Therapist II, Integrated Care

Reports To: Unit Director/Clinical Supervisor

Training: Annual, Safety, six (6) hours in discipline, CPI pending 90 days, CBT-SP, BL. Effective 1/21, existing incumbents with Heart Saver First Aid CPR/AED will be required to renew with BLS. All new hires effective this same date are required to have BLS within 90 days of hire.

Career Development: Therapist – Integrated Care | Assistant Director | Director

Position Summary:
This position is a co-located, collaborative member of the primary care clinic's healthcare team who assists the primary care provider (PCP) in managing the overall health of their enrolled population. The position's goals are to help improve recognition, treatment and management of psychosocial/behavioral problems and conditions. This position is responsible for facilitating the effective integration of behavioral health into the primary care team. The therapist will work with primary care physicians and their medical staff to ensure integrated services are implemented at a high level, work with the team to ensure a smooth operational workflow, and use quality improvement methodology to help implement team based integrated care. This position will also provide direct clinical service to clients, provide clinical supervision to interns and staff, and participate in peer review. Based on their assessment of client needs and in consultation with the PCP staff, the therapist triages referred clients. Based on this assessment, the position may provide brief interventions designed to activate the client to more fully participate in their care; provide planned short-term, solution-focused psychotherapy; or refer clients to a behavioral health specialist for longer-term behavioral healthcare. The Therapist – Integrated Care provides individual, family, group, addictions and other behavioral health interventions to clients and their families according to their professional scope of services. An additional distinguishing feature of the role is to intervene with client problems even when they are subsyndromal in hopes of averting progression to full diagnostic symptomatology. This position completes assigned screenings for all identified clients and follows protocols based on the results of those screenings. The Therapist – Integrated Care assists PCP staff and clients in identifying and accessing community resources to meet client/family identified needs. Position also provides interventions directed toward the prevention, treatment or management of physical health problems. The position provides trainings as assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with primary care staff to foster the integration of BH and primary care.
• Work with team to ensure smooth operational workflow.
• Communicate with PCP staff on a daily basis.
• Participate in quality improvement activities.
• Be an active participant at team meetings.
• Provide comprehensive bio-psychosocial diagnostic assessment at intake and at any point needed throughout the therapeutic treatment.
• Triage clients based on assessed needs.
• Develop a treatment plan in consultation with the client and PCP staff.
• Provide brief interventions.
• Provide psychotherapeutic treatments.
• Provide crisis intervention and management services.
• Provide case management services.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide services appropriate to any age/disability group assigned.
• Proficient in the knowledge and skills described in the core competency curriculum for each assigned age/disability group.
• Assist with case management and interagency coordination of services for clients. Make appropriate referrals.
• Provide clinical guidance and appropriate interaction with external providers.
• Complete progress notes accurately, addressing treatment goals, major clinical issues and changes in mental health status.
• Complete documentation within one (1) calendar day of service delivery.
• Provide interventions directed toward the prevention, treatment or management of physical health problems.
• Provide trainings as assigned.
• Support care management and primary care integration outcomes as identified.
• Assist in the development of behavioral health component of identified disease specific pathways.
• Orient all assigned primary care physician practices to behavioral health services.
• Bill services the day patient was seen.
• Participate in peer review and QA activities.
• Conduct professional practice and behavior according to the policies and procedures of AtlantiCare, as well as therapist's professional associations' (e.g., National Association of Social Workers, American Psychology Association, American Mental Counseling Association, etc.) code of ethics.

Minimal Qualifications

• Education: Master's degree in behavioral health.
• Valid LCSW or LPC license or licensed clinical psychologist.
• Experience: Two (2) years in a behavioral health setting. Must be able to conduct therapy sessions in the language of the population served, if applicable.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional years experience in a behavioral health setting.
• Experience working in an integrated primary care/behavioral health team.

Equipment Use: Computer, copier, facsimile

The above statement reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job as identified and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all work requirements that may be inherent in the position.