BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST - TOUCHSTONE

On Site Location: Bulverde, TX

Primary Function/Responsibilty

The Behavioral Health Specialist is a compassionate, experienced, and trauma-informed provider to join our team in supporting children and adolescents, particularly those involved in the foster care system.

The Behavioral Health Specialist provides ongoing monitoring, support and behavioral health services to children and youth with emotional trauma, as well as to serve their families.

The Behavioral Health Specialist will engage the children and family in weekly skills training and case management (routine and intensive) service.

The Behavioral Health Specialist will follow a strengths-based model to develop and build skills that will help the children, youth and families function autonomously and successfully.

The Behavioral Health Specialist will work with the clinical team to develop a Service/Treatment Plan focused on the child and family’s needs as directed by the CANS.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Enters demographic data, contacts made, and other required data for all newly assigned clients into the electronic record system in a timely manner (i. e., 23 hours).
• Facilitates the development of an individualized Service/Treatment Plan within 10 days of intake when the assessment is completed.
• Works with child, youth and family teams to develop a Crisis Plan to ensure the safety of the child, family, and community.
• Assumes the lead for crisis interventions during the assigned shift.
• Utilizes approved skills curriculum with child, youth and family to help improve behavior.
• Coordinates and facilitates ongoing child, youth and family team meetings.
• Meets with the client, family and all team members, and modifies the Service/Treatment Plan to reflect the changes and/or progress made.
• Keeps the family and team members informed on progress toward achieving Service/Treatment Plan goals.
• Maintains accurate and concise documentation of all services, contacts and collaboration with client, family and community partners. All documentation is to be submitted to supervisor within 23 hours after service has been delivered.
• Provides or secures support and crisis/emergency services for the child, youth and family by phone contact or in-person.
• Maintains an empathic, yet professional, relationship with child, youth and family and strives to keep clients and families engaged in all services.
• Maintains all client documentation in the electronic record system and ensures adherence to requirements set forth in all state and federal rules and regulations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in human services or other related discipline.
• At least two years’ prior experience working in the behavioral health field preferred.
• Excellent communication, empathy, and collaboration skills

Certifications/Licenses/Registrations

• Valid Texas Driver’s License, good driving record, ability to provide own transportation and proof of current automobile insurance.

General Expectations

• Completes and attests to completion of all mandatory training courses for the Qualified Mental Health Professional Community Services (QMHP-CS) as identified in HHSC UMCM chapter 15.3 within four (4) weeks of hire or transfer.
• Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files.
• Complete and submit required documentation within 23hrs of services provided.
• Ensure compliance with all State regulations and SJRC Texas policies.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Maintain confidentiality of information and professional boundaries.
• Meet schedules and deadlines of the work.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.

Physical/Mental Requirements

• Body mobility to stoop, kneel, bend, reach, walk and walk briskly to interact with and monitor children.
• Stamina to work long days and drive long distances.
• Light to moderate lifting up to 60 pounds.
• Communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Dexterity to remain calm and adapt to fast paced and emotional environments consisting of children with moderate to severe emotional and psychological needs.
• Settings with varying moderate to high degrees of background noise.
• Light and ventilation found in typical setting.
• Campuses are smoke-free, except on permitted campuses in designated areas.
• Possible injury when lifting or moving (child or objects) if employee fails to use proper body mechanics, or if proper techniques are not used when the use of SAMA restraint techniques are required.

Description of Organizational Relationship/Reporting Relationships

Supervised by: VP of Residential Services

Supervises: N/A