Position Description

The Call Center Clinician is responsible for facilitating the delivery of behavioral healthcare services to individuals within the MCO’s catchment area and functions as the first point of clinical contact.  Triage, screening, referral and initial authorization of services are all conducted by the Clinician.  Emergency services – including referrals or commitments for in-patient hospitalization are also delivered.

Responsibilities

Triage / Screening / Referral / Initial Authorization

• Triage (primarily telephonic) is done in order to determine intensity of need (acuity).
• Screenings are conducted on a planned or emergency basis and serve to further assess the individuals need(s)
• Clinical and financial eligibility, as well as, client choice contribute to the clinician’s referral to an appropriate provider.
• Initial authorization of services may be given after screening.  Will be responsible for reviewing requests for service authorization during down time

Documentation/Records/Data

• Clinical and administrative documentation of all triage, screening, referral and authorization activities are completed and updated by the clinician
• Records data related to these functions is maintained by the clinician for the purpose of internal use, as well as, external monitoring
• Crisis stabilization and/or Intervention
• Stabilization may occur via brief, crisis-oriented counseling with focus on current issues and immediate planning
• Emergency services including assessment of suicide risk and dangerousness to others, as well as, implementation of appropriate and necessary intervention.  (involuntary commitment or voluntary referral to in-patient hospital or detox facility)

Communication and Consultation

• Communication with LME staff, service providers, clients, families, and all external agencies and regulatory entities is conducted as needed
• The Access/STR clinician will be available for consultation and will participate in local, state-wide or other relevant collaborations as requested by Access/STR Lead or by licensure/certification boards to ensure on-going education and best practice standards.

Education/Experience/Licensure:

Master’s degree in a human services field and four years of professional, therapeutic counseling experience in mental health or related human services field such as rehabilitation counseling, professional counseling, pastoral counseling, marriage and family therapy, child life program that provides the techniques in therapy or therapeutic assessments, one of which must be supervised.

Independent License in NC as a LCSW, LPC, LMFT or LCAS – Employee is responsible for complying with respective licensure board’s continuing education/training requirements in order to maintain an active license. Experience involving assessment and evaluation of individuals with diagnoses of mental illness, substance abuse and /or developmental disabilities would be extremely valuable;   Experience in utilization of crisis intervention techniques and utilization management and service authorizations would be beneficial.

Eastpointe LME/MCO is an URAC accredited agency – in order to meet URAC standards individuals holding LCAS license must also hold second license as LCSW, LPC or LMFT

*Licensed applicants with less than four years experience may be hired in a lower level job class requiring less experience until he/she has the opportunity to gain additional professional experience