Behavioral Health Clinician-LCSW
405 W. 5th St. Santa Ana, CA 90015 US
Job Description
Below is a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in this classification. These examples are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job and not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each Behavioral Health Clinician II.
- Completes mental health evaluations of patients who are newly incarcerated within the Orange County jail system: Completing a mental health evaluation requires a qualified mental health professional (QMHP) to thoroughly review a patient’s electronic health record so as to ensure that all prior aspects of one’s behavioral health treatment history with CHS are assessed and are clinically considered during the development of his/her current behavioral health treatment plan.
- Develop and document a behavioral health treatment plan for each newly incarcerated patient that the BHC II has personally completed a mental health evaluation of or for a patient that another QMHP has competed a mental health evaluation of but for whom a treatment plan has not yet been developed. The treatment plan will detail specific behavioral health treatment goals and discharge planning goals/needs that the CHS behavioral health team will work collaboratively to provide to the patient.
- Has regular clinical contact with patients, the frequency of which is determined by the patient’s behavioral health acuity rating. Helps patients develop greater insight regarding their psychiatric diagnosis (or diagnoses, including substance use disorder diagnoses). A BHC II will help a patient to develop a greater understanding of the need for one with a serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) to consistently adhere to an established behavioral health treatment regimen, including, pharmacotherapy, both while incarcerated and when released from custody.
- Functions as a member of a multidisciplinary clinical team and provides the team with clinical information regarding each of their patient’s current level of behavioral health stability and of each patient’s current response to aspects of the patient’s treatment plan, including pharmacotherapy, that are currently in place.
- Establishes and maintains effective relationships with leaders from various directly operated behavioral health programs within the Orange County Healthcare Agency (OCHCA) Mental Health Recovery Services (MHRS) division, as well as with leadership from other County-based departments (i.e., collaborative court services, Office of the Public Defender, Office of the District Attorney, Office of the Public Guardian, Probation, Social Security, Administration, etc.) and with leaders from various community-based organizations with which OCHCA has an established a working relationship.
- Maintains accurate, timely, and compliant case documentation and records; prepares reports and correspondence on evaluation status and case recommendations, as needed. Affirms understanding that a clinician must document on an interaction with a patient on the same day that the interaction occurred.
- Participates in case conferences. Participates in required OCHCA/CHS educational and training programs.
- May be scheduled to serve as Behavioral Health Officer of the Day (OD) the responsibilities of which entail evaluating patients with an urgent or emergent need to see a QMHP based on self-referral or referral from another member of CHS or Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) staff. The OD is also expected to collaborate with the psychiatric prescriber and members of CHS behavioral health and nursing staff working tin the Intake and Release Center (IRC) Triage area to serially (at least one time every four hours) evaluate the behavioral health status of male patients who are pending admission to an acute or chronic mental health bed.
- May be required to perform crisis interventions and conduct clinical evaluations to determine whether a patient meets State of California legally established criteria for placement on an in-custody involuntary hold for danger to self, danger to others, and/or grave disability.
- A contracted BHC II will become designated to write in-custody 5150 applications for a 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold. The BHC II will complete the CHS-provided 5150 inpatient training course and will then complete and pass the post-training 5150 designation examination.
- May serve clinical lead to license-eligible staff (unlicensed BHC 1 staff members) who are obtaining clinically supervised hours necessary for one to apply to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to sit for their professional licensing examination.
- All BHC II contracted staff members will maintain a current and valid California license allowing them to provide clinical services as an LMFT or LCSW.
- All BHC II contracted staff members will notify the agency with which their contracted on an unplanned absence at least one hour before the beginning of a scheduled shift with CHS. The vendor will then notify CHS Behavioral Health Leadership via email that an contracted clinician is not available to work his/her scheduled shift with CHS. The vendor shall immediately work to find alternate clinician coverage for CHS as soon as the vendor representative becomes aware of a clinician unplanned absence.
- All BHC II contracted staff members will submit a Request for Time off Form to the member of CHS Behavioral Health leadership to whom they report one month prior to a one-day or multi-day request for planned time off from their regular schedule with CHS.
