Behavioral Health Consultant - Psychologist

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT - PSYCHOLOGIST

Job Description

The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) –Psychologist is an embedded full-time member of the primary care team and provides clinical behavioral health services within a primary care setting, including cognitive and behavioral interventions to individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Collaborates with primary care providers to enhance understanding of patients, coordinate care, plan and implement treatments, and monitor progress. The primary role of a BHC is to provide consultation and support to the Primary Care Provider (PCP) before, during and after patient visit.

Interdisciplinary decision making about medical treatment plan often occurs as the primary care provider looks to the BHC to understand the influence of psychiatric conditions on health conditions. The BHC-Psychologist also conducts brief (primary care appropriate) cognitive assessments. The BHC-Psychologist also acts as a consultant to the behavioral health treatment team and helps clinically inform the care of the patient.

The BHC-Psychologist assists and helps the Director provide clinical supervision and training to students, interns, and residents who are completing their training in the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) Model of integration.

Essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of a function does not preclude management from assigning essential duties not listed herein if such duties relate to the position.

• The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) maintains an open access schedule and is proactive in providing behavioral health consultations to new and returning primary care patients.
• Is actively involved in treatment plan changes, discussion of medication regimens, and provision of evidence-based interventions (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral interventions) for patients who are not improving as expected.
• Provides brief, targeted, real-time assessment/interventions to address a wide range of co-morbid health, mental health, and substance abuse problems that uniquely arise in a behavioral health clinical population during primary care visits.
• Collaborates with case managers, nurse care coordinator, and integrated care coordinator to address the psychosocial aspects of chronic and acute diseases.
• Connects patients with peer supports, community resources, and crisis assessment and/or intervention as necessary.
• Promotes the importance of social supports and good lifestyle choices.
• Identify and interpret population health outcome data for timely recommendations to the primary care team for individual patient care using tools such as patient registry.
• Actively participates in formal (i.e., team huddles, medical provider meetings) and informal (i.e., unscheduled consultations) communications with the primary care team and with behavioral health team members.
• Is actively involved in the training program for Behavioral Health Consultants at the Center, provides clinical supervision and precepting to trainees (doctoral practicum students and pre-doctoral psychology residents) who are learning the Primary Care Behavioral Health model.
• Lead the BHC team in creating clinical pathways for integrated care and treatment of common chronic conditions and their sequelae.
• Assist the Director of Psychology and training in quality improvement and program development as it relates to clinical practices in various clinics.
• Performs other related duties as required.

• Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in clinical, counseling, or health psychology from an APA-accredited program.
• Completion of an APA-accredited internship/residency.
• 1-2 years of experience in a Primary Care setting.
• The education required to become a licensed psychologist is about 8-10 years of education/training/experience.

• Licensed Psychologist in Texas, licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, now known as the Texas Behavioral Health Council.
• Licensed Psychologist in good standing in state of Texas required.

• Must maintain a valid driver’s license and automobile insurance coverage, be able to travel as needed, and be able to meet on a consistent basis the driving record requirements of the Company’s auto insurance carrier if you drive your vehicle during company business.
• Must maintain required credentials and mandatory training requirements to ensure compliance with all State regulations and CHCS policies.
• Must have working knowledge of State and Federal laws and professional standards related to psychological and treatment of behavioral health.
• Must have working knowledge of the principles of the development,…