The Behavioral Health Clinician is primarily responsible for conducting telephonic screening, triage and referral functions for individuals seeking services. The Clinician ensures that individuals calling with service needs are safely linked in a timely fashion with available services and/or community resources. The Clinician may also provide crisis service authorizations for both state and Medicaid funded emergency type services.
This position will be equipped with all supplies and technologies to be able to work from home. The selected candidate must reside in North Carolina and is required to attend an initial 6 to 8- week virtual training period, Monday-Friday, between 9a.m. to 5p.m. The schedule will be a fixed schedule that includes nights and weekends and will be discussed further in the phone screen.
Responsibilities & Duties
Conduct Initial Screenings, Assessments, and Reviews, and make referrals
Receive escalated calls from specialists who identified callers during initial screening that have urgent or emergent needs. Callers may be actively psychotic, actively suicidal, actively homicidal, intoxicated, in active withdrawal and/or experiencing a medical emergency
Make clinical triage decisions based on often limited information obtained during telephonic screening
Ensure individuals receive a comprehensive screening and appropriate referral that matches level of service needed
Maintain safety of all callers, which may include contacting and mobilizing community first responders, (EMS, CIT officers, police, mobile crisis teams)
Engage Decision to Warn when working with callers with active homicidal ideation, according to policy
Report to Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services, when warranted
Identify high risk/special health care needs populations and refer to Care Coordination
Review caller history, when available, in the client management system to help determine most appropriate referral options
Use electronic scheduling system to schedule and secure assessment appointments with contracted providers based on consumer’s choice of service providers – considering consumer’s needs, location, and other provider characteristics
Complete specialized screening documentation for all service-related calls; document all incoming call activity in MCO tracking system
Simultaneously operate and navigate a multi-function phone system with multiple software programs while managing caller needs; serially operate and navigate multiple software programs in course of all duties
Engage in follow-up activities to ensure consumers were seen for scheduled assessments and crisis follow-up appointments
Route incoming calls to appropriate MCO departments when inquiries cannot be adequately addressed at the Call Center level
Work independently to prioritize tasks and maintain idle status in call queue during high call volume and/or low staffing periods
Simultaneous to other tasks, monitor incoming fax system and overflow vendor reports to ensure written referrals receive appropriate attention within expected time frames
Provide Support, Consultation, & Leadership
Interact with community emergency services orally while receiving information orally and in writing via IM
Engage interpreter services when needed and adjust communication accordingly
Provide oversight and clinical review of calls managed by overflow vendor.
Assist callers with addressing obstacles to accessing care and identify available resources
Provide consultation and support to non-licensed Call Center staff
Thoroughly train incoming staff to job duties and provide additional training to staff throughout clinical operations in the functions of the call center
Compliance & Reporting
Read, integrate, and adapt procedural tasks in a rapidly changing, paperless work environment
Recognize and report quality concerns to supervisor and Provider Network Department
Report patterns of atypical call and service-seeking patterns to supervisor
Minimum Requirements
Education & Experience
Master’s degree in Human Services field and minimum of three (3) years post degree experience in a community, business or governmental program that delivers mental health support services (e.g., adults with mental illness, children with severe emotional disturbance, and persons with developmental disabilities, adults, and children with substance abuse disorders).
Special Requirement
Current, active, and unrestricted behavioral health license issued by a North Carolina Professional Board, (LCSW, LCMHC, LCAS, LPA, LMFT)
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
Knowledge of relevant state and federal laws (i.e., protection of client rights, mandatory reporting, and confidentiality).
Knowledge of treatment modalities (i.e., Crisis Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, and Systems Theory).
Knowledge of culturally competent practices.
Knowledge of diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders 5th edition.
Thorough knowledge of the operation of MCO/LME structure within the North Carolina mental health system.
Thorough knowledge of ASAM Criteria and resources in identified catchment area.
Skill in the use of multiple software platforms and strong keyboarding skills to complete referral process.
Skill troubleshooting minor technological issues independently.
Considerable skill in identifying appropriate level of care based on information provided during time limited telephonic assessment.
Ability to assess clinical level of need telephonically.
Ability to multi-task and focus in a distracting environment.
Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and implement regulations, policies, and procedures; transfer verbal information into written documentation, and the reverse; simultaneously incorporate written and oral information while speaking and typing.
Ability to provide crisis response and deescalate difficult callers.
Ability to coordinate effectively with staff from various agencies.
Ability to manage time, problem solve and prioritize work independently.
Demonstrate flexibility and ability to work cohesively in a team.
Ability to remain composed during high-stress, crisis-related calls.
Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in written documents.
Salary Range
$62,240 -$84,456/Annually
Exact compensation will be determined based on the candidate's education, experience, external market data and consideration of internal equity.
An excellent fringe benefit package accompanies the salary, which includes:
Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Long Term Disability
Generous retirement savings plan
Flexible work schedules including hybrid/remote options
Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, holiday, management leave
