Behavioral Health Counselor

UPMC Western Behavioral Health is hiring a casual Behavioral Health Navigator I to support UPMC McKeesport!

The Behavioral Health Navigator I is responsible for the assessment and navigation of patients and families in collaboration with attending psychiatrists and other staff within the McKeesport Emergency Department. They will develop initial treatment plans to facilitate disposition planning and assists with bed placement or disposition planning. They will have the ability to identify acuity level of patient and facilitate the flow of information to promote effective communication regarding the patient care and patient operations and disposition. 

The incumbent will work 8 hours every 4 weeks. Shifts will include days, evenings, nights, and weekends. 

*UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE (IF APPLICABLE) TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR APPLICATION*

Responsibilities:

• Meet standards for documentation and completes all required paperwork, including psychiatric evaluation, commitment paperwork. 
• Demonstrate ability to utilize DSMV and to develop provisional diagnosis.
• Demonstrate knowledge of mental health laws and reviews inpatient commitment for accuracy, competencies and proper time frames.
• Knowledge of insurance programs, processes and able to obtain authorizations as needed. 
• Participate in interdisciplinary activities such as staff meetings and other committees as assigned.
• Maintain competency requirements.
• Learn and utilize up-to-date technology in delivery of patient care for assessment and disposition/referral planning.
• Efficiently take a sizable volume of calls and disposition callers to meet their needs rapidly
• Follow outpatient scheduling or referral documentation guidelines
• Responds rapidly to appointment or inpatient admission requests through email, phone, or voicemail
• Review and summarizes the patient information for admissions to a behavioral health unit and triaging patient for appropriate placement
• Ability to verbally present the case to physicians and others
• Demonstrate triage and assessment skills for medical necessity or appropriate outpatient clinic
• Provides accurate, timely information to coworkers, physicians, outside agencies, with a professional and courteous manner
• Demonstrates expertise in accessing social systems by providing resource-specific information to patients and families, initiating contact with appropriate resources and facilitating the patient/family's ability to accept referrals.

• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Counseling or Social Work with one-year of mental health direct care experience OR master's degree in Psychology, Counseling or Social Work. Other fields of study may be considered with coursework of at least 12 credits in human services and/or relevant mental health experience.
• Ability to respond calmly and effectively, using good clinical judgment to both psychiatric and medical emergencies. 
• Ability to identify problems, implement resolution, reassesses situation/problem.
• Excellent interpersonal relations with the ability to interact in a direct, professional, tactful, gracious manner with all professional/non-professional contacts; includes all areas of verbal/non-verbal communication within the contest of direct/non-direct contact; history of excellent interpersonal relations. 
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. 
• Ability to work under stress, with an unpredictable patient flow, in a sometimes-crowded work environment. 
• A personal disposition that is warm, friendly, caring, kind and hospitable towards patients, colleagues. 
• Exhibit openness and willingness to learn. 
• Flexible schedule; rotating shifts. 
• History/record of all above services consistently delivered with a service excellent attitude. 
• Ability and willingness to work in a managed care environment. 
• Excellent ability and history of direct, gracious, courteous, kind face-to-face, telephone and nonverbal skills. 
• May in the course of their job duties be in rooms where medications are stored. 
• No contact with medications is allowed.
  Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:
  
  
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCMC)
• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran