Behavior Health Care Manager

Department Overview

*This position is Limited Duration (18 month assignment)*

The behavioral health care manager (BHCM) position is a behavioral health provider who operates in the

Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) as part of our integrated behavioral health teams. The behavioral health

care manager is a core member of the CoCM team, including the patient's medical provider (primary care

provider, or referring specialty provider) and psychiatric consultant, traditional health care worker (THW) if

available, as well as the larger clinic team to ensure continuity of care.

The BHCM is responsible for supporting and coordinating the mental and physical health care of CoCM

patients on an assigned patient caseload with the patient's primary care provider and the CoCM psychiatric

consultant. When appropriate, the BHCM may also coordinate care with other internal and external mental

health providers.

This position involves a high degree of clinical complexity and advanced level of skill in delivering evidence-

based interventions targeted to improve wellbeing and health for a large variety of patients with emotional and behavioral concerns commonly seen in a primary care setting. The work includes screening and assessing patients for common mental health and substance use disorders, providing education about these conditions, discussing available treatment options, and facilitating patient engagement and follow-up care. The BHCM also is responsible for systematically tracking treatment, engagement, and response (via a registry) and for monitoring patients (either in person, by phone or virtual visit) for changes in clinical status and treatment side effects or complications. The BHCM supports the patient in their management of their psychotropic medication, focusing on treatment adherence monitoring, side effects and effectiveness of treatment. Additionally, the BHCM provides brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving therapy, motivational interviewing, and other treatments as appropriate.

The role also involves participation in regular (weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant

and communication of resulting treatment recommendations to the patient's continuity medical provider.

The BHCM performs duties with minimal supervision. Work is reviewed for adherence to procedures, regulations, standards and for overall effectiveness. The BHCM position is expected to serve as an advocate for collaborative behavioral health within the physical health care setting.


Function/Duties of Position

Counseling:

• Provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate.
• Support the patient in their psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
• Provide or facilitate in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e.g., problem-solving treatment or behavioral activation) as clinically indicated.
• Support the mental and associated physical health care needs of patients on an assigned patient caseload. Closely coordinate care with the patient's continuity medical provider and, when appropriate, other mental health providers.

Patient Services

• Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone or virtual visit) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.
• Manage collaborative care registry.
• Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside of the organization (e.g., social services such as housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, mental health specialty care, substance abuse treatment).
• Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the medical provider and the psychiatric consultant and who may need more intensive or more specialized mental health care.
• Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone or virtual visit) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.

Psychosocial Assessment:

• Screening and assessment of patients for common mental health and substance use disorders. Facilitate patient engagement and follow- up care.
• Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and the available treatment options.

Other Duties as Assigned

Required Qualifications

• A Master's Social Work (MSW) required.
• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (Competencies):

• Ability to utilize assessment information and collateral information to conceptualize patient psychopathology.
• Skill and expertise in conducting group and individual psycho-educational classes and brief, short-term therapy strategies that will help strengthen the patient's overall physical and mental health.
• Incorporation of self-management, home-based practice in care planning.
• Skill in efficiently organizing time so that unscheduled, same day services are routinely available to care team members.
• The ability to exercise sound judgment in appraising situations and making decisions regarding complex physical and behavioral health treatment issues in consultation with the primary care teams.
• Skill in developing effective working relationships with peers, supervisors, and professionals in related disciplines.
• Ability to manage complex personal interactions.
• Demonstrated ability to act with minimal supervision on personal initiative using sound clinical judgment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding patient care information and chart contents as use of patient
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation

Preferred Qualifications

• Health care experience preferred.
• Training in Primary Care Behavioral Health
• Experience in behavioral health counseling and brief short-term therapy strategies and case management in an ambulatory setting.
• Experience and/or interest in Collaborative Care.
• Experience in a Primary Care Ambulatory Clinic setting.
• Experience with program development and evaluation.
• 3 years' experience in similar position

Job Related Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (Competencies):

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of behavioral health consultation, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, cognitive-behavioral counseling strategies and their application to population-based care for preventive and chronic care issues.
• Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments and brief behavioral interventions for common mental health disorders, when appropriate (e.g., motivational interviewing, problem-solving treatment, behavioral activation).
• Comprehensive understanding of the interrelationship between medical and psychological systems and their impact on health.
• Experience in documenting clinical activities in a comprehensive, clear, concise fashion on a same day basis.
• Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology for common mental health disorders

Additional Details

Hours: Variable. Five 8-hour shifts, Monday-Friday, with possibility of evening or weekend hours. Flexing

start/end times to accommodate clinical needs may provide, as well.

The work is performed in a medical setting and involves normal working hours with occasional alternative

hours for special programs or outreach. The position involves interactions with people who have a wide

variety of physical and behavioral health problems. Some travel may be required.

Benefits:

• Healthcare Options - Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents, and $25K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
• Vacation- up to 200 hours per year depending on length of service
• Sick Leave- up to 96 hours per year
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Substantial Tri-met and C-Tran discounts
• Additional Programs including Tuition Reimbursement and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Posted: 4/2/2026 11:25am

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center.

In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

All are welcome.

OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply.

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