Behavioral Health Specialist Job Description
Behavioral health specialist
provides support to Behavioral Health Program Manager and Director to assist with other behavioral health program initiatives and projects.
Behavioral Health Specialist Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective behavioral health specialist job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included behavioral health specialist job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Educate patients and families on treatment issues and behavioral interventions using knowledge of behavioral health treatment and program to ensure patients/family receive all pertinent information to improve outcomes
Stay current of industry events like autism regulations, MH parity, that would impact financial projections and plan targets
Communicate with facilities/groups to initiate appropriate interventions focused on improvement of clinical outcomes and efficiency, compliance with care advocacy processes and contractual obligations
Execute sales and retention strategies and plans
Also must be responsible with confidential patient records and information and be able to maintain confidentiality
Conducts patient-centered intake screenings
Develops and maintains relationships with outside agencies, assesses potential funding sources for patients and coordinates insurance and private pay billings as needed
Ensures patient's safety, dignity and privacy at all times
Fosters teamwork and contributes to the achievement of team goals
Facilitates behavioral health patient placement
Behavioral Health Specialist Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Licensing or Certifications for Behavioral Health Specialist
List any licenses or certifications required by the position: CPR, BLS, CPI, DMHAS, AED, PALS, ACLS, ICD, LCSW, LICSW
Education for Behavioral Health Specialist
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the behavioral health specialist job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Bachelor's and High School Degree in Health, Substance Abuse, Patient Care, Conducting, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Education, Sociology, Nursing
Skills for Behavioral Health Specialist
Desired skills for behavioral health specialist include:
Applicable laws
Departmental and agency policy
Regulations
Behavioral interventions and specialized programs to provide consistent patient care
Behavioral health treatment and program to ensure patients/family receive all pertinent information to improve outcomes
Etiology and characteristics of developmental disabilities
Ability to provide an array of behavioral health services based upon training and competencies
EPIC electronic medical records
NCQA requirements related to behavioral health conditions
Social support systems and resources
Desired experience for behavioral health specialist includes:
Experience and certification as an EMT or Paramedic is desirable
Recent / current experience required (with the past year)
Completion of post-offer Occupational Health physical assessment (including drug screen)
Completion of employment, criminal and education background check
One year experience working with a psychiatric population preferred
One year experience working with children or adolescents preferred
Behavioral Health Specialist Examples
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Behavioral Health Specialist Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of behavioral health specialist. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for behavioral health specialist
- Assist with care and treatment of psychiatric, drug and alcohol patients
- Counsel clients/patients with personal, behavioral or psychological problems
- Systematically monitor, review and analyze patient medical records to determine all appropriate diagnosis and procedures performed
- Shadow providers at each location within the department and provide on-site education with regards to proper documentation and coding
- Conduct chart audits for the Department to ensure providers are in compliance with coding and regulatory guidelines
- Conduct on-site training at each location and provide feedback to providers, managers and director
- Develop and provide coding and documentation seminars for the providers in the Department and/or present at Departmental meetings
- Inform providers/directors each year of coding changes for the following year
- Work with Epic support to ensure that new codes are entered into the system in a timely manner
- Work with Clinical Providers, Managers and Administrative Director to have a working knowledge of BH Commercial and Medicaid contracts and ensure compliance with quality programs
Qualifications for behavioral health specialist
- Three to five years behavioral health experience is preferred
- Conducts patient-centered intake screenings utilizing appropriate medical necessity criteria
- Develops and maintains relationships with outside agencies which provide funding sources
- Discusses medical treatment with third party payers, and utilization review department to qualify patients for current or continued care needs
- Prior experience providing direct clinical services, required
- 3+ years of Care Coordination / Management and/or Utilization Review experience in a Managed Care setting
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Behavioral Health Specialist Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is looking for a behavioral health specialist. Thank you in advance for taking a look at the list of responsibilities and qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your resume.
