Mental Health Therapist III

Sea Mar Community Health Centers•Burien, WA

1d•$33•Onsite

About The Position

Sea Mar Community Health Centers is seeking a Mental Health Therapist III to provide diagnostic assessments, referrals for psychiatric services, and case management. This role involves individual counseling, crisis stabilization, suicide risk assessment, and treatment plan development. The therapist will also lead groups and assist the Program Manager with program development, policy implementation, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. The position requires adherence to Sea Mar's core values of respect, dignity, integrity, compassion, social justice, and continuous learning, aiming to provide client-centered, culturally-aware services.

Requirements

Must hold a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, counseling, or social work which includes course-work in psychological diagnostics.
Four or more years’ experience in the field.
Must meet criteria of a Mental Health Professional (MHP).
Must hold and maintain an active Washington State Agency Affiliated Counselor License (may be pending for up to 60 days if applied for within 7 days of being offered employment) or mental health Associate License (includes Marriage and Family Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, and Clinical Social Worker).
Must have and maintain a current TB test.
Minority mental health therapist as required by WAC.
Must obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR within 90 days of hire date and maintain current BLS CPR throughout employment.
Annual influenza vaccine required (unless medical or religious exemption approved).
Ability to work effectively with all persons and groups with an open mind towards cultural differences and knowledge of cultures.
Ability to accurately diagnose mental health issues and develop treatment plans based upon diagnoses.
Ability to NOT diagnose behavioral problems as mental illnesses unless appropriate.
An understanding of chemical dependency treatment and an ability to coordinate mental health services with chemical dependency treatment providers.
Must complete an annual clinical competency test as a mental health therapist.
The Mental Health Therapist must sign a permanent oath of confidentiality covering all patient related information.
Must pass a background check.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
Able to identify and categorize each patient’s age-specific grouping of needs, such as those for infant, adolescent, or geriatric patients.

Nice To Haves

An understanding of the Behavioral Health Organization requirements.

Responsibilities

Provides diagnostic assessments for each patient.
Documents outcomes, justifies diagnoses, and communicates with the Chemical Dependency Counselor.
Refers patients to psychiatric services as appropriate.
Attends sessions with psychiatric service providers to ensure accuracy and that identified needs are addressed.
Provides monitoring regarding the effects of medications and feedback to the psychiatrist.
Provides consultation to Sea Mar staff regarding mental health and behavioral issues.
Develops treatment plans with staff to address emotional needs and behavioral problems.
Provides individual counseling, in coordination with other systems as needed.
Provides suicide risk assessment and develops treatment plans.
Uses case management for follow-through and community support.
Provides other crisis stabilization as needed.
Gathers information regarding past mental health services for treatment plan development.
Provides mental health services referrals to patients.
Exchanges information with outside service providers.
Supports other staff regarding mental health needs of staff or patients.
Maintains confidentiality, prevents splitting between staff and patients, and offers concrete ideas on handling challenging situations.
Assists in ensuring agency compliance with WAC's, RCW's, and other pertinent laws, regulations, and contracts.
Assists in developing and implementing policies and procedures as directed by the Program Manager.
Educates staff regarding mental health service referrals and psycho-educational topics.
Maintains documentation of mental health services and follows through in patient charts.
Performs a minimum of 80 hours of face-to-face contact and 80 encounters each month.