Behavioral Health Clinician | Women's Treatment Program

About CLARE|MATRIX: CLARE|MATRIX “CM” is a nonprofit organization providing effective and compassionate treatment, recovery, and prevention services for alcoholism and substance use to individuals, families, and the community. Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, CLARE|MATRIX maintains multiple facilities in the Southern California region.

Since 1970, CLARE|MATRIX has provided quality substance use and mental health treatment to men, women, and youth in southern California.

Summary

Under the supervision of the Director of Residential, the Behavioral Health Clinician “BHC” plays a vital role in supporting the well-being of participants receiving services at our residential program. The BHC provides behavioral and mental health services, including therapy, crisis intervention, and case management delivering evidence-based, trauma-informed, and person-centered therapeutic interventions to adults with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function, with or without accommodation. The requirements listed below are representative of the duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have direct reports.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Behavioral Health Clinician will provide direct service and within scope of practice by spending the majority of their time conducting and documenting clinical assessments and client evaluations. A BHC I may only perform the following under supervision.

1. CLINICAL QUALITY CARE DELIVERY

1. Assessment: Conduct assessments and evaluations with new and existing clients. Perform duties within timeframes to meet service goals. Assessments may include but are not limited to Mental Health Status Exam, Biopsychosocial interviews, assessment scales, app health scales, Columbia Suicide Severity, PHQ, Beck Regression, and Beck Anxiety.

2. Therapy: Provides therapeutic interventions, including evidence-based practices for substance use and psychological disorders.

1. Crisis and Clinical Support to Programs: Meet clinical and mental health needs as they arise conducting crisis intervention sessions.

2. Individual Sessions: Conduct mental health evaluation, assessments, and individual sessions. Determine if and provide family and/or couple counseling as needed.

3. Group Facilitation: Conduct group counseling and educational groups.

2. CASE MANAGEMENT

1. ASAM and Treatment Plans: Review and finalize ASAM and Treatment Plans.

2. Utilization: Perform utilization reviews and discharge summaries. Ensure charts meet quality management standards per regular utilization review and/or chart review process, including completion of review tools within designated timeframe.

3. EHR: Maintain accurate and timely documentation of participant care in electronic health records (EMR).

4. Shift Reports: Provide clear and concise shift reports to ensure continuity of care.

3. Documentation and Billing

1. EHR: Utilizing the EHR, the BHC has responsibility and oversight for ensuring the proper, correct and timely

documentation of all notes and administration of participants’ medical records, maintaining compliance with municipal, state and federal regulations and maintaining accurate and complete proper documentation for all participant encounters.

2. QA and Billing: Confirms evidence of complete progress note ensuring all notes are completed in real time to expedite billing requirements. Ensure health, physical and TB test administration are reflected in the charts for billing to process timely and accurately.

4. SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

1. Compliance: Ensures program compliance with all CLARE|MATRIX Policies and Procedures. The BHC must adhere to all state and federal regulations and prioritize participant safety and dignity in all aspects of care. Adhere to and ensure all staff follows all safety rules and regulations.

2. HIPPA Compliance: Secures participant information and maintains strict participant confidence by completing and safeguarding medical records and ensuring participant information is kept confidential.

3.

Professional Behavior: Ensures strict maintenance of professional boundaries following established limits and guidelines for appropriate behavior with participants, ensuring a safe and ethical environment by clearly separating the professional role from personal interactions, and protecting the participant's privacy and dignity.

Boundaries typically include but are not limited to personal disclosure limits, physical touch restrictions, and clear communication about the professional nature of the relationship.

4. Safety Standards: Ensure health and safety regulations are upheld to CLARE|MATRIX standards, OSHA, CAL-OSHA, and all regulatory requirements.

5. Incident reports: Complete incident reports timely and in accordance with company and regulatory requirements.

5. Teamwork and Collaboration

1. Communication: Collaborate with nurses, therapists, and other clinical providers to communicate participant changes, needs, updates, and progress. Respond to staff and participants in a professional and courteous manner.

2. Meetings: Participate in staff meetings, one-on-one meetings with supervisors, and other meetings as required.

3. Education and Training: Participate in ongoing training, team meetings, and certifications to maintain eligibility for the role.

Secondary Areas of Responsibility

Other duties as assigned

6. Qualifications

1. Must have a current, valid and unrestricted mental health license in the State of California as designated by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to qualify as a BHC II. Qualifying licensure includes LCSW, LMFT, and LPCC. To qualify as a BHC I, you must have a current, valid and unrestricted registration as an ACSW, or AMFT.

2. Must have current and valid First Aid and CPR certification.

3. Must carry and provide evidence of appropriate and current Professional Liability Insurance.

7. Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Experience

BHC II

BHC I

Knowledge of co-occurring mental health disorders, and/or substance use disorders (SUD).

Familiarity with co-occurring mental health disorders, and/or substance use disorders (SUD).

Knowledge of ASAM criteria and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Familiarity with ASAM criteria and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Knowledge of Title 22, DHCS, and Joint Commission or CARF standards.

Familiarity with Title 22, DHCS, and Joint Commission or CARF standards.

Experience with electronic health records “EHR”.

Familiarity with electronic health records “EHR”.

Effective communication, organizational, and time-management skills.

Effective communication, organizational, and time-management skills.

Effective verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

Effective verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

Organized and detailed oriented.

Organized and detailed oriented.

Self-motivated and able to effectively carry out job duties and responsibilities.

Self-motivated and able to effectively carry out job duties and responsibilities.

Thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Physical Demands

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is regularly required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and reach with arms and hands overhead or below the waist.

The employee is rarely required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is rarely required to lift, carry, push or pull up to 10 pounds. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

The candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions.

Medical History

All employees who have or require contact with participants, or in food preparation, shall complete a health screening report or a health questionnaire. A health screening report will be provided upon hire. For all residential and detox employees, a health screening report will be completed and signed off by a medical practitioner for clearance. All employees will complete a self-report screening questionnaire.

A TB test will be conducted under licensed medical supervision not more than 60 calendar days prior to 7 calendar days after employment and renewed annually from the date of the last tuberculosis test.

Staff with a known record of tuberculosis or a record of positive testing shall not be required to obtain a tuberculosis skin test.

Unless there is documentation that the staff has completed at least 6 months of preventive therapy, the staff shall be required to obtain, within 45 calendar days of employment, a chest x-ray result and a physician’s statement that the incumbent does not have tuberculosis and has not been under regular care and monitoring for tuberculosis.

A chest x-ray within the prior 6 months is acceptable. The physician’s statement shall be renewed annually.

Work Environment

This job will be primarily located at the CLARE|MATRIX facilities in Santa Monica, California. This job is primarily an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards. The work environment is fast-paced and dynamic. The work requires the ability to work in a confined area. The work environment may involve exposure to participants experiencing challenging behaviors including oc