Mental Health Professional I /Transition Specialist

State of South Carolina•Richland County, SC

About The Position

The Mental Health Professional I / Transition Specialist works under general supervision to coordinate patient transitions from inpatient settings to integrated community residences and community-based behavioral health services. The role supports discharge planning, identifies residential options, assesses patients, and connects them with community-based providers. The position is based at G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, and also works in community and assigned mental health settings, including CMHCs and DIS hospitals. The position conducts CMHC Initial Clinical Assessments and DLA20s for patients selecting a CMHC outpatient provider; coordinates residential options based on discharge plans; supports continuity of care; and documents services using Avatar and the electronic medical record. The specialist coordinates with CMHCs on program placement, introduces patients to community providers, participates in treatment and discharge planning meetings, maintains a directory of integrated community residences, brokers community resources, and helps develop resources where gaps exist. The role also collects performance-improvement data, prepares required reports, completes required training, and maintains applicable professional licensure and knowledge of policies and procedures.

Requirements

Master’s degree in guidance, counseling, social sciences, or a related field.
Professional experience in a human services or social services program.
Ability to bend, stoop, climb, drive between locations, lift, and file.
Ability to work in multiple settings, including community and assigned mental health locations.
Ability to coordinate interactions among multidisciplinary staff when needed.
Thorough knowledge of clinical counseling and education methods, principles, and practices.
Laptop computer skills and ability to use a web-based database reporting system.
Strong organization and oral and written communication skills.
Ability to demonstrate initiative, good judgment, responsibility, dependability, and diligence.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability in English and Spanish or another language.
Extensive knowledge of psychopathology and patient management in a psychiatric setting.

Responsibilities

Conduct CMHC Initial Clinical Assessments and DLA20s for patients choosing a CMHC outpatient provider to support continuity of care.
Coordinate and identify community-based residential options based on patients’ discharge plans.
Collect data for performance improvement.
Document services in Avatar and the electronic medical record, and complete accurate, timely reports such as Designed Examiner reports.
Coordinate with CMHCs regarding program placement for patients at discharge.
Introduce patients to community providers, including care coordinators and peer support specialists, in person or by video.
Attend treatment team, discharge committee, patient staffing, and discharge planning meetings to provide community resources and options.
Identify, collect, and regularly update an inventory of integrated community-based residences for the Transition Team resource directory.
Broker needed community resources and services and develop resources where gaps exist.
Complete required core competency and job-related training; maintain applicable professional licensure and knowledge of policies and procedures.
Coordinate interaction among multidisciplinary staff when needed and support patient transitions using problem-solving and a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach.

Benefits

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Long-term disability insurance
Life insurance
15 days of annual vacation leave per year
15 days of sick leave per year
13 paid holidays
Paid parental leave
S.C. Deferred Compensation Program
State Retirement Plan (SCRS) or State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP); enrollment in a listed plan is required for FTE employees