Behavioral Health Crisis Assessor | North | PRN

If you are looking to make an impact on a meaningful scale, come join us as we embrace the Power of One!

We strive to be an employer of choice and establish a reputation for being a talent rich organization where Associates can grow their career caring for others. For over a century, we’ve served the health care needs of the people of Memphis and the Mid-South.

Responsible for evaluating patients in need of behavioral health assessments in the Emergency Department (ED), Inpatient and community providers based concerns identified by healthcare professionals. Responsible for coordinating with hospital and community providers to ensure adequate communication and facilitation of patient-centered care and service delivery for optimal transitions and progression in care. Responsible for coordination and collaboration of care with patient, caregiver, physician, and other members of the health care management team. Models' appropriate behavior as exemplified in MLH Mission, Vision and Values.

Working at MLH means carrying the mission forward of caring for our community and impacting the lives of patients in every way through compassion, a deliberate focus on service expectations and a consistent thriving for excellence.

A Brief Overview
Responsible for evaluating patients in need of behavioral health assessments in the Emergency Department (ED), Inpatient and community providers based concerns identified by healthcare professionals. Responsible for coordinating with hospital and community providers to ensure adequate communication and facilitation of patient-centered care and service delivery for optimal transitions and progression in care. Responsible for coordination and collaboration of care with patient, caregiver, physician, and other members of the health care management team. Models' appropriate behavior as exemplified in MLH Mission, Vision and Values.

What you will do

• Interview referred clients to gather information about their backgrounds, needs and/or progress.
• Evaluate patients in crisis situations to determine appropriate course of intervention and facilitate external referral when necessary.
• Employ empirically- supported, focused interventions to treat commonly occurring mental health conditions and psychosocial components of chronic medical illness and to assist patients in successfully achieving their health goals.
• Participate in clinic team environment to support patient care. Promote and provide behavioral health education; standards of care for mental illness and substance abuse and management of psychosocial aspects of chronic medical conditions.
• Monitor the clinic's behavioral health program, gather data to measure outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Demonstrate values and standards of the social work/human service field professions licensed professional code of ethics.
• Coordinate care for patients who are not being admitted to hospital and ensure that they receive appropriate follow-up care and referrals.
• Develops and maintains positive, collaborative relationships with a variety of community and healthcare entities in the region.
• Identify specific individual and systemic barriers to discharge and develops a plan for addressing each barrier to affect a safe discharge in the timeliest manner possible.
• Facilitate involvement of agencies providing care to the patient and family/support networks, in working collaboratively for discharge of the patient to the community.
• Ensure that proper treatment and referral protocols are followed with respect to child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, consultation with specialty clinics, and referrals.
• Perform benefit eligibility at time of admission/assessment.
• Adhere to all health system protocols and policies regarding suicide, homicide, and other patient safety risk factors.
• Maintain reliable systems to document, track, and monitor assessment cases.
• Monitor the department program, identifying problems and opportunities for improvement related to patient services and making recommendations.
• Facilitate Behavioral Health Department group programming based on cognitive behavioral and psychoeducational interventions
• Perform potential emergency/inpatient data mining to enhance patient flow, ensuring faster, more efficient care and optimal patient experience.
• Perform daily Behavioral Health EPIC room and board charge reconciliation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education Qualifications

• Master's Degree Psychology
• Master's Degree Social Work

Experience Qualifications

• 3-5 years Behavioral health
• 1-3 years Acute care environment 2 years inpatient/acute care setting experience.
• Experience with crisis assessment and evidence-based interventions in hospital or other primary healthcare setting.
• Crisis stabilization: substance use clinical experience.
• Therapy and counseling: knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental health and substance use disorders.

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis and treatment.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services.
• Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, and government regulations.
• Proficient in basic word processing skills (Word), internet navigation, and electronic medical record.
• Demonstrates effective communication skills both verbal and written with all levels of Associates, management, physicians, patients/families, and representatives of community agencies.
• Ability to establish constructive relationships with clients and deal with conflict-laden or complex social situations.
• Ability to identify principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Ability to work without close supervision and to exercise independent judgment and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively within an integrated interdisciplinary team.
• Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance disorders.
• Ability to use effective interviewing skills and de-escalation technique interventions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of family systems and human development across the life span.
• Demonstrate excellent facilitation skills.
• Demonstrate cultural competency and knowledge of interventions with special populations.
• Demonstrate competency in providing cognitive and behavioral interventions within an emergency department, inpatient setting, or outpatient setting.
• Ability to perform data mining to improve patient outcomes.

Licenses and Certifications

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker Tennessee - Tennessee Board of Social Workers
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Tennessee Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors and Marital and Family Therapists
• Licensed Professional Counselor Tennessee - Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors and Marital and Family Therapists
• Psychologist Tennessee - Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology

Supervision Provided by this Position

• There is no lead or supervisory responsibilities assigned to this position. May delegate to administrative support staff, if applicable.

Physical Demands

• The physical activities of this position may include climbing, pushing, standing, hearing, walking, reaching, grasping, kneeling, stooping, and repetitive motion.
• Must have good balance and coordination.
• The physical requirements of this position are: light work - exerting up to 25 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently.
• The Associate is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity, such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; or extensive reading.
• The conditions to which the Associate will be subject in this position: The Associate is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions; job functions are typically performed under conditions such as those found in general office or administrative work.
• Exposure to patient body fluids as well as exposure to hazardous or poisonous materials.
• Must react quickly to emergency situations.

Our Associates are passionate about what they do, the service they provide and the patients they serve. We value family, team and a Power of One culture that requires commitment to the highest standards of care and unity.

Boasting one of the South's largest medical centers, Memphis blends a friendly community, a thriving and growing downtown, and a low cost of living. We see each day as a new opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people in our community.