Behavioral Health Specialist

This is a professional position responsible for facilitating, tracking and documenting behavioral health staffings for children in the foster care system. The role involves assessing the needs of each child, developing solutions to challenges, coordinating efforts to overcome barriers and providing behavioral health care coordination including mental health and substance abuse services for children.

Establishes and maintains positive working relationship with HFC internal and external customers

Receive, process and track behavioral health multi-disciplinary staffing referrals and other behavioral health and substance abuse staffing services

Respond to and assist with the management of inpatient Baker Act notifications by following the Rapid Response Protocol

Manage a therapeutic tracking log of children for Baker Acts, Specialized Therapeutic Foster Care (STFC), Behavioral Qualified Residential Treatment Program (BQRTP), Specialized Therapeutic Group Home (STGH), Statewide Inpatient Psychiatric Program (SIPP), Out of State Services (OSS) and other staffings as needed

Track and provide notification of all initial, reconsiderations and 90-day suitability assessments for children being referred to residential programs and document suitability assessments in FSFN

Communicate with residential programs when seeking placements, participate in treatment team meetings and step-down planning.

Screen cases for eligibility of various therapeutic and substance abuse programs and refer to appropriate providers

Facilitate all behavioral health multi-disciplinary staffings for those children who have been assessed and recommended for mental health or substance abuse programs, those with multiple or critical Baker Acts or Marchman Acts

Provide assistance, guidance and recommendations for services when medical necessity is not met for higher levels of care and community services are most appropriate

Communicate and coordinate with the funder, Medicaid Managed Care Agency (MMA) and Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) in obtaining approval of behavioral health services when needed and addressing issues that impact behavioral health services for children

Assist case managers in preparing appropriate information, including request for initial Suitability Assessments and 90-day reviews for potential providers for children when appropriate for review and/or placement in residential treatment mental health or substance abuse treatment

Serves as a consultant to case managers within the contracted case management organizations and Heartland for Children staff on appropriate referrals for behavioral health service

Determine if children are eligible for various therapeutic programs and refer to appropriate providers

Provide guidance to case management on obtaining the appropriate follow-up services for children who have been Baker Acted or Marchman Acted, and those children staffed for therapeutic, substance abuse or other behavioral health services

Attend necessary dependency and delinquency court hearings when requested

Perform special projects as assigned

Bachelor’s degree in health or human services required.

Master’s degree inhealth or human services preferred. Minimum of three years’ experience working with individuals or families in behavioral health, child welfare or case management. Experience in facilitating staffings/meetings and child welfare experience preferred.

Excellent benefits package with tuition assistance, domestic partner coverage, retirement and generous paid time off.

Drug free workplace. Drug testing required. EOE/M/F/D/V.