Licensed Mental Health Provider (Lcsw/Lmft/Mfta/Lpc/Lpca) (Outpatient)

This is a part-time contract position

Summary of Job Descriptions:

Provide quality outpatient therapeutic mental health and behavioral health services to clients.

Work collaboratively to build community awareness of our services and promote growth of the agency.

Provide effective development of Treatment Plans

Performing audits of client caseload to ensure documentation meets standards and reflects quality service-delivery.

Conducting intake/screening for recipients;

Crisis intervention and consultation;

Ensuring appropriate assessments for all recipients served;

Implementation of best practice and emerging practice.

Conducting Assessments:

1st Priority Healthcare provides assessment services to children, youth, and adults and the May participate in the assessment process, either through a Comprehensive Clinical Assessment or a Diagnostic Assessment. All assessments and evaluations should be conducted according to local, State, and agency regulations.

1st Priority Healthcare uses a standardized assessment tool for all Comprehensive Clinical Assessments conducted at the agency. All clinicians are trained on this tool prior to administration. Eligibility for services for Enhanced Services is determined and required by a licensed clinician and the Medical Director through a thorough clinical assessment process. During this assessment process, the credentialed professional gathers and documents information to include:

Presenting concerns and precipitating events (from the perspective of the recipient);

Strategies to address presenting concerns if assessment is completed prior to initiating service-delivery;

Urgent needs and safety risk assessments;

Relevant medical and psychiatric history;

Effectiveness of previous mental health treatment, as well as diagnostic and assessment information (psychiatric, substance abuse, medical, and vocational as relevant to the recipient’s need);

Current and history of substance use, abuse, and dependence;

Current and previous medications and history of medication compliance;

Health history and current health needs;

Summary of symptoms and needs;

Recipient strengths, preferences, and needs;

Mental status;

Functional status;

Cultural, language, and religious preferences;

Abilities, interests, and leisure activities;

Employment and legal history;

Family history;

Life stressors to include history of abuse and neglect;

Developmental history (for children and adolescents).

Support systems or lack of natural support, to include social history;

Risk-taking behaviors;

Information regarding co-occurring disorders;

Need for supportive technology;

Advanced directions when appropriate; and

An assessment of whether or not agency can provide services to address individual’s needs.

Provide an interpretive summary, recommendation for treatment interventions, and a diagnosis for the recipient on all five axes as outlined in the DMS-IV.

In the event of emergent safety issues identified during the assessment process, the Outpatient Therapist will establish a Crisis Plan with the recipient if there are concerns about a potential crisis. Document these crisis intervention services on the assessment or by attaching addendums to the assessment.

As specifically described in the State Service Definitions, a Diagnostic/Assessment is an intensive clinical and functional face to face evaluation of a recipient’s mental health, developmental disability, or substance abuse condition that results in the issuance of a Diagnostic/Assessment report with a recommendation regarding whether the recipient meets target population criteria, and includes an order for Enhanced Benefit services that provides the basis for the development of an initial Person Centered Plan. For substance abuse-focused Diagnostic/Assessment, the designated Diagnostic Tool specified by DMH (e.g., SUDDS IV, ASI, SASSI) for specific substance abuse target populations (i.e., Work First, DWI, etc.) must be used. In addition, any elements included in this service definition that are not covered by the tool must be completed.

The Diagnostic/Assessment must include the following elements:

A. A chronological general health and behavioral health history (includes both mental health and substance abuse) of the recipient’s symptoms, treatment, treatment response and attitudes about treatment over time, emphasizing factors that have contributed to or inhibited previous recovery efforts;

B. Biological, psychological, familial, social, developmental and environmental dimensions and identified strengths and weaknesses in each area;

C. A description of the presenting problems, including source of distress, precipitating events, associated problems or symptoms, recent progressions; and current medications;

D. A strengths/problem summary which addresses risk of harm, functional status, co-morbidity, recovery environment, and treatment and recovery history;

E. Diagnoses on all five (5) axes of DSM-IV;

F. Evidence of an interdisciplinary team progress note that documents the team’s review and discussion of the assessment;

G. A recommendation for appropriate services

H. Evidence of recipient participation including families, or when applicable, guardians or other caregivers

This assessment will be signed and dated by the clinician and the Medical Director and will serve as the initial order for services included in the ISRP. Upon completion, the ISRP will be sent to the LME for administrative review and authorization of services under the purview of the LME.

For additional services added after the development of the initial ISRP, the order requirement for each service is included in the service definition.

Must maintain current licensure as an LPC, LCSW, LMFT, MFTA, LPCA, or licensed psychologist in the State of KY.