- Current, valid license to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) is REQUIRED
- Note: If you have applied for your license but do not possess such by the date of application, you are required to provide proof of your BBS license application at the time of application submission
- Demonstrate sound judgment, good decision making and problem-solving skills
- Experience working with severely mental ill population
- Prior case management experience is required
- Ability to work independently and demonstrate reliability
- Proactive involvement in work and confidence and optimism in performing daily tasks
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- Proficiency with Electronic Health Records (EHR)
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook
- Possess a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification by date of hire
- Experience with Substance Abuse patients
- Ability to make quick and effective decisions to prevent any injury/loss of life, financial loss for the County, personal and/or public relations issues
- Preparing written materials and present information in ways that are professional and will represent HCA positively
- Ability to de-escalate hostile or confrontational clients/customers
- Communicating effectively both in person and in writing
- Collaborating and communicating relevant critical information with other stakeholders, including the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD), Orange County Probation, Orange County Public Defender, Social Services Agency, Regional Center of Orange County, Orange County Housing Authority and other ancillary agencies, to identify gaps in service delivery and solidify linkages with external stakeholders for a smooth transition from jail to community
- Eliminating the influence of personal biases in working with diverse clients
- Maintaining a positive attitude and effectively handle stress in dealing with difficult clients, family members and law enforcement personnel
- Incumbents must NOT have felony convictions or be on any form of probation
- Must be able to pass and maintain background investigation to the satisfaction of the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner
- Background screening includes; completing a Personal History Form, interview with a background investigator, fingerprinting and may include a polygraph test
- Some of the areas considered in the background screening include prior convictions, traffic violations, drug use and credit problems, employment history, professional references and education verification (i.e., degree, license, or official transcripts
- Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (N.A.C.E.S.) – ONLY US DEGREES WILL BE CONSIDERED, unless they have the credentialing certification for US Credentialing done.
- The Correctional facilities are a 24 hour, 7 days a week facility, incumbents must be able to work weekends, evenings or night shifts and holidays if needed or scheduled
- In order to meet minimum qualifications with an LPCC number, applicants must have completed six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter units focused on marital/couple/family therapy, possess 500 hours of documented supervised experience working with couples/families/children and have six (6) hours of continuing education during each license renewal cycle
- Proof of education and documented hours required at time of hire
- Applicants who are applying with an out of state license should refer to the minimum qualifications link above responsibilities
- The position provides extensive case management and collaboration with community partners to link clients for post release after care treatment
- Performing Psychosocial MH evaluation, Drug Screening and/or conduct needs assessments to facility mental health needs and referrals
- Providing both individual and group interventions utilizing a variety of evidence-based practices, conduct case management activities, and facilitate referrals and linkages to community services, and document services rendered
- Utilizing evidence-based practices (EBP) for individuals and groups with psychological and substance use disorders to address barriers to re-entry and prevent relapse to criminal behaviors
- Planning and coordinating the re-entry plan with the client on an ongoing basis while in custody and ensuring increased follow through
- Avoiding gaps in care with community-based services and post custody supervision
- Developing individualized service plans by determining appropriate level of interventions based on client’s current level of functioning, symptoms, behaviors and identifying target inmates' multiple criminogenic needs in order to have greater impact on successful re-entry and recidivism
- Linking the target population to a continuum of treatment and supportive services upon release, including but not limited to counseling, medication support, housing, and transportation
- Facilitating connections with family and other support systems such as forensic peer support mentors; and conducting re-entry groups with the target population prior to release, in order to troubleshoot possible barriers to successful re-entry
- Collaborating frequently with BHS agencies, Adult Correctional Health Services (ACHS), Sheriff's Department staff as well as outside department contacts such as police agencies from the community, family of patients, court personnel, community hospital staff, other County agencies such as Public Health, Juvenile Health Services and surrounding hospitals in order to match clients level of criminogenic risks and behavioral health/substance use needs with appropriate levels of community supervisions and treatment
- Other work as assigned
- Understanding of relapse prevention and best practices for treating and engaging with the mentally ill clients
- Completing and performing clinical risk assessment related to danger to self, danger to others or grave disability (i.e., 5150, 5250, T-con)
- Discharge planning and linking mentally ill clients to community resources
- Providing care to client in relation to their level of functioning (i.e., acute psychiatric housing)
- Using Subjective-Objective-Assessment-Plan (SOAP) format in preparing progress notes and reports
- Analyzing factors that contribute to overall health problems and/or recidivism (i.e., poor medication compliance, drug and alcohol problems, homelessness)
- Assessing and evaluating client's presenting symptoms and behaviors rapidly and accurately, including establishing appropriate clinical boundaries with clients
- Recognizing factors that are outside of mental health that could be impacting the client's overall functioning and refer appropriately
- Engaging clients in discharge planning and developing a viable plan of self-care by formulating short- and long-term goal and objectives according to client's level of psychological functioning
- Participating as a member of a mental health multidisciplinary clinical team by engaging and taking part in meetings, committees or training's providing education, knowledge and insight into clinical cases
Meet Your Recruiter
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Elizabeth Heber
Recruiter
As a Recruiter for Marquee Staffing, Elizabeth works on placing Accounting & Finance, IT, Engineering, Administrative & Clerical, Manufacturing & Production, and Healthcare roles. Prior to joining our team, Elizabeth graduated from California State University with a degree in Psychology, and was in sales and the insurance industry for over 8 years. Elizabeth assisted companies with benefits packages to offer their employees' health and life insurance, and was also a Medicare Specialist. Elizabeth later moved into a commercial specialist role assisting businesses with their general liability, commercial auto and workman’s compensation policies. Her passion for improving people’s lives led her to Marquee Staffing where she gets to change lives every day!
Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her golden doodle Roofles by going to the dog park, running on the beach, and getting puppaccinos! She is also a Muay Thai & MMA amateur.
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