Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

BASIC FUNCTIONS:

Under the supervision of the Director of Behavioral Health, the Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT) is responsible for providing standardize counseling to patients that are referred by Valley Health Team’s physicians and mid-level providers, and school districts. The LMFT will work to address other social needs of patients and will utilize Valley Health Team’s referral sources for needed specialty care, hospitalization, or advance psychiatric assessments and treatments. Adherence to all behavioral health contract requirements (staffing, scope of work, and documentation), staff productivity, and patient satisfaction.

POPULATION/NEEDS: Experience working with pediatrics, adolescents, and adults, with chronic disease treatment compliance issues. Knowledge of chronic disease and dealing with high rates of depression, anxiety, with a culturally diverse population.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Work at a federally Qualified Health Center multidisciplinary team to ensure that patient’s clinical treatment goals and behavioral management needs are met by attending staff consultation and provider meetings to ensure quality care.
2. Conduct function and strength - based assessments along with comprehensive diagnosis for mental health, substance abuse, trauma, and psychosocial needs.
3. Develop patient care plans that are coordinated and integrated with a comprehensive range social, emotional, and practical needs.
4. Provide psychotherapy, counseling, and psycho-education utilizing individual, family, and group modalities using evidence-based interventions for patients with the goal of improved functioning and positive health outcomes.
5. Receive referrals from VHT’s physicians and mid-level providers.
6. Assist in the coordinating of activities for the Case Managers.
7. Maintain communication with other local service agencies for patient referral as needed; develop network of community resources and maintain liaison with these resources.
8. Consult with primary care providers and other appropriate staff to enhance understanding of patient, provide support for treatment approaches that incorporate behavioral health needs, and assist with the implementation of bio-psychosocial treatment and care plans.
9. Consult with Chief Medical Officer and other providers regarding complex patients and regarding prescription medications prescribed by providers.
10. Identify patients with urgent mental health conditions (e.g. suicidal, homicidal, psychotic, etc.) and make appropriate referrals to available emergency or psychiatric treatment facilities.
11. Keep accurate, up-to-date records on clients served, including progress notes, transfer and discharge plans, annual reviews, and all client contacts.
12. Assist in the formulation and implementation of coordination and service plans.
13. Participate in utilization review activities to ensure that all clients accomplish full participation in program.
14. Be available within the organization during working hours for crisis intervention in the event of a psychiatric emergency and assist staff in the event of any other kind of emergency.
15. Prepare and deliver oral presentations to the public on VHT Behavioral Health and its programs.
16. Serves as a liaison with community agencies and school districts
17. On a temporary basis, may be required to work at any satellite facility.
18. Contribute to team effort by assisting other departments as needed and while maintaining confidentiality of VHT’s business.
19. Work cooperatively with all staff members and outside sources in a professional manner to deliver a high level of service.

20. Observe and practice all VHT Patient Experience Service Standards as outlined in “World Class Practices: My Commitment to Care (which I have read and signed). Practice CICARE when interacting with patients, their families, visitors, or internal customers.

21. Practice CICARE phone etiquette during all phone interactions.

22. Always exercise courtesy whenever patients, family members, visitors and co-workers are present.

23. Respect privacy and dignity of our patients, family members, visitors and co-workers.

24. Maintain professionalism in the presence of patients, their families, visitors and co-workers.

25. Act as a role model, verbally and behaviorally demonstrating skill, enthusiasm, positive problem solving, commitment and loyalty to the profession and the organization.

26. Engage as a member of the care team caring for individuals in the community

27. Prep for morning briefing and end of the day debriefing with behavioral health staff and/or medical staff.

28. Promote and educate on evidence-based preventive care, chronic care needs, and self-management support

29. Follow applicable regulations: Joint Commission, OSHA, HIPAA, and CLIA.

30. Serves and protects the practice by adhering to professional standards, policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and The Joint Commission Accreditation of Healthcare Organization standards.

31. Perform other related duties, which may be inclusive, but not listed in the job description.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Completion of Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university, with a major in Psychology, Marriage and Family Counseling, Social Work or a related field
2. LMFT with current California BBS License
3. Current Basic Life Support
4. Knowledge of principles in human, social, and/or behavioral health services, especially for low income underserved individuals, treatment and rehabilitation of children, adolescents and adults with behavioral, developmental or psychological disturbances
5. Demonstrated understating of impact of trauma on behavioral and medical conditions
6. Knowledge of evidence based treatments (DBT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing)
7. Knowledge of principles, procedures, methods and techniques of mental health emergency procedures such as: 5150, CPS reporting, and Tarasoff
8. Modern office practices and procedures (including email)
9. Must show professionalism at all times especially when working with patients
10. Ability to be flexible with work schedule and available to work at all site locations
11. Must have own transportation, valid California Driver’s License and current proof of automobile insurance coverage
12. Demonstrated ability to provide world-class patient experience using CICARE principles and practices. Ability to be proactive and to go above and beyond the call of duty; take initiative to provide a world class patient experience in all encounters via email, phone or in person
13. Bilingual (English/Spanish) ability preferred

TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS: The office setting is a normal work environment. Occasionally work during early morning, evening or weekend. May be subjected to temperature variances in the office.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Requires sitting, standing, or walking for up to eight hours a day. Some bending, stretching, or reaching may be necessary. Lifting up to 40 pounds may be required on occasion. Vision must be correctable to 20/20 and hearing must be in the normal range for telephone contact.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may come in contact with hazardous equipment such as liquid nitrogen, cleaning agents, and sharps. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but may become excessively loud with the increased patient flow during a busy clinic day.

I, the employee, understand the responsibilities and standards of my position as listed above, and I agree to fulfill them to the best of my ability. I understand I am an at-will employee and can be terminated at any time with or without cause. I also understand the Valley Health Team Inc. will not be responsible in any manner for termination’s which are due to defunding of Federal or State Contracts. I also agree that the VHT Board of Directors have the right to modify the Personnel Policies which govern my employment at any time.

This organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to comply with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, or other protected classification.