Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Job Title

High-Risk Allied Health Professional

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure weekly clinical contact (by phone or in-person) for high-risk veterans discharged from inpatient status for the first thirty days post discharge (by veteran's mental health provider or suicide prevention team).

Minimum of monthly contact for veterans deemed at high-risk for suicide following national guidelines, and those veterans placed on the high-risk list.

Preparation and updates in conjunction with primary mental health team of the suicide specific assessment, treatment plan, safety plan and follow-up notes including treatment plan updates.

Provision of evidenced-based treatment to high-risk veterans (i.e., group, individual, psychoeducational classes).

Review/provision of comprehensive discharge planning and social service referrals to high-risk veterans and families.

Coordination of all elements of mental health and primary care including active communication with all providers involved in the provision of comprehensive care to high-risk veterans assists veterans in maintaining appointments at VA medical centers and other community agencies for medical, psychiatric, substance abuse, vocational and other services consistent with veteran's goals associated with healthful independent living. Response to national suicide prevention hotline and internal facility calls regarding suicidal veterans.

Participation in administrative committees associated with flagging, tracking and monitoring of high-risk veterans and serving as back-up to suicide prevention coordinator and other suicide prevention clinicians as needed.

Tracking all suicide attempts and patients with serious suicide ideation at each facility.

Tracking and contacting any no-show appointments by identified veterans with follow-up.

Provides clinical case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, advanced clinical training, and experience to interpret data, and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high-risk factors, acuity, and needs for services.

Obtains any relevant HIPAA clearances to allow transmittal of facility data on suicide attempts and individuals at risk and transmitting the data following cyber security requirements as applicable for this sensitive data.

Ensuring that identified high-risk veterans have a 24-hour resource number to call and ways to get assistance if an immediate crisis should occur. Ensuring that veterans hospitalized for suicide attempt have suicide safety plan in place prior to discharge, and a follow-up appointment schedule. Developing and implementing an ongoing education plan for providers, veterans, families and members of the community of risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Situational (Ad-hoc)

Functional Statement #: 55932A

US Department of Veterans Affairs