, and organizational needs.
• Participate in in-services, staff meetings, continuing education, hospital-wide committees, and other required meetings.
• Assist in training and educating social work, psychology, and counseling students.
• Participate in quality initiatives to assess and improve services and regulatory compliance, and report results to appropriate administrative levels.
• Accept assignments within the role’s scope of practice, skill set, and level of competence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed