What are the responsibilities and job description for the Behavioral Health Counselor - Beaver PFE Program position at UPMC?
This Behavioral Health Counselor is a full-time clinical position responsible for providing individual, family, and parent management treatment in an outpatient multidisciplinary program that targets children/youth with mental health issues and Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSBs) and their families in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. This program provides treatment services for these three populations: 1) children/youth have engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviors with intrafamilial victims, 2) children/youth who have engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviors with extrafamilial victims, and 3) children/youth who display self-focused and exhibitionistic problematic sexual behaviors. Effective treatment for children, including children with PSBs, actively involve the caregiver(s) in treatment.
Treatment with the children and parents will be provided in the office, located in Beaver County, following CDC recommendations at all times, and/or via telehealth (remotely if appropriate). The program provides evidence-based treatment (Cognitive-Behavioral and skills based) that is developmentally appropriate, and trauma informed as we consider past trauma and current coping mechanisms. Since parental involvement have been shown to have the best outcome in treatment, our treatment actively involves the caregivers in treatment and supports the caregiver’s application of effective strategies to manage the child’s/youth’s behavior.
The clinician will assess, treat, and follow these children/youth and their families. This population varies widely in terms of its levels of identified psychiatric disorders, problematic sexual behaviors, and/or other behavioral problems. Treatment is often directed towards broad targets (e.g., treatment motivation, perceptions of the problematic sexual behaviors, history of trauma, social and relationship skills, affect regulation, and dealing with family’s reactions, family communication etc.) and will require various methods, such as child skills training and individual psychotherapy, parent training and treatment, parent-child/youth sessions, medication, and school consultation. The clinician will conduct diagnostic assessments and gather data via face-to-face interviews, telehealth interviews, phone interviews, and self-report measures from a variety of data sources (e.g., youth, parents, teachers, referral sources, other collateral sources). The clinician will travel to the program’s office in Allegheny and-or Washington County as needed/requested.
The clinician will travel to Western Psychiatric Hospital to complete required annual trainings (Comprehensive Crisis Management Training). The clinician will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with the Beaver County Children and Youth Services, Child Advocacy Centers, Victim’s Advocates, Victim’s therapists, and other mental health professionals. The clinician will provide progress report to the Beaver County Children and Youth Services, and to the court via court letters or court testimony as requested. The clinician will schedule and organize monthly multidisciplinary treatment progress meetings with the Beaver County Children Youth Services staff, victim’s therapists and other providers. The clinician will attend the virtual Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital Child Advocacy Center Multidisciplinary Meetings on a monthly basis. The clinician will attend other treatment team meetings as requested by the court and/or the Beaver County Children and Youth Services. The clinician will attend the program weekly treatment meeting. The clinician will work a flexible and hybrid schedule (3 or 4 evenings per week) to meet families’ needs. This program is funded by the Beaver County Children and Youth Services, and we do not bill for services. All Cases are referred to the program by the Beaver County Children and Youth Services.
Assist in scheduling, preparing, and administering intake and discharge evaluations to support the program’s clinical mission.
Provide direct treatment to youth, parents, and families through specialized interventions (parent, parent-child, and/or family-based), particularly for complex cases.
Develop, document, and monitor individualized treatment plans based on evaluation findings, outlining goals, targets, and recommended services.
Assess and address safety concerns, implementing comprehensive safety planning and crisis management as needed.
Support the development, organization, and refinement of psychosocial assessments and treatment materials targeting behavioral, emotional, and social outcomes.
Maintain program protocol documentation and disseminate updates to staff.
Promote treatment generalization in the home, school, and community by coordinating with relevant parties.
Attend multidisciplinary and treatment team meetings to coordinate care and share insights.
Collaborate constructively with team members, providing supervision, guidance, and feedback to enhance program integrity and staff performance.
Assist staff in addressing emergent clinical challenges through alternative programming strategies.
Provide administrative support and liaison with internal departments, community partners, and external stakeholders.
Conduct case management, ensuring all documentation is complete, clinical issues are reviewed in supervision, and discharge planning/follow-up is executed.
Participate in public relations efforts and help resolve system or interpersonal concerns in an appropriate setting.
Monitor, document, and enhance the effectiveness of clinical interventions through supervision, case review, and outcome-based feedback.
Serve as a professional role model, maintaining a high standard of judgment and demeanor in all interactions.
Provide court testimony as needed, collaborating with legal teams, caseworkers, and probation officers.
