JOB SUMMARY:

The Behavioral Health Care Manager is a core member of the Collaborative Care team. Collaborative Care (CoCM) is a behavioral health integration strategy that aims to increase access to behavioral health treatment services in a primary care setting and promote better health outcomes for patients with chronic or urgent mental health treatment needs by utilizing empirically validated interventions in conjunction with psychiatric consultation. The Behavioral Health Care Manager reports to the CoCM Supervisor, and is responsible for supporting coordination of care between the patient’s medical provider and psychiatric consultant, as well as the larger primary care team or medical team, for an assigned case load. This care coordination would take place primarily via telehealth (audio/video).

Essential Functions:

-Commit to learning the principles of CoCM via attending approved trainings
-Support the mental and physical health care of patients on an assigned patient caseload. Closely coordinate care with the patient’s medical provider and, when appropriate, other mental health providers. Facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care.
-Conduct screeners and assessments and provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate.
-Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients for changes in clinical symptoms. Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
-Participate in regularly scheduled (usually weekly) caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s medical provider. Consultations will focus on patients new to the caseload and those who are not improving as expected under the current treatment plan. Case reviews may be conducted by telephone, video, or in person.
-Track patient follow-up and clinical outcomes using a registry. Document in-person and telephone encounters in the registry and use the system to identify and re-engage patients.
-Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the medical provider and the psychiatric consultant and who may need more intensive or more specialized mental health care.
-Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside of the organization (e.g., social services such as housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, mental health specialty care, substance abuse treatment).
-Develop and complete relapse prevention self-management plan with patients who have achieved their treatment goals and are soon to be discharged from the caseload.

Education:

Masers Degree in Social Work (REQUIRED)

Experience:

1 year experience with integrated behavioral health within a primary care setting (PREFERRED).  

1 year experience with measurement-based, evidence-based behavioral health care (PREFERRED). 

Licensure/Certifications:

Licensed Medical Social Worker (LMSW) in the State of Texas (REQUIRED).