The Mental Health Worker (MHW) conducts mental health intakes and assessments as well as coordinates and provides care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient and client-centered. This position requires the ability to provide intensive case coordination services to individuals with an emotional disturbance or mental illness. The position requires the ability to design and direct the implementation of initial treatment plans through the LECOM Behavioral Health network.

Responsibilities include providing flexible scheduling and service options, assessing strengths and therapeutic needs of the patient, formulating clinical impressions based on biopsychosocial assessment process and assigning diagnoses. Must be willing and able to provide both face-to-face and telehealth services to patients. Must also participate in clinical supervision, case conceptualization, clinical documentation review, progress monitoring, treatment planning, crisis planning, safety planning, discharge planning, and professional development opportunities.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Respond to patient inquiries in a professional and respectful manner.

• Assists potential patients with their questions and issue resolution.

• Establishes a collaborative relationship with team members, patients/families, and colleagues.

• Respects patients’/families’ choices for intervention and treatment.

• Monitors all methods of correspondence daily and responds to patient and/or stakeholder messages within 24 business hours.

• Adheres to HIPAA and confidentiality of our patients and staff.

• Assist individuals and families with connecting to interpreters within the community as needed.

Intake & Assessment

• Review Referrals

• Provide Transitional Care Management (TCM) appointment availability and facilitate TCM intakes as directed by clinical supervisor and/or director.

• Complete biopsychosocial assessments of patients as part of an intake interview to identify possible factors contributing to individual’s overall physical and psychological health.

• Assess strengths and therapeutic needs of the individual.

• Help to triage patient need and coordinate assessing the need for sooner appointments with the treating psychiatrist and/or to be the liaison between the patient and the psychiatrist to relay information.

• Assist patients with identifying goals for treatment.

• Coordinate with the treatment team to track treatment and outcomes.

• Oversee the completion of all required paperwork and documentation in the patient’s chart within established departmental timeframes.

• Review new patient intakes and assessments with Clinical Supervisor.

Case Management

• Support new patient registration through initial contact and phone triaging.

• Monitor and manage incoming referrals and care coordination correspondence via facsimile, e-mail, online portal, EMR, phone, etc.

• Schedule and/or help reschedule intakes and mental health assessments.

• Throughout treatment timeframe, provide case management including, but not be limited to coordination of treatment with other service providers, assistance to families in locating needed resources, warm handoffs and referrals to other providers, and patient advocacy.

• Provide individuals and families with information regarding available services as well as discussing the steps and expectations associated with accessing those services.

• Per patient and/or provider request, conduct outreach and follow up with patients between medication management visits.

• Help link patients to formal and informal community resources such as drug and alcohol services, BCM services, transportation services, physical health resources, etc.

• During business hours of operation, provide telephone assistance for behavioral health emergencies, utilizing the patient’s crisis plan and linking patients to higher levels of care as necessary.

• Coordinate with other service providers such as therapist and primary care.

• Work collaboratively with the treatment team and serve as the liaison between patients and medical staff.

• Develop and/or complete written patient documentation/letters as medically necessary and in coordination with approval from the medical director and/or clinic director.

• Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on adherence and effectiveness of treatment.

• Make outreach calls and consult with psychiatrist between visits to evaluate stability as needed.

• Meet all expectations and deadlines associated with documentation for billable and nonbillable services.

• Facilitate Transitional Care Management calls and request/follow up on receiving hospital or other discharge medical records.

• Maintain all logs associated with tracking work related responsibilities and tasks.

Documentation & Supervision

• Ensure proper documentation is completed for all patient-related care contacts and patient records based upon dialogue with patient, family, and other providers.

• Review progress notes in patient files written by other members of the treatment team to support coordinated care.

• Participate in monthly case reviews with psychiatrist.

• Receive clinical supervision and maintain supervision log.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Participate in training of new team members by offering intake and assessment shadowing opportunities.

• Be familiar with and implement all relevant office policies and procedures.

• Attend all office meetings, clinical supervisions, and training sessions.

• Understand and adhere to the professional policies and standards in the Millcreek Community Hospital Employee Handbook

• Goodwill ambassador for LECOM Health by promoting awareness to the patient of all physicians and services LECOM Health provides.

• Adhere to obligations under clinic’s Duty to Warn policy.

• Adhere to obligations under clinic’s Mandated Reporter policy.

• All other duties as assigned.

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE:

• MHW qualifications meets one of the following:

o Has a bachelor’s degree from a college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the CHEA in a recognized clinical discipline including social work, psychology, nursing, rehabilitation or activity therapies.

o Has a graduate degree in a clinical discipline with 12 graduate-level credits in mental health or counseling from a program that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the CHEA.

o Has an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated by the AICE or the NACES. The Department will accept a general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its equivalency.

• Possesses knowledge of Erie County Mental Health Resources and mental health level of care determination.

• Must be able to obtain Act 33/34 and FBI clearances upon hire.

• Must complete Mandated Reporter training within 30 days of hire.

• Exceptional customer service and phone etiquette.

• Ability to maintain effective and organized workspace and workflow.

• Advanced knowledge of adult mental health.

• Knowledge of community resources for mental health services.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Frequent standing/walking/sitting.

• Occasionally lifting items of light to medium weight.

• Occasionally lifting supplies and/or equipment.

• Occasional reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching.

• Primarily medical office space, subject to many interruptions and occasionally hostile and emotionally upset individuals.