Behavioral Health Care Manager

The Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHM) position operates in a collaborative role within the Primary Care clinic. The BHM is a core member of the collaborative care team, including the patient’s primary care medical provider and psychiatric consultant, as well as the larger primary care team. The BHM is responsible for supporting and coordinating the mental and physical health care of primary care patients on an assigned patient caseload with the patient’s primary care provider and, when appropriate, other mental health providers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES – 

Performed majority of the time -- 

·       Screening and assessment of patients for common mental health and substance use disorders. 

·       Provide patient education about disorders and treatment options.

·       Manage collaborative care registry.

·       Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone or virtual visit) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.

·       Provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate.

·       Participate in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s medical provider.

·       Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected, facilitate referrals for clinically-indicated services outside of the organization.  Develop and complete relapse prevention self-management plans with patients who have achieved treatment goals.

Performed occasionally but critical to successful performance of the job:

·       Performs special projects and other related duties, as assigned.

Education:

Required

·       Master’s in social work or Ph.D./Psy.D.

Preferred

·       N/A

Experience:

Required

·       Three (3) years of work experience preferably in a health care setting providing social work, mental health and staff supervisory services.

·       Experience or education in Collaborative Care.

·       Behavioral health counseling and brief short-term therapy strategies and case management in an ambulatory setting.

·       Experience with program development and evaluation.

Preferred

·       Training in Primary Care Behavioral Health (example- University of Washington AIMS Center).

Licenses, Certifications and/or Registrations:

Required

·       Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Psychologist in the State of Oregon.

Preferred

·       N/A

Job Related Skills, Abilities and Behaviors:

Required

·       Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form with the health care team and with patients.

·       Knowledge of the principles and practices of behavioral health consultation, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, cognitive-behavioral counseling strategies and their application to population-based care for preventive and chronic care issues.

·       Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments and brief behavioral interventions for common mental health disorders, when appropriate (e.g., motivational interviewing, problem-solving treatment, behavioral activation).

·       Comprehensive understanding of the interrelationship between medical and psychological systems and their impact on health.

·       Ability to utilize assessment information and collateral information to conceptualize patient psychopathology.

·       Skill and expertise in conducting group and individual psycho-educational classes and brief, short-term therapy strategies that will help strengthen the patient's overall physical and mental health.

·       Skill in efficiently organizing time so that unscheduled, same day services are routinely available to care team members.

·       The ability to exercise sound judgment in appraising situations and making decisions regarding complex physical and behavioral health treatment issues in consultation with the primary care teams.

·       Skill in developing effective working relationships with peers, supervisors and professionals in related disciplines.

Preferred

·       Bilingual skills a plus.