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Position Description

This is a professional position providing therapeutic interventions to children, youth and their families with intensive behavioral health, crisis response, and community safety needs. Therapeutic services provided by a Clinician III include: crisis intervention and extended stabilization as well as long-term, team-based behavioral health services to children, youth and their families.

The Clinician III is the primary behavioral health treatment provider assigned to a child, youth and their family. The Clinician III is a lead clinical support, completing the intake/assessment and prescribing mental health treatment, identifying strategies and services to high-risk children, youth and their families in the family home, therapeutic foster home, and/or community locations (e.g. during crisis in emergency departments, crisis response or behavioral observation and assessment in home and schools, etc.). The Clinician III position requires the skills and abilities to assess immediate safety and risk ‘in-the-moment’ in crisis situations while providing direct therapeutic intervention and support for a diverse population of children with behavioral health needs. The Clinician III will present as a positive and compassionate therapeutic support to the youth and family at all times.

All services prescribed and provided by a Clinician III must be allowable (billable) through Medicaid and provided as specifically identified and prescribed in the Individualized Mental Health Treatment Plan. All treatment services must be documented per required timeframes, in accordance with federal Medicaid requirements and entered into Psych Consult, the FBH Electronic Health Record (EHR), as well as medical EHR’s of Managed Care Organizations (MCO’s), Behavioral Health Organizations (BHO’s), or others per contract requirements.

Position requires 24/7 on call availability due to an unstructured work week to include irregular and unpredictable hours. Clinicians can expect to work hours that vary in times and include weekends.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Assessment, Engagement of Child/Youth/Family and Community

• Utilize Clinical assessment and engagement skills to meet with child, youth and family in the home, hospital or other community settings to gather demographic, clinical/situation information and perform initial assessment and clinical diagnosis based on assessed service need and intensity
• As part of the clinical intake process, complete behavioral health clinical assessment tools including the CANS Assessment, CALOCUS, GAINS SS and Quadrant determination.
• Demonstrate familiarity with DSM criteria for clinical mental health diagnoses and formulate a clinical diagnosis based on client background and presenting behavioral health issues and concerns.
• Gather information from medical, behavioral health and other community providers for children/youth referred to support intake diagnosis and access to on-going FBH services.
• Engage the family during the clinical intake session, assessing for immediate safety needs and concerns, gather and clinically summarize client history and presenting issues prioritizing urgent safety considerations in the intake process.
• Using an Electronic Health Record, Provider One, and incorporate Medicaid eligibility determination into intake service authorization.
• Complete all Medicaid and WAC required intake documentation and client enrollment information, ensuring appropriate Medicaid coding and entering information into an electronic health record as required by funder and WAC timeframes.
• Demonstrate flexibility and organization to respond to urgent case assignments in the home and community as needed, including flexibility to meet family and community needs after 5pm and on weekends.
• Maintain knowledge of community behavioral health and other support services to ensure all children and their families are linked to helping resources in their local communities as soon as the service and support need is identified in the intake and referral process.
• Complete complex clinical intake documentation as required by funders and Medicaid, tracking client enrollment and referral documentation in clinical dashboard as needed for system wide behavioral health outcome reports.
• Listen to and analyze the family’s story, and with them, identify strengths, needs, preferences and goals for the behavioral health intervention and treatment planning process.
• Provide and/or arrange necessary crisis response and stabilization services, completing and communicating the safety/crisis plan with family and others from day 1 of initial assignment.
• Contact potential team members, including other system partners, to gather their perspective on the family’s strengths and needs and solicit participation and commitment to a team process.
• Orient and Prepare the child/youth and family to CCS FBH services and next steps in the intervention (e.g., team development, planning process, natural supports, etc.).
• Analyze and align the family’s position and agency mission using methods of respect, communication and conflict resolution.
• Utilize site and FBH QI tracking processes to monitor compliance of intake response/process, case assignment and intake documentation completion requirements.
• Throughout CCS employment and service provision to all children and youth served, understand and Comply with all mandated reporting and HIPAA requirements outlined in WAC, CCS policy and service contracts.
• Throughout CCS employment and service provision to all children and youth served, represent Family Behavioral Health Services in the community by community outreach and collaboration. Develop and maintain strong and active relationships with funders, Behavioral health and Medical providers, Children’s Administration, Juvenile Justice, community organizations, and other referral sources.

