Associate Mental Health Counselor

Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

This position is responsible for responding to crisis cases by providing diagnostic assessment, crisis intervention therapy, mobilization of internal and external resources, establishing appropriate stabilization and disposition of each case and referral for follow-up care. This position has the authority to assess and diagnose psychiatric emergency patients; deem if and when to hospitalize or civilly commit patients; and determine what resources a client and family requires in order to resolve or diminish a crisis. Challenges encountered by the incumbent include responding to suicidal and homicidal patients, those who are too irrational to remain at liberty in the community or who may be infected with hazardous infectious agents. There is also a risk of assault from agitated, combative, irrational patients experiencing psychosis from mental disorders or substance abuse.

Corporate Overview: The University of Utah is a Level 1 Trauma Center and is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. Our five hospitals and eleven clinics provide excellence in our comprehensive services, medical advancement, and overall patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Provides immediate response and crisis treatment to crisis victims, their families and departments requesting assistance.
• Completes diagnostic patient assessments, outlines and implements therapeutic strategies, mobilizes and convenes support systems, acquires specialized medical consultation as needed and arranges appropriate follow-up or referral for each crisis case.
• Collaborates with on-call psychiatric residents to arrange voluntary or involuntary admissions to the inpatient unit, ensuring all legal procedures are followed and involuntarily detained patients are informed of their civil rights within 24 hours of their admission.
• Completes clinical documentation of the patients' assessment and services in the proper hospital record, and maintains files on all crisis patients.
• Educates families and/or patients regarding disease or injury processes, hospital and agency routines and legal procedures.
• May participate in case conferences, patient care planning meetings and with community health agencies to facilitate continuity of care and coordination of services.
• Responds to on-call requests from police, health and service agencies, media, families and patients to provide consultation as needed.
• Plans and participates in staff development conferences for crisis staff; may assist in training psychiatric residents and graduate students.
• Assists with community outreach activities, i.e., professional counseling, lectures, in-service training and preventive education programs.
• Collects and analyzes utilization data to evaluate program effectiveness, quality assurance, program planning and contracted service.
• May serve in rotational assignments to cover weekend hospital Social Work services, EAP counselor duty, and, if qualified, serve as a Designated Examiner at Civil Psychiatric Commitment Hearings.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.

• Care is appropriate to the population served.

• Demonstrated human relations and effective communication skills.

• Demonstrated organizational skills.

• Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient's status and provide care as described in the department's policies and procedures manual.

Qualifications

Licenses Required

• Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system. The eCredential is to be obtained within 30 days of hire.

• Current license to practice as an Associate Clinic Mental Health Counselor in the State of Utah.

* Additional license requirements as determined by the hiring department.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves intensive work that may exert up to 100 pounds and may consistently require lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling or otherwise moving objects, such as medical equipment, or patients while providing patient care to those with psychiatric conditions.

Physical Requirements

Listening, Sitting, Speaking, Standing, Walking