Behavioral Health Consultant

Make a real difference in a role where your work truly matters. As a Behavioral Health Consultant at Salem Clinic, you’ll connect medical and mental health care, helping patients take meaningful steps toward healthier lives. You’ll grow your skills, collaborate with a supportive team, and enjoy the stability and benefits of a trusted, patient-focused clinic.

Full-time Opening Working at the Following Locations

Salem Clinic South | 2531 Boone Rd Se Salem, OR 97306

Salem Clinic Inland Shores | 5900 Inland Shores Way N Keizer, OR 97303

Benefits offered for full-time and part-time (budgeted 22.5-40 hrs/wk):

• 401(k) retirement plan- 10% employer contribution
• 100% Clinic paid employee premiums for medical, dental, and vision plans. 50% Clinic paid premiums for part-time employees.
• Free Lab and Imaging services when performed at Salem Clinic for those covered with the Clinic’s medical plan.
• Health Reimbursement Account
• Life & Long-term Disability Insurance
• Paid time off & Holiday pay
• Flexible Spending Account
• Athletic & Weight Management Club Credits
• Bilingual pay differential program (3% wage increase if qualified)

Job Summary

The Behavioral Health Consultant is a core member of the collaborative care team, including the patient’s medical provider, mental health consultants, as well as the larger primary care team, and the Comprehensive Care Coordination Department. The Behavioral Health Consultant is responsible for providing direct patient care, supporting and coordinating the mental and physical health care of referred patients with the patient’s medical provider, and when appropriate, mental health providers.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Master’s degree in Social Work. Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate effectively in a team setting.
• Ability to maintain effective and professional relationships with patient and other members of the care team.
• Experience with screening for common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
• Working knowledge of differential diagnosis of common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
• Experience with assessment and treatment planning for common mental health and/or substance use disorders.
• Ability to effectively engage patients in a therapeutic relationship.
• Ability to work with patients by telephone as well as in person.
• Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments and brief behavioral interventions for common mental health disorders, when appropriate (e. g., motivational interviewing, problem-solving treatment, behavioral activation).
• Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology for common mental health disorders.
• Experience with evidence-based counseling techniques.
• Ability to utilize computer programs for patient care (Epic, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and access information from the internet.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of professional LCSW experience, preferably in an ambulatory care setting.

Essential Functions

• Closely coordinate care with the patient’s primary care provider (PCP) and, when appropriate, other mental health providers. The position is an extension of the PCP’s care and coordination of their patient’s health care needs.
• Support the mental and physical health care of assigned and referred patients.
• Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders. Facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care.
• Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and the available treatment options.
• Provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate.
• Participate in consultations with mental health consultants and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s medical provider.
• Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone) for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications.
• Support mental health medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
• Facilitate outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e. g. problem-solving treatment or behavioral activation) as clinically indicated.
• Track patient follow up and clinical outcomes in the EHR. Document in-person and telephone encounters in the EHR.
• Document patient progress and treatment recommendations in EHR and other required systems so as to be shared with medical providers, mental health consultants, and other treating providers.
• Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the medical provider and mental health consultants 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.
• Provides regular feedback and updates to the primary care team on treatment findings and progress through written and verbal communication.

Our mission at Salem Clinic is to improve the health of those we serve in a spirit of compassion and respect.

Full-time, M-F, 7:30a-4:30p

40 hours/week