Psychiatric Assessment and Referral Specialist

Psychiatric ED Screener SW Assessment & Referral Specialist,  Emergency Department/BHU
Reports to: Senior Director

Hourly Rate starting at:  $35.00 per hour, negotiable.

The Psychiatric Assessment & Referral Specialist (Social Worker) functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team.  The Specialist, in conjunction with the Psychiatric Assessment & Referral Coordinator and the Program Physician Director, will coordinate the referral development and pre-admission patient assessment process and provide clinical assessments for potential clients.  Responsible for assessing individuals of various ages who present with behavioral health crisis to the Emergency Department for acuity and risk factors and concisely communicate recommendations for treatment or referral to ED physicians and on-call Psychiatrist or ANP.  Must use medical necessity criteria for placement at various levels of care, and state guidelines for both voluntary and involuntary psychiatric inpatient admissions.  The Specialist will prescriptively and compassionately offer patients and family treatment options and recommendations.

Essential Job Qualifications

1. Education: A Masters’ Degree in a recognized Behavioral Health field.
2. Experience: 1 -2 years’ experience as a Social Worker, ED Psychiatric Intervention experience preferred.    
3. Training/Certification: knowledge of DSM-IV / DSM-V
4. Licensure: NYS License in a recognized behavioral health field

5.    Other: Basic understanding of factors which may exacerbate a behavioral health crisis.  Will have the ability to care for individuals in crisis who may be potentially aggressive, while maintaining personal and emotional equilibrium.  Must have knowledge of adult psychiatric and addictive disease conditions but should have the ability to treat all populations; Basic knowledge of detoxification psychiatric, and psychosocial assessment and treatment procedures.