Mental Health Counselor

Job Description

Job Summary 

Conducts initial assessments of patients to determine mental health needs and establish care requirements. May assign patients to mental health practitioners based on intake assessments. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Leads and directs the work of others in the care team. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is required. 

Essential Functions

• Conducts Psychosocial Assessments for Adolescent, Adult, and Geriatric patients as well as neonatal, Infant, and Pediatric patients.
• Determines inter-relatedness of psychosocial factors and health status/disease process.
• Identifies emotional, social and financial needs of patient/family and provides assistance/referrals as appropriate.
• Identifies appropriate treatment plans and follows-up with discharge planning team.
• Acts as expert in the area of Social work. Assists Social Workers with problem cases.
• Provides emotional support to patient/family. Helps families/patients cope with illness, disability, and situations.
• Facilitates patient/family support groups (i.e. Cancer, Stroke and AIDS).
• Participates in interdisciplinary discharge planning process: conducts and documents proactive, concurrent discharge planning assessments.
• Implements discharge plans, i.e., setting up home health, transfers to other facilities, initial nursing home placements.
• Assists in Quality Improvement Initiative: monitor and trend re-admissions to the hospital.
• Promotes effective communication and ensures continuity of care. Verbal communication with patients, families, hospital staff are always positive, accurate, supportive, and clearly understood.
• Social worker maintains a supportive, collaborative partner-like relationship with nurses, physicians, and case management team.
• Consistently performs all social service function to meet department volume and quality standard. Effectively communicates to supervisor status of current workload daily.
• Attends meetings regularly: attend daily discharge planning meetings with Case Manager. Attend monthly department Meetings and committee.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree Mental Health or related field required
• 2-4 years related experience in Mental Health Services preferred
• preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to develop personalized health plans
• Strong operational mindset and ability to use data to draw insights.
• Strong understanding of health and wellness principles
• Ability to work collaboratively with other health care team providers.
• Knowledge of patient education techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of mental health treatment modalities, particularly group and individual counseling.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with people of all ages.
• Knowledge of behavioral methodology and principles.
• Ability to positively engage and motivate challenging clients.

Licenses and Certifications

• BCLS - Basic Life Support required and
• SAMA required and
• LMSW - Licensed Medical Social Worker - State Licensure required or
• LMHC-Licensed Mental Health Counselor required or
• LPC-Licensed Professional Counselor required or
• LCSW- License Clinical Social Worker required