Behavioral Health Clinician, LICSW or LMHC (29448)

Title: Behavioral Health Clinician

Location: Hiring for North Whatcom Clinic Locations.

City: Whatcom County, WA

Position: Full-time Weekdays, Exempt (salaried)

Compensation: The full salary scale (based on 1.0 FTE) is $65,936 - $98,966 annually. Placement within the range is determined by an evaluation of the candidate’s background, education and experience.

Bonus: The Behavioral Health Clinicians are eligible annually to participate in discretionary bonus programs, as determined by FCN, which include the Years-of-Service bonus program, the Quality Performance bonus program and the Performance Recognition bonus program.

Job Summary:

The program follows a Collaborative Care team model of treatment that includes a primary care provider, a psychiatric consultant, the behavioral health care manager, and the patient. Our goal is to assist our patients in treating their mental health concerns/illnesses in the primary care setting through direct treatment with brief solution-focused and evidenced-based therapy, close contact and consultation with their primary care physician, and through regular consultation with a psychiatrist.

The Behavioral Health Clinician is responsible for a wide range of duties including conducting mental health evaluations of patients, providing psychoeducation to patients on treatment options for behavioral health issues, consulting with patients and primary care providers about treatment options and preferences, coordinate the initiation of the treatment plan, close monitoring of patients using standardized measures, provision of brief, 3-6 month, evidence-based psychotherapy and behavioral activation to address symptoms of depression and anxiety, participation in regular caseload supervision with consulting psychiatrist, focusing on patients not adequately improved within specified time frame, coordination of communication between patient, primary care provider, and consulting psychiatrist, and providing recommendations for change in treatment according to evidence-based algorithms and discuss recommendations with the primary care provider.

The Behavioral Health Clinician will also be responsible for facilitating/providing formal and informal teaching and consultation to other health professionals, maintain an electronic registry of all patients participating in the Behavioral Health Program, and consistent and thorough documentation in the EMR. The ideal candidate will have experience in an outpatient clinical setting or working in collaboration with a psychiatrist in a similar setting.

Essential Job Functions:

• Support the mental and physical health care of patients within an assigned patient caseload. Closely coordinate care with the patients primary medical provider and a psychiatric consultant.
• Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders. Facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care.
• Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and the available treatment options.
• Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.
• Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
• Provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate.
• Provide or facilitate in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e.g. problem-solving treatment or behavioral activation) as clinically indicated.
• Participate in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patients medical provider. Consultations will focus on patients new to the caseload and those who are not improving as expected under the current treatment plan. Case reviews may be conducted by telephone, video, or in person.
• Track patient follow-up and clinical outcomes using a registry. Document in-person and telephone encounters in the registry and use the system to identify and re-engage patients.
• Document patient progress and treatment recommendations in the EMR and other required systems to be shared with medical providers, psychiatric consultants, and other treating providers.
• Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the medical provider and the psychiatric consultant and who may need more intensive or more specialized mental health care.
• Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside of the organization (e.g., social services such as housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, mental health specialty care, substance abuse treatment).
• Develop and complete relapse prevention self-management plan with patients who have achieved their treatment goals and are soon to be discharged from the caseload.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Ability to manage a caseload of 60 patients using brief intervention therapy specific to the Collaborative Care Model and 99492 99494 CPT codes.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate effectively in a team setting.
• Ability to maintain effective and professional relationships with patients and other members of the care team.
• Experience with screening for common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
• Working knowledge of differential diagnosis of common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders, when appropriate.
• Ability to effectively engage patients in a therapeutic relationship, when appropriate.
• Ability to work with patients by telephone as well as in person.
• Experience with assessment and treatment planning for common mental health and/or substance use disorders.
• Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments and brief behavioral interventions for common mental health disorders, when appropriate (e.g., motivational interviewing, problem-solving treatment, behavioral activation).
• Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology for common mental health disorders that is within the appropriate scope of practice for the type of provider-filling role.

