EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1. Master’s degree.
EXPERIENCE:
1. Two (2) years experience in a behavioral health setting. 

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties.  Other duties may be assigned.

1. Performs intake assessment/evaluation of clients, including personal, social, and emotional development, family dynamics, and where appropriate, biopsychosocial antecedents, influences, and effects associated with substance dependence.
2. Participates in multidisciplinary treatment planning, with attention to special treatment needs by reason of age, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnic origin, social and cultural influences, and spiritual needs.
3. Assesses patients for discharge planning needs based on patient’s ability to make decisions, capabilities of caring for self and assisting with alternative arrangements for placement.
4. Petitions for guardianship/conservatorship for adults who lack DMC where there is no one willing or available to serve as HCS and the patient has no MPOA.
5. Interpretations of social, psychological, and emotional problems is shared with the department’s licensed social workers and other team members.  Evaluations and recommendations are documented, as well as recommendations.
6. Assess patients for signs or symptoms of abuse utilizing age appropriate evaluation and coordinates appropriate referral and counseling.  Knowledge of the laws regarding child abuse, neglect, adult abuse, neglect, domestic violence and rape.
7. When requested by the care managers or physicians, assess patients for psychosocial needs due to illness causing hospitalization based on age appropriateness.
8. Assists patients and families with end-of-life decision making, advance directives utilizing age appropriate assessment, diagnosis, and decision making capacity.  Provides counseling on death and dying involving SIDS, fetal demise, sudden death and death of the terminally ill.
9. Provides appropriate documentation of services provided by making concise entries in the medical record regarding the evaluation and plan of care.
10. Evaluates social, financial, psychological and family situations. Refers patient to sources of possible financial assistance where appropriate.
11. Discusses issues with patients such as advance directives, long-term care, informed consent, and basic patient rights.  Assists patients in preparing advance directives.
12. Petitions for involuntary commitment for patients within hospital who are deemed a danger to self or others and are refusing treatment.
13. Discusses patient and disposition with psychiatrist and treating medical physician.  Documents disposition accordingly.
14. Creates patient Behavioral Health Treatment Plan based on patient's admitting psychiatric problems/diagnosis.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Frequent stooping, kneeling, crounching or crawling.
2. Frequent lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds and occasionally lifting and/or moving up to 100 pounds.
3. Ability to sit for long periods of time. 

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Multi-disciplinary treatment teams.
2. Clinic based care as well as crisis residential care.
3. Travel between facilities.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Must have strong oral and written communication skills.
2. Must have the ability to work successfully under highly stressful conditions, and must be capable of adapting to varying workloads and work assignments on a constant basis.
3. Must have the ability to make sound, independent judgments based on scientific principles, and also be able to collaborate with other multi-disciplinary team members in an appropriate fashion.