Behavioral Health Consultant

Job Title

Behavioral Health Consultant

#FPCN-IBHBHC-7192024

Reports To

Director of Integrated Behavioral Health

Location

Abbottsford Falls - 4700 Wissahickon Avenue

Program Summary 

The Family Practice & Counseling Network (FPCN) provides comprehensive primary care, dental and behavioral health services. We stand behind the belief that all people are entitled to accessible, comprehensive, quality, and affordable health care, and that care must be delivered in a culturally competent, trauma-informed and compassionate manner by caring for the whole person – mind, body & spirit.  The network’s mission is to provide person-centered, integrated and comprehensive health services to individuals and families across their lifespan. The network promotes resiliency and well-being among patients, staff and surrounding communities.  

We are a network of 3 comprehensive health centers, one convenient care center and six school-based health centers in Philadelphia.   

Today, FPCN serves more than 15,000 patients annually and is a NCQA certified Patient-Centered Medical Home and recognized by HRSA as a National Quality Leader for Behavioral Health.  

FPCN is opening Philadelphia’s First Birth Center; its collaborating hospital is the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. This brand new 30,000 sq ft space will feature exam rooms, birthing suites, community meeting rooms and a gorgeous community garden park. The Family Health and Birthing Center will provide full prenatal, birth, and postpartum care in Southwest Philadelphia. Services include education on nutrition, exercise, childbirth preparation, breastfeeding, infant, and self-care; and mental health and substance abuse therapy for those who need it. These services will be provided by interdisciplinary teams of professionals led by nurse midwives and doulas, including behavioral health specialists, addiction counselors, social workers, and registered nurses. Additional services will include transportation assistance; lactation counseling; prenatal and parenting education; legal services; and complementary mind/body services, such as yoga, massage, and meditation. All staff will have training in anti-racism, justice, diversity, and inclusion (A-JEDI), trauma-informed care, and sanctuary model practices.  

Position Summary 

The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) functions as part of the primary care treatment team.  This individual provides behavioral health consultation, assessment and brief intervention to all patients in the primary care setting. The BHC will administer and review screenings and assessment tools to identify psychosocial, psychological and developmental struggles. It is the role of the BHC to advocate for all patients and to connect patients and families to community resources as needed. The BHC will uphold the health center mission by assuring the delivery of high-quality clinical services that result in better health outcomes, strong consumer satisfaction; and that help maintain the fiscal and operational capacity of the Behavioral Health Department.  

Team members are expected uphold the health center mission by assuring that patients receive health care that is competent, caring, and meets with a high degree of satisfaction. In addition, staff must support FPCN's commitment to the creation of a trauma-informed system of care that continually recognizes and responds to the impact of traumatic stress on all those who have contact with the organization, including children, adults, families, caregivers, and staff. 

Essential functions

1.  Brief Consultations – Assist primary health care providers in recognizing and treating mental health disorders and psychosocial struggles within the primary care setting.  
2.  Assess the clinical status of patients referred by primary care providers. 
3. Provide options counseling and referral to prenatal care as needed.  
4. Collaborate/consult with Nurse Practitioners & other clinical staff regarding all patients seen by Behavioral Health Consultant.  
5. Work closely with Providers at the site to identify at risk patients and collaboratively develop plans to prevent further psychological or physical deterioration.  
6. Crisis Intervention – Be immediately available to the Family Practice and Counseling Network staff during working hours in the event of any psychiatric emergency.  
7. Coordinate care of patients with medical/social work/outpatient and outreach staff to treat and manage patients’ chronic emotional and/or health struggles efficiently and effectively.
8. Refer patients to other levels of care or additional services as needed.  
9. Participate in monthly clinical supervision with IBH Director.  
10. Participate in monthly clinical/administrative group supervision within Integrated Behavioral Health Department.  
11. Attend and participate in team meetings, case conferences and interdisciplinary work groups/huddles as scheduled within primary care/behavioral health departments.  
12. Ability and cooperation to provide BHC coverage at other clinic sites as needed and requested by Director. 
13. Maintain competencies in mental health as required by all licensing and funding entities; maintain PA license to practice.  
14. Charting - Utilize electronic medical record to document all patient interactions and complete all charting required by contracted funding sources to include assessments, progress notes and billing in a timely fashion.  
15. Productivity – Meet productivity standards as established by the corporation.  
16. Member of Family Practice and Counseling Network’s Multi-disciplinary Team.  Attend and participate in meetings and quality improvement activities as required.  
17. Respond to patient or co-worker complaints and work toward a positive resolution of any dispute.  
18. Serve as a member of site committees as requested.  
19. Participate in evaluation of peers and support staff when requested.  
20. Any other duties assigned by supervisor. 

 Qualifications

1. Master's in social work or Ph.D./Psy.D. in Psychology  
2. Current Pennsylvania licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Psychologist.  
3. Excellent working knowledge of behavioral medicine and evidence-based treatments for medical, behavioral, and mental health conditions.  
4. Maintain and uphold Social Work/Psychology ethical and legal guidelines.
5. Ability to work with a culturally diverse population.  
6. Ability to make quick and accurate clinical assessments of mental and behavioral health conditions via brief patient contact.  
7. High level of comfort in working with primary care medical providers using a consultative style.  
8. Ability to complete clinical documentation with concise, clinically relevant information in a timely fashion.  
9. Demonstrates good time management skills and follow through. 
10. Ability to design effective psycho-education curricula and lead effective psychoeducational group visits.  
11. Ability to work effectively as a team, interfacing with patients, primary care providers, behavioral health staff, as well as with administrative and support staff.  
12.  Ability to exercise balanced judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions, and to handle difficult or confrontational situations in a calm, consistent, and equitable manner.  
13. Ability to effectively represent health center’s interests in the community and maintain effective working relationships among co-workers, public, private, and professional groups.  
14. Ability to create a space for staff and those we serve to feel physically and emotionally safe. 
15. Ability to support individuals on their paths to recovery and healing and resist retraumatizing of staff and patients. 
16. Demonstrate exemplary problem-solving, communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills. 

Working Conditions

• Exposure to Loud Noise 

Physical Requirements

Lifting Requirements

• Light: exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force  constantly to move objects. The use of arm and/or leg control requires force greater than  sedentary, but worker still sits majority of time 

Physical Requirements

• Stand or Sit (stationary position) 
• Walk 
• Use hands or fingers to handle or feel (operate, activate, prepare, inspect, position) 
• Climb (stairs/ladders) 
• Talk/Hear (communicate, converse, convey, express/exchange information) 
• See (detect, identify, recognize, inspect, assess)  
• Pushing or Pulling 
• Repetitive Motion 
• Reaching (high or low) 
• Kneel, Stoop, Crouch or Crawn (position self, move)

Resources for Human Development is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, veteran, or disability status.

Visa Sponsorship: FPCN does not provide H1B Visa Sponsorship.  All candidates must be US Citizens and/or authorized to work in the United States without Sponsorship. 

Anti-Racist Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (AJEDI):  FPCN is committed to providing an environment that does not discriminate or disproportionately impact underrepresented and under-resourced communities within the FPCN network. The network’s AJEDI initiatives strive to make FPCN a more equitable and just organization by helping to foster a culturally competent, inclusive, and integrated workplace. 

Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate:  FPCN, a program in the City of Philadelphia, are required to follow the COVID vaccine mandate for healthcare workers per Philadelphia Department of Public Health. FPCN requires Healthcare Workers to be fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated means it has been two weeks since the final dose of vaccine. Thus, we require vaccination prior to start for all new hires. This currently does not include boosters.