Technical knowledge in the use of relevant counseling and psychotherapy techniques that apply to the services authorized. Understands and can articulate technical concepts and information that relate to the disorder(s) treated and the therapies used to provide treatment. Recognize signs and symptoms of mental health needs and co-occurring disorders related to the population served.

Have cultural awareness in the delivery of service to a diverse population. Understands and can articulate the psychological, sociological and political aspects of providing MH/DD/SAS services to diverse populations. Has the ability to communicate and provide competent and appropriate services to a diverse population.

Have analytical skill in screening, assessing and evaluating persons receiving services. Understanding psychological, physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and developmental issues, determines accurate diagnosis and/or assessment, and interprets evaluative instruments correctly in order to accurately reflect the individual's strengths, preferences, and needs.

Have the ability to synthesize individual's information from involved agencies or sources, and to formulate and implement an appropriate clinical course of action in collaboration with these agencies and sources. Have the ability to recognize person's needs and to refer individual to appropriate professionals and resources. Will make appropriate decisions and/or referrals in a timely manner.

Possess Interpersonal skills ability to establish rapport, openness, and trust. Ability to interact effectively with individuals, families, and involved agencies to promote active treatment and relapse prevention.

Communication skills to effectively formulate and clearly articulate ideas in both verbal and written form. The ability to effectively interpret and convey verbal and non-verbal information through appropriate means for the individual and the population served.

Clinical skills with the ability to successfully assess, evaluate and provide individuals with the treatment and therapies appropriate to the person's identifies needs and conditions.

Supervision: This position will provide direct supervision to non-medical staff identifying and providing interventions to address barriers that impede the development of skills necessary for the recipient to function independently in the community; provide family psycho-education development and revision of the recipient's Person Centered Plan. Other interventions may include assisting staff in developing skills to include: therapeutic mentoring; symptom monitoring; monitoring medications; and self management of symptoms.

Agency Responsibilities: These include attendance at required meetings (include peer and clinical supervision, supervision meetings) and trainings to keep abreast of agency regulations and procedures, increase knowledge and skills in clinical areas, and provide needed agency services, documentation of clinical work with recipients and keeping of medical records per agency and Medicaid standards. 1st Priority Healthcare, LLC requirements include annual Blood Borne Pathogens training for all staff and NCI training.

Other Position Characteristics:

Accuracy of work by the individual in this position will have a tremendous impact on treatment outcome for recipients and parents/families.Accuracy with respect to the management of emergencies and the diversion of inappropriate hospitalizations are required. Effective as well as efficient direction of allocation of fiscal resources is mandatory in supporting and realizing the primary goals and objectives of children's services. This accuracy requires visual/perceptual, verbal and written communication skills.

Consequences are commensurate with the error, ranging from inconsequential to severe.

Weekly, ongoing supervision meetings with supervisees, staff meetings, and Team meetings.

Knowledge of 1st Priority Healthcare, LLC guidelines and policies, confidentiality guidelines, professional standards for treatment, DSM IV, and LME Program guidelines.

Will develop individual supervision plans for Associate and Para Professionals on team.

Minimal physical effort should be required for the fulfillment of the requirements of this position.

The tasks of this position will be performed in the community and office.

Basic office equipment, including personal computer and materials used in the community based therapeutic practices.

Visual observations of staff’s interactions with recipients and peers are essential for training and ongoing evaluation purposes. Visual observation is also essential to the recipient's treatment and proper allocation of resources. Intense mental concentration is necessary for the following: managing a recipient through crisis, managing staff retention and training, overall supervision of staff, fulfilling medical record requirements and other essential paperwork, communicating with officials in the community, evaluating potential emergency placements, etc.

All possible safety measures will be met to protect recipients and other staff if the need should arise.

This position requires a thorough knowledge of evidenced based therapy techniques (specifically community and home based practices), effective supervision practices, sophisticated diagnostic and prescriptive practices, in depth knowledge about community mental health and related health systems, minimal competency with personal computing, and skills in the planning, development and implementation of programming goals and objectives. Effective communication skills, both within house, staff and in the community, are essential.

Minimum qualifications are:

Licensed Professional: maintains current license as an LPC, LMFT, LCSW, MFTA, LPCA, or licensed psychologist.

Kentucky Medicaid board registered required for fully licensed providers.

This training and experience should fully prepare an individual for this work.

Job Type: PART-TIME, Contract

Flexible work schedule

Weekend opportunities to provide client services available.

Pay: based upon credentials and experience.

COVID-19 considerations:

Daily and as needed cleaning. Face mask welcomed but not required.