Mental Health Therapist

HealthPoint Careers • Kent, WA

8d • Onsite

About The Position

FTE: 1.0 Join HealthPoint in launching our new Kent East Hill clinic—an exciting opportunity to help expand access to care in our community. This brand-new location will deliver integrated services including primary care, behavioral health, pregnancy care, and dental, bringing comprehensive, patient-centered care to meet growing community needs. Be part of building something new while advancing HealthPoint’s mission to provide equitable, whole-person care. HealthPoint is a community-based, community-supported and community-governed network of non-profit health centers dedicated to providing expert, high-quality care to all who need it, regardless of circumstances. Founded in 1971, we believe that the quality of your health care should not depend on how much money you make, what language you speak or what your health is, because everyone deserves great care . Position Summary: The Mental Health Therapist is responsible for delivering integrated mental and behavioral health care in collaboration with an integrated primary care team. The Mental Health Therapist provides mental health and substance use evidenced based assessment and intervention services as a traditional mental health provider utilizing the collaborative care model approach to support access for patients in need. Compensation is dependent on skills and experience.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related field is required
• one to three years related experience working with underserved populations and/or high-risk groups
• significant training in integrated care through Master’s level program or prior experience working in primary care providing mental health services.
• At time of hire, provider must have a current credential as a Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Social Worker Associate; Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate.
• Licensed Associate practitioners will be supervised by an approved supervisor, with the expectation that full licensure (Licensed social worker, licensed mental health counselor, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) will be obtained, in accordance with WA Department of Health requirements within 6 months of hire.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in a team setting.
• Comfort with the fast pace of primary care.
• Ability to effectively communicate with primary medical care providers about mental health issues treatment.
• Ability to effectively engage patients in a therapeutic relationship.
• Experience with screening and assessment for common mental/substance use disorders.
• Working knowledge of differential diagnosis of common mental/substance use disorders.
• Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments for common mental disorders.
• Working knowledge and experience with brief, structured counseling techniques (e.g. Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Activation).
• Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology for common mental disorders.
• Knowledge of psychological assessment, DSM V, and chemical dependency.
• Proof of vaccination for COVID-19 is required, prior to start.
• HealthPoint does not accept the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as proof of vaccination. If you have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, we ask that you provide documentation demonstrating proof of an alternate COVID vaccine or vaccine series.
• All new employees are also required to show proof of immunizations and/or immunity to MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), Varicella, annual Influenza and TB QuantiFERON Gold Titer .
• Additionally, if you work in a HealthPoint clinic, Tdap (within last 10 years) is required.
• Hepatitis B. is required for clinical employees with potential exposure to blood/blood products.
• All immunizations are a condition of employment.
• Upon hire, employees must provide proof of their immunizations and/or immune titer results prior to starting or no later than their fifth (5) business day of employment.

Responsibilities

• Assist primary health care providers in recognizing and treating mental health and substance use conditions in a primary care setting.
• Assessment and triage: Conduct initial patient visit of 50 minutes or less, evaluate level of functioning, determine risk level (including assessing for suicide/homicide risk and providing crisis intervention), assist with diagnosis and provide evidence-based interventions to HealthPoint patients, collaborate, consult with medical colleagues and Behavioral Health Consultants as needed to provide team-based approach to patients, and provide patient follow-up visits that are flexible to population health needs (tendency to be shorter visits around 30 minutes).
• Responsible for maintaining a caseload of patients that require regular visits for mental health intervention, monitoring and support, and would benefit from early engagement behavioral health services according to the Collaborative Care Model.
• The goal of the collaborative care model is to provide mental health services in primary care while also making sure access to new patients is also accessible. Thus, the Mental Health Therapist will need to manage a caseload of patients with ongoing mental health or substance use needs while also ensuring access to new patients.
• Provide mental health care and substance abuse screening, psychoeducation, brief counseling, or psychotherapy using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation and motivational interviewing, and other relevant services to promote improvement in medical and mental health.
• Document services rendered in patient electronic records and other databases such as the web-based Medical & Mental Health Integration Tracking System (MHITS) as required by grants that HealthPoint’s behavioral health department is participating in.
• Track patient caseload to ensure patients that might need outreach are identified and follow-up is initiated.
• Use other tracking systems as needed to support grant work and funding related to the behavioral health department.
• Provide, assist, facilitate, and coordinate ongoing care with outside referrals to outpatient specialty mental health clinics, organizations, or providers in the community if it is decided patient would benefit from mental health and/or substance use care outside of our primary care system.
• When necessary, conduct regularly scheduled consultation with a consulting psychiatric provider as provided through grant work, community partnerships with outside mental health agencies, or without psychiatric consultations hotlines that benefit patient care and team-based care needs.
• Facilitate program workflows and improvements at clinics in order to achieve program quality and performance aims.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision for employees and their families/dependents
• HSA, FSA plans
• Life Insurance, AD&D and Disability Coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program
• PTO Plan for full-time benefited and part-time benefited employees.
• 0-.99 years of service accrual of 5.23 hours per pay period. (pro-rated accruals for part-time benefited employees)
• Extended Illness Time Away of 40 hours (pro-rated for part-time benefited employees)
• 8 holidays and 3 floating holidays
• Compassion Time Away up to 40 hours
• Opportunity Time Off (extended time off for staff to invest in themselves) up to 8 weeks
• Retirement Plan with Employer Match
• Voluntary plans at a discount, such as life insurance, critical illness and accident insurance, identity theft insurance, and pet insurance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level