Individualized Service Planning and Implementation

• Act as primary “First Clinical Responder”, providing initial direct crisis response, de-escalation, and emergency supervision for children and youth who are in behavioral crises in their home, school, and community.  The Clinician III will provide intensive and strength based therapeutic behavioral health services and supports to children, youth and families in the community including: assessing for immediate safety and stabilization needs, treatment plan development, safety and crisis planning, child and family team meeting facilitation, on-going assessment and evaluation of current treatment planning strategies, goals, and outcomes.
• Prescribe and implement behavioral health strategies and treatment plans for high risk children and youth, modeling and teaching social behavior, self-protection skills and awareness, and developmentally appropriate coping and social interaction skills.  Provide skill building support that enhances a youth’s ability to function effectively and safely in the community addressing therapeutic issues such as anger management, alternatives to aggression toward others, frustration tolerance, and socialization.
• Provide in home safety supports including analyzing and assessing home environment. This may include performing safety sweeps in the home or therapeutic foster home for children and youth with suicidal ideation and other high risk safety concerns (as identified in a Mental Health intake or crisis referral.
• Demonstrate an understanding of behavioral health treatment competencies and their role in wellness and recovery by communicating role, responsibility and agency philosophy to assure mutual respect, confidence and trust with the child, family and other stakeholders. *Meet and engage the family communicating compassion, support, respect and enthusiasm for their recovery journey.
• Complete all Medicaid and WAC required on going behavioral health treatment documentation, including treatment plans, safety crisis plans, CANS assessments updating client information, ensuring appropriate Medicaid coding and entering information into an electronic health record as required by funder and WAC timeframes.
• Accurately complete session documentation per required timeframes, to be entered into the FBH Electronic Health Record, Psych Consult.
• Deliver direct therapeutic services including Evidenced Based and Promising Practices (i.e. Cognitive Behavioral Therapies) that are customized to meet each child, youth and family’s uniqueness, personality, culture and interest and treatment goals as identified in their Individualized Treatment Plan.
• Deliver prescribed behavioral health services, continuing to evaluate effectiveness of the Treatment Plan and Safety Plan, and recommend changes as needed to ensure the success of the child or youth.  Modify and adjust individual intervention techniques for each situation without changing the direction of the plan.
• Facilitate the child and family team to: Identify and prioritize goals and needs. Communicate and translate information in a way that everyone can hear especially the family’s position.  Brainstorm and negotiate strategies that build on child and family strengths.
• Healthcare Coordination – Work in collaboration with youth’s primary care physicians and healthcare specialists to support coordination of medical and behavioral health services to children/youth and caregivers served.
• Utilize team member expertise and role in working with child/youth and families including: Family Support Specialists, Certified Peers, Behavioral Support Specialist in consultation with Clinical Supervisor, and other natural supports as needed. Embrace diverse perspectives and incorporate recommendations into treatment planning and service provision.
• Encourage, welcome and embrace child/youth, parent/family expertise in problem solving around specific treatment and support needs.
• Provide therapeutic support and intervention, facilitating a child/youth’s placement into foster care when needed for safety, ensuring clinical support, completion of necessary paperwork and necessary notifications made.
• Maintain a focus on strengths, needs and creative solutions and inspire others to follow this format in problem solving.

Transitioning Services to Natural and Other Community Supports

• Inspire confidence in the child, family and other team members about their strengths and ability to transition successfully.
• Arrange and negotiate a process for ongoing formal and informal services and supports.
• Create and practice a plan for aftercare supports and response post CCS involvement.

HIPPA

• Responsible for upholding a culture of privacy and security in highly confidential work environment (HIPAA covered entity service area).
• Complies with all CCSWW policies and procedures that involve access to and safeguarding of client Protected Health Information (all forms).

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, psychological, behavioral sciences or equivalent.
• One year experience serving children and/or families (mental health, social services, education, etc.)
• 21 years or older.
• Must have reliable transportation, valid driver’s license, and automobile insurance.
• Agency Affiliated License (HIV/AIDS training required) or applied for within 1st month of employment.
• Must have an acceptable driving record per CCS’ driving policy (required to provide current driving abstract).
• First/Aid CPR certified or the ability to become certified within the 1 month of employment.
• Proof of negative TB test within past 12 months or ability or test within first six months of employment.
• Applicant must successfully pass required background checks prior to an offer of employment.
• Ability to work independently in addition to working as a member of a team.
• Demonstrates the necessary attitudes, knowledge and skills to deliver culturally competent services and work effectively in multi-cultural situations.
• Support and uphold the mission, beliefs and values of Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services.

Preferred Qualifications

• Mental Health Professional (as defined by WAC 388-865).
• Knowledge of Wraparound principles and practice.