About FCN: As an independent, locally owned, provider-run network of family medicine providers, we are passionate about our community's well-being. We take the time to build strong, long-term relationships with our patients and our employees. We have 11 clinics and 3 urgent care centers in Whatcom and Skagit County, in a beautiful corner of northwest Washington where the mountains meet the sea. Family Care Network offers an innovative and rewarding work environment, with a strong patient focus and a fulfilling mission.

Benefits:

Our health benefit programs are designed to take care of you and your family, offering flexibility and quality care.

• Our health benefits include: two medical plan options, a flexible dental benefit including orthodontia, vision coverage, Employee Assistance Plans, Flexible Spending Account program and Life/AD&D, Hospital and Accident Insurance plans. Benefit eligibility is determined based on the full or part-time status of the position.

At FCN, we value the importance of time away from work for leisure, health and well-being. Staff members accrue a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) program for vacation and short-term healthcare needs as well as an Extended Illness Bank (EIB).

• Our PTO and EIB benefits begin accruing from the first day of employment and employees are eligible to take paid time off after 60 days of employment. An employee accrues PTO at a rate based upon the number of months of service at FCN. A new full-time employee generally accrues 21 days per year. EIB accrues based upon the number of paid hours excluding overtime, with a full-time employee accruing a maximum of 48 hours per year. Benefit eligibility is determined based on the full or part-time status of the position. Employees who are ineligible for FCN’s PTO/EIB programs accrue Paid Sick Leave per Washington State law.

Our retirement plan programs are designed to support you in preparing for retirement planning and include individualized financial planning guidance. Eligibility for the FCN Retirement Plan programs is determined based upon years of service and required payroll hours.

We offer the following programs:

• 401k Plan with employer match; and

• 401k Profit Sharing Plan

Additional Benefits:
Our clinical staff members are eligible to receive state license reimbursement.

Qualifications, Education, & Experience:

Family Care Network requires that Behavioral Health Care Clinicians have specialized training and meet clinical licensure requirements to be able to provide brief psychosocial interventions such as problem-solving treatment.

• Masters degree in Social Work (MSW) or similar field.
• Must be a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) or a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), licensed in Washington State with current registration.
• Minimum 2 years experience in mental or behavioral health working with a multi-disciplinary team including a psychiatrist or psychiatric consultant.
• Prior experience in brief, structured, evidence-based psychotherapy.
• Demonstrated experience in an outpatient clinical setting serving adults by providing brief, evidence-based treatment and will demonstrate cultural sensitivity and diplomacy skills to work with the diverse patient population.
• Ability to work with a high degree of independence in a fast-paced environment.
• Intermediate-Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and EMRs.
• Experience in Centricity (CPS) EMR is preferred but not required.
• Competency in DSM 5 Diagnosis, ICD-10, and use of CPT codes.
• Current BLS or within 60 days of hire.

Physical Requirements:

Performing the duties of this job requires ability to: stand; walk; sit; climb stairs; use hand to finger coordination, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance, stoop, kneel, crouch; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities include: close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust and focus.

Immunization Requirements:

All employees at Family Care Network (FCN) are expected to meet and maintain required immunizations as a contingency of employment. The immunization requirements are as follows: Influenza (annually), Tdap (after the age of 19), MMR, Varicella or a verified history of chickenpox disease, Two-step TST or IGRA (within the last 12 months), COVID-19 vaccine completed series and any additional immunizations determined necessary for the protection of staff and patients. Hepatitis B is also required for employees in positions with a high risk of bloodborne pathogen exposure, which includes the following: Providers, RNs, LPNs, MA-Cs, PSRs at all Urgent Care Locations, and all-laboratory staff. The Hepatitis B vaccine is strongly recommended for all other employees. FCN will cover the cost of required immunizations for any FCN employee. All employee immunizations will be administered by FCN staff except for the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine can be administered at a participating pharmacy or other healthcare location. Note: A medical or religious vaccine exemption/reasonable accommodation will be considered by submitting an FCN Exemption form for review and evaluation by the Chief Medical Officer.

Family Care Network is a Drug-Free, Equal Opportunity Employer.