Social Worker, LMHC

POSITION SUMMARY:

As part of a behavioral health outpatient and inpatient treatment teams, provides co-occurring treatment with adults conducting comprehensive intake assessments, evidence base individual and group therapy services as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker / Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor / Master License Alcohol & Drug Counselor experienced in the provision of psychotherapeutic and substance misuse services. Hybrid position with hours allocated in the following manner: 50% to the provision of outpatient services and 50% to inpatient / emergency department services.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision of the Section Chief of Psychiatry and Practice Director, and within established policies and procedures, the incumbent performs the following functions:

Essential Functions:

1. Patient Care Facilitation

a. Performs psychosocial assessments/social histories on all new admissions within established timeframes, with attention to age specific needs for the Outpatient Medication Service patients seeking psychiatric and substance use recovery / therapy services.

b. Utilize the following evidence based tools for initial assessment and at six-month follow-up intervals, as indicated: PHQ-9; GAD-7; DAST and AUDIT.

c. Establishes written treatment and discharge plans in collaboration with the

Patient, family, treatment team and, as appropriate, insurance providers.

d. Plans and conducts individual and group therapy sessions.

e. Monitors patient's progress to ensure care is appropriate and timely.

f. Advocates for the patient to ensure quality recovery oriented outcomes.

g. Provides supportive counseling and crisis intervention for patient/family as needed to engage the family in a timely process.

h. Provides individual, couples and family counseling as appropriate.

i. Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of prescribed plans of patient care.

j. Identifies high-risk behaviors / symptom profiles and provides clinically appropriate interventions.

k. Works proactively with Department Coordinators to ensure daily schedule is at capacity.

l. Respects the dignity and confidentiality of the patient and all verbal/written information/communication.

m. Ability to provide telehealth services, as situations require.

2. Inpatient & ED Care Facilitation

a. Active member of the Psychiatric and Substance Use Inpatient Team providing consultative dual disordered services with adults' inpatient and/or boarding within the emergency department.

b. Provide screening, treatment and referral to specialty substance use and psychiatric follow-up services.

c. Assess Level of Care based on ASAM criteria for follow-up substance use recommendation.

d. Engage, provide and link patients to appropriate recovery services while hospitalized to increase probability of follow-thru at discharge.

e. Identifies high-risk behaviors / symptom profiles and provide evidenced based treatment to mitigate risk.

f. Engage patients' community supports whenever possible to promote recovery, healing and hope.

g. Establish relationships with community organization and participate in SUD Community Consortium. Establish direct linkage to The Manchester Doorway operated by Catholic Medical Center and Peer Recovery Supports.

h. Respects the dignity and confidentiality of the patient and all verbal/written information/communication.

i. Commit to improve equity and reduce stigma for vulnerable populations (i.e. LBGTQ+; BIPOC, SUD, etc.)

j. Fulfill training requirement to maintain licensure(s) and to remain current in the provision of co-occurring treatment.

3. Utilization Management/Managed Care

a. Reviews patient referral information within 24 hours and determines appropriateness of level of care.

b. Assesses patient's clinical course in collaboration with the treatment team and revises plan as indicated.

c. Explores strategies to reduce length of stay and resource consumption with optimal patient outcomes.

d. Promotes optimal reimbursement by documenting all elements required to meet medical necessity and departmental quality care standards.

e. Addresses financial concerns which may impact optimal patient care as it arises.

f. Provides clinical information to third party payors to provide evidence of medical necessity.

g. Interprets federal and state regulations pertaining to coverage issues and provides education to patient and family. Works with Department Coordinators on issues of non-coverage notices.

h. Ability to provide telehealth services, as situations require.

i. Takes opportunities that present to informally educate hospital staff on language and concepts of recovery to promote healthy patient interactions.

4. Quality Management

a. Conducts assigned quality management activities to improve patient care and service.

b. Complete initial assessments and progress notes within 24 hours.

c. Participates as part of the interdisciplinary team in the development or revision of departmental policies/procedures pertaining to patient care processes.

d. Assists in the identification of organizational priorities for improvement.

e. Identifies and collects clinical data in support of quality, risk management, utilization, infection control and resource utilization, etc.

f. Presents aggregated clinical quality data to appropriate members of the Team in a timely manner.

g. Participates in weekly multidisciplinary meetings to review activities /outcomes /issues related to patient care and the sharing of acquired knowledge.

h. Demonstrates effective communication and problem solving skills.

i. Serves as a resource for process improvement tools and technique.

j. Monitors patient's status to identify appropriate level of care to ensure a timely, appropriate discharge.

k. Attends a minimum of 75% of department staff meetings.

5. Discharge Planning

a. Performs chart review for patients as indicated for early identification of discharge planning needs and facilitates planning in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, patient and family.

b. Assesses patient/family adaptation to illness/treatment and capacity to provide for patient's care needs for discharge planning via biopsychosocial assessment.

c. Closely monitors provider panel to ensure patients are appropriately scheduled.

d. Coordinates outreach letter to patient who no show / late cancel appointments and facilitates the closing of patients according to department procedure.

e. Facilitates and coordinates discharge planning with community agencies in order to facilitate a timely and appropriate discharge.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Individuals must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities and to possess the necessary physical requirements, with or without the aid of mechanical devices to safely perform the essential functions of the job:

1. Ability to deliver patient care in a manner consistent that is appropriate to the patient's age, physical ability and intellectual development. Must demonstrate proficiency in assessing treatment and responses and adapting care to meet the needs of the patient population served; adult and geriatric.

2. Knowledge of outcomes research, physician profiling, managed care quality mandates, case management, principles and practices of healthcare quality management and TQM, statistics and utilization management.

3. Physical requirements include the ability to extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction; raise an object from a lower to a higher position or move objects horizontally from position to position; pick, pinch, type or otherwise work primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.

4. Ability to exhibit exceptional interpersonal skills to work effectively with various groups at various levels of the organization.

5. Ability to exhibit critical and "systems" thinking skills.

6. Ability to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word. Essential functions include activities in which incumbent must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to patients, physicians, families and other employees.

7. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound.

8. Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

9. Ability to wear safety glasses, gloves, gowns, masks and other safety equipment.

10. Visual acuity sufficient for work which deals largely with preparing and analyzing data and figures, accounting, transcription, computer terminal work, extensive reading, and visual inspection involving small parts/defects.

11. Ability to endure periods of heavy workload or stress.

12. Ability to work with frequent interruptions and respond appropriately to unexpected situations.

13. Familiarity with information systems design and development.

14. Ability to transport self to and from off-site locations.

15. Ability to plan and perform diversified duties requiring an extensive knowledge of a particular field and the use of a wide range of procedures. Involves the exercise of judgment in the analysis of facts and conditions regarding individual problems or transactions to determine what actions should be taken, within the limits of standard practice.

16. Ability to work with other members of the healthcare team and community to provide the best comfort, caring and curing.

OSHA RATING: Category II (No exposure to blood borne pathogens)

PHI ACCESS: Complete

WORK SCHEDULE:

• Generally Monday through Friday, day shift, may rotate early evening shifts one night per week to meet total program needs.

• Availability to participate in rotating on call schedule.

Qualifications

Education:

• Masters Degree in Social Work or Mental Health Counseling from a accredited program required.
• LICSW/LCMHC required, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor preferred
• Experience:

• Minimum of three years experience in outpatient Behavioral Health preferred.

Licensure/Certification:

• LICSW required. (Licensed Individual Clinical Social Worker) or
• LCMHC required (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor)
• LADAC preferred ( Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor)

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