Mental Health Therapist - Access Center

Emergency Psychiatric Services Clinician

Positions

Location:

Lansing, MI

The Emergency Psychiatric Services Clinician functions as a critical consultative member of the Emergency Department (ED) care team, providing rapid psychiatric assessment, crisis intervention, and disposition recommendation and planning for patients presenting with behavioral health and substance use concerns.

This job description is intended to cover the minimum essential duties assigned on a regular basis. Team members may be asked to perform additional duties as assigned by their leader. Leadership has the right to alter or modify the duties of the position.

• Conduct timely, focused psychiatric evaluations and biopsychosocial assessments to determine level of risk and appropriate disposition.
• Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation for patients experiencing acute behavioral health emergencies.
• Identify patients meeting criteria for involuntary or voluntary psychiatric intervention in accordance with state regulations.

• Serve as a consultative resource to ED providers, offering evidence-based disposition recommendations (e.g., inpatient admission, outpatient referral, community-based services, etc.)
• Collaborate with physicians, nursing, security, and ancillary staff to support safe and efficient patient management.
• Facilitate appropriate transitions of care, including coordination of psychiatric placement, community services, and discharge planning.

• Respond to behavioral codes and hospital-wide crises as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Provide real-time behavioral assessment and lead or support de-escalation strategies to reduce risk of harm to patients and staff.

• Maintain current knowledge of community mental health, substance use, and social support services.
• Act as a liaison between the hospital and external agencies to support continuity of care.
• Engage patients and families in safety planning and resource connection at time of discharge.

• Complete required legal documentation relevant to emergency psychiatric care (e.g., PCM 201 and MC97 forms, as applicable).
• Demonstrate working knowledge of the Michigan Mental Health Code and applicable regulatory standards.
• Distinguish ED responsibilities from outpatient and inpatient legal processes, ensuring appropriate scope of practice.

• Accurately document assessments, clinical impressions, and disposition plans in the electronic medical record in a timely manner.

• Current LMSW licensure by State of Michigan OR LLMSW licensure and previous behavioral health experience.

• Ability to interview, assess, organize and problem solve. Ability to identify appropriate community resources on assigned caseload and to work collaboratively with patients, families, and interdisciplinary team and community agencies to achieve desired patient outcomes. Experience in acute care case management, discharge planning, utilization management, performance improvement and managed care reimbursement, preferred.

• Master's Degree in Social Work

• Maintains an environment that supports and encourages high performance and reliability through caregiver engagement, teamwork, and customer service ensuring safe quality patient-centered care. Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. Promotes individual professional growth and development by meeting the requirements for mandatory/continuing education, skills competency, and supports department-based goals which contribute to the success of the organization. Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgement in interactions with physicians, payors, patients and their families.

Demonstrates the ability to use a keyboard as may be required to perform the essential duties of the job. Knowledge of the Michigan Mental Health Code, preferred.