Assesses presenting patients' difficulties, identifies patients' coping skills, and initiates procedures to deliver outpatient and inpatient mental health services or provide emergency mental health treatment.

Essential Job Functions

• Complete patient assessments
  • Interviews patients and families/significant others at time of initial presentation to complete psychosocial history and assessment.
  • Documents clinical activities within established time frames according to department, hospital and regulatory agency standards.
• Assists the department's compliance with state, JCAHO and other regulatory agencies.
  • Participates in preparation for inspections surveys and audits.
  • Participates in ongoing unit performance improvement activities.
• Communicates effectively with patients/peers/families/treatment team.
  • Returns patient/family phone calls and documents.
  • Uses computer as required for E-mail, scheduling, authorizations, insurance tracking, etc.
• Processes psychiatric emergencies:
  • Assess severity of patient condition.
  • Collaborate with psychiatrist to effect crisis resolution.
  • Process commitments.
  • Refer patient to appropriate treatment facility.
• Provides and participates in educational activities.
  • Provides and documents patient/family education.
  • Participates in staff education, both as participant and presenter.
  • Makes recommendations for staff development.
• Serves on hospital committees and participates in related projects as directed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Specialty Functions

• Processes psychiatric emergencies.
  • Assesses severity of patient's condition.
  • Collaborates with psychiatrist to effect a crisis resolution and refer patient to appropriate services.
  • Processes commitments and facilitates mental health hearings as needed.
  • Refers patients to appropriate treatment facilities.
  • Obtains authorizations/re-authorizations and certifications as appropriate for psychiatric treatment.
  • Demonstrates a working knowledge of Mental Health Procedures Act.
  • Interfaces with local BSU to assure service delivery and continuity of care.
  • Attends crisis team meetings.
• Works with families and involved agencies.
  • Serves as liaison between treatment physician and families and agencies/services.
  • Provides information and collaboration.
  • Meets with family/agency staff involved with patient.
  • Facilitates discharge planning.
  • Consults with case management staff on patient under inquiry.
• Assists the treatment team in developing and expediting discharge and placement plans in a timely fashion.
  • Completes treatment plans and treatment plan reviews according to standards of department and licensing agencies.
  • Obtains authorizations for needed discharge services including medication authorization.
  • Arranges follow up care/services at physician's direction with family input.
  • Completes safety contract at discharge when needed.
• Provides patient/family education.
  • Provides patient/family/significant others with information about referral services.
  • Facilitates group therapy as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology or related field.
• One (1) to two (2) recent years of experience.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• Strong knowledge of mental health procedures and psychotherapeutic treatment modalities.

Preferred Qualifications

• No preferred qualifications.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program.
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.

AAP/EEO

• Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
• Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.

Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.