[Hiring] Behavioral Health Crisis Clinician @Alliance

Role Description

The Behavioral Health Clinician is primarily responsible for coverage of the 24-hour Behavioral Health Crisis line, including conducting telephonic screening, triage and referral functions for individuals seeking services. The Clinician ensures that individuals calling with service needs are safely linked in a timely fashion with available services and/or community resources. The Clinician may also provide crisis service authorizations for both state and Medicaid funded emergency type services. This is a daytime position that will include working weekends and some holidays.

This position will be equipped with all supplies and technologies to be able to work from home. The selected candidate must reside in North Carolina and is required to attend an initial 6 to 8-week virtual training period, Monday-Friday, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Transition to permanent schedule to follow a successful training period. Some holiday hours are required.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Conduct Initial Screenings, Assessments, and Reviews, and make referrals
• Receive escalated calls from specialists who identified callers during initial screening that have urgent or emergent needs
• Make clinical triage decisions based on often limited information obtained during telephonic screening
• Ensure individuals receive a comprehensive screening and appropriate referral that matches level of service needed
• Maintain safety of all callers, which may include contacting and mobilizing community first responders
• Engage Decision to Warn when working with callers with active homicidal ideation, according to policy
• Report to Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services, when warranted
• Identify high risk/special health care needs populations and refer to Care Coordination
• Review caller history, when available, in the client management system to help determine most appropriate referral options
• Use electronic scheduling system to schedule and secure assessment appointments with contracted providers
• Complete specialized screening documentation for all service-related calls; document all incoming call activity in MCO tracking system
• Simultaneously operate and navigate a multi-function phone system with multiple software programs while managing caller needs
• Engage in follow-up activities to ensure consumers were seen for scheduled assessments and crisis follow-up appointments
• Route incoming calls to appropriate MCO departments when inquiries cannot be adequately addressed at the Call Center level
• Work independently to prioritize tasks and maintain idle status in call queue during high call volume and/or low staffing periods
• Simultaneous to other tasks, monitor incoming fax system and overflow vendor reports

Provide Support, Consultation, & Leadership

• Interact with community emergency services orally while receiving information orally and in writing via IM
• Engage interpreter services when needed and adjust communication accordingly
• Provide oversight and clinical review of calls managed by overflow vendor
• Assist callers with addressing obstacles to accessing care and identify available resources
• Provide consultation and support to non-licensed Call Center staff
• Thoroughly train incoming staff to job duties and provide additional training to staff throughout clinical operations

Compliance & Reporting

• Read, integrate, and adapt procedural tasks in a rapidly changing, paperless work environment
• Recognize and report quality concerns to supervisor and Provider Network Department
• Report patterns of atypical call and service-seeking patterns to supervisor

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Human Services field
• Minimum of three (3) years post-degree experience in a community, business or governmental program that delivers mental health support services

Requirements

• Current, active, and unrestricted behavioral health license issued by a North Carolina Professional Board (LCSW, LCMHC, LCAS, LPA, LMFT)

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of relevant state and federal laws (i.e., protection of client rights, mandatory reporting, and confidentiality)
• Knowledge of treatment modalities (i.e., Crisis Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, and Systems Theory)
• Knowledge of culturally competent practices
• Knowledge of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition
• Thorough knowledge of the operation of MCO/LME structure within the North Carolina mental health system
• Thorough knowledge of ASAM Criteria and resources in identified catchment area
• Skill in the use of multiple software platforms and strong keyboarding skills to complete referral process
• Skill troubleshooting minor technological issues independently
• Considerable skill in identifying appropriate level of care based on information provided during time-limited telephonic assessment
• Ability to assess clinical level of need telephonically
• Ability to multi-task and focus on a distracting environment
• Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and implement regulations, policies, and procedures
• Ability to provide crisis response and deescalate difficult callers
• Ability to coordinate effectively with staff from various agencies
• Ability to manage time, problem solve and prioritize work independently
• Demonstrate flexibility and ability to work cohesively in a team
• Ability to remain composed during high-stress, crisis-related calls
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in written documents

Salary Range

$69,592 - $88,729/Annually. Exact compensation will be determined based on the candidate's education, experience, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Long Term Disability
• Generous retirement savings plan
• Flexible work schedules including hybrid/remote options
• Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, holiday, management leave
• Dress flexibility