Responsibilities for behavioral health specialist
- Meet with Clinical Managers, DCAPBS Administrative Managers and Director and Physician billing department monthly
- Provide coding training to new Clinicians hired within the department 30-60 days after their hire date
- Interviews patients within a collaborative-therapeutic framework and is competent to create therapeutic personal experiences with patients to enhance the generalization of their coping skills throughout the day and across environments
- Communicate pertinent patient information in shift report and to the treatment team using effective communication and organization skills to ensure consistent care among staff
- Implement individual patient programs using knowledge of behavioral interventions (including level system, time out and seclusion) and specialized programs to provide consistent patient care
- Complete timely and accurate documentation on all patient care forms.Recognize critical situations and identify options to manage crisis using sound judgment and problem solving skills to prevent escalation of the situation or injury to client/staff
- Ensure systematic screening of adults, using evidence-based screening tools (e.g., PHQ9, GAD7)
- Use a variety of educational materials, brief intervention techniques, and community resources to engage patients, increase their motivation to change, and support patients in establishing behavior change goals and implementing plans to meet those goals
- Effectively communicate with the patient and care team
- Systematically review the caseload with the consulting psychiatrist and LICSW each week
Qualifications for behavioral health specialist
- Excellent communication, interpersonal skills and presentation required
- Must be able to communicate with clinical staff, administrators and office staff
- Ability to work with confidential materials and to manage multiple tasks
- Holds a Master’s Degree in the behavioral health field
- Helpful if certified by the Arizona State Department of Education as a Guidance Counselor and meets applicable Advance Ed
- Prior formal training and experience in brief, structured counseling techniques
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Behavioral Health Specialist Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of behavioral health specialist. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for behavioral health specialist
- Masters degree in Social Work, Education, Psychology, or Applied Behavior Analysis
- Masters degree in a related field with at least 33% ABA course work
- Masters degree in an unrelated field with at least 50% ABA course work
- Supervisory and administrative experience is strongly preferred
- Facilitates goals and educational groups
- Establishes a supportive, therapeutic relationship with patients in order to engage patients in active program cooperation
- Functions as advocate and coordinates patient care in accordance with Behavioral Health Unit standards
- Provides patient care under the direction of the Charge Nurse
- Participates in care conferences, team meetings, milieu, and attends a minimum of 70% of staff meetings
- Reports and documents patient observations as indicated per unit standards
Qualifications for behavioral health specialist
- Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology or family studies
- 6 months of prior experience working with psychiatric and/or chemically dependent patients
- 6 months of prior experience working in a pediatric behavioral healthcare setting
- At least two (2) years experience clinical competency in specialty area required
- 2+ years Medi-Cal experience
- 2+ years of provider relations or community engagement experience
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Behavioral Health Specialist Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of behavioral health specialist. If you are looking for an exciting place to work, please take a look at the list of qualifications below.
Responsibilities for behavioral health specialist
- Obtains and records patient's vital signs and other patient care data in Epic EMR
- Exhibits behavior that supports the organization's Service Standards and Cultural Beliefs
- Maintains and/or takes action to address patient and environmental safety
- Opening and closing patient records
- Obtaining insurance authorization for services
- Meeting with families to coordinate care as recommended by child psychiatrists
- Conduct comprehensive assessments that include the physical, behavioral, pharmaceutical and social needs of the patients
- Assesses the patient’s knowledge of their clinical condition and provide education and self-management support based on the patient’s unique learning style
- Provide outreach to clients who are having problems with treatment adherence and who may be relapsing
- Coordinate with other agencies and community providers
Qualifications for behavioral health specialist
- Ability and willingness to function independently and proactively in a primary health care setting
- Ability to maintain a professional stance if conflicts arise with other staff
- Effective use of the Internet and Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel and Outlook
- Effective use of electronic medical records once trained
- Bachelor's degree in psych or related field
- 3 years post degree experience in a psychiatric or substance abuse setting required
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Behavioral Health Specialist Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is hiring for a behavioral health specialist. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for behavioral health specialist
- Assess patients and provide additional support between visits with LIPs
- Facilitate psycho-educational and support groups
- Act as liaison between programming to facilitate continuity of care
- Provide coverage as needed for other staff in PCMHI
- Perform triage for telephone calls, walk-ins, patients who are in crisis, and call-offs
- Specific prescriber directed tasks which can include coordinating refills, consult on laboratory results and providing physician instruction to patients
- Orients patients to treatment setting and participates in team treatment
- Takes a primary role in maintaining a safe, therapeutic environment
- Conducts a variety of patient treatment activities such as individual and group
- Maintain Up-to-Date Knowledge
Qualifications for behavioral health specialist
- Masters or Doctoral degree in behavioral health field preferred
- Registered Nurse with behavioral health experience/background
- NA-R or NA-C required upon hire
- Inpatient acute psychiatric experience preferred
- Excellent customer service and communication skills/experience
- High School Diploma/GED with RN license or Master's Degree if licensed behavioral health professional