Behavioral Health Clinician - Groton

Behavioral Health Clinician – Groton Job Description

The Behavioral Health Clinician II is a licensed independent provider who performs diagnostic psychosocial evaluations, develops care plans with clients and their families, offers individual, family, or group therapy, collaborates with psychiatric and/or medical providers who are part of the client’s care team, and documents all clinical interventions in accordance with CHC policy, Joint Commission standards, and state regulatory expectations. The position is primarily focused on direct client care but may include supervision of unlicensed staff and/or students.

• Complete initial behavioral health evaluations; individual, group, and family psychotherapy with children and/or adults in an outpatient clinic. Will be expected to run at least five (5) groups for each week of direct clinical work.
• Practice as part of an interdisciplinary, inter‑professional team, accepting “warm hand offs” from primary care providers and other members of the health care team as well as reaching in to the patient population to identify patients potentially in need of behavioral health services as flagged by the BH clinical dashboard.
• Consult with providers within and outside the agency regarding the treatment plan and progress of the patients.
• Share in the Behavioral Health On‑Call for after‑hours coverage and daily clinic call.
• Coordinate as needed with psychiatric consultants for diagnostic and consultative needs; refer as necessary for medication management.
• Attend clinical team meetings as assigned and component meetings.
• Clinically supervise unlicensed Behavioral Health staff as assigned.
• Meet productivity standards as outlined annually during employee performance appraisal review with a focus on quality clinical care.
• Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.
• Perform crisis interventions with clients.
• Assess for immediate safety concerns, including high‑risk patients/clients who may be at risk for homicide, suicide, and domestic violence.
• Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with identified goals.
• Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge according to state regulatory and Joint Commission standards.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing treatment on clients’ progress in resolving identified problems and moving toward defined objectives.
• Modify treatment activities or approaches, as needed, to comply with changes in clients’ status.
• Discuss with individual patients their plans for life after leaving therapy.
• Work with and support family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting clients or patients.
• Maintain awareness within the discipline about new developments in the field.
• Gather information about community mental health needs or resources that could be used in conjunction with therapy.

• Complete all documentation required by state regulations, Joint Commission standards, and CHC Behavioral Health department laws in a timely manner, including intake, prior authorization requests, progress notes, treatment plan documentation, and discharge.
• Complete and lock all treatment notes no later than the end of the next business day.
• Complete reports as required for outside agencies such as DCF, Family Relations, probation, and others with appropriate releases signed by clients.
• Participate as a member of agency‑wide committees as assigned.

• Ph.D., Psy.
  
  D., LCSW, LPC, or LMFT degree.
• Licensed in the State of Connecticut.
• Minimum of two years of experience with outpatients including experience with children and/or adults.
• Theoretical orientation consistent with brief, problem‑focused therapy.
• Reliable access to an automobile or reliable transportation for outside agency consults, meetings, and home visits.
• Written and oral bilingual fluency in a language spoken by the patient population (e.g., English/Spanish) preferred.

• Combination of sustained periods of sitting at keyboard,…