Behavioral Health Therapist - Good Samaritan & Ephrata ED - Days / Evenings / Nights

Job Posting

PRN as needed Days / Evenings / Nights

General Summary

Assists with initial triage and assessment, provides clinical oversight, facilitates the admissions process, and serves as a resource about internal and external services. Assists with security and patient behavioral management and provides crisis intervention services.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Triages requests for service, providing prompt assistance to all requests in relation to their urgency.
• Documents all requests for service using computerized inquiry functions.
• Maintains a knowledge base of insurance/managed care processes related to pre-certifications and authorizations and completes these as required.
• Uses independent clinical assessment / judgement to make safety observation recommendations in the ED.
• Determines appropriate level of care based on the client's history, psychosocial history, clinical presentation, and funding situation.
• Instructs and assists the client and client family in completing all necessary paperwork, and witnesses signatures as necessary.
• Works cooperatively with program staff to transition the client to the program and participates in the conference call with the psychiatrist as necessary. Provides a summary of pertinent clinical information and special needs as a part of this process.
• Interacts with all clients and family members with an awareness of confidentiality requirements and patient rights issues, and sensitivity to the client's and family's level of distress and needs.
• Assists licensed individual practitioners with initial assessment of patients as they enter triage services.
• Completes all necessary procedures and/or documentation to have treatment authorized by 3rd party payers as needed.
• Completes all necessary procedures and/or documentation necessary to refer patients to other levels of care when appropriate, and/or to other types of service when needed.
• Communicates with and coordinate care with other providers or agencies who may be working with the patient including, but not limited to, the primary care physician, the school, Probation & Parole, Children & Youth, attorneys, clergy, and so forth.
• Using clinical decision-making skills, providing individual, family and group therapy in the ED setting for current ED patient caseload.
• Uses independent clinical judgment and adheres to processes / standard work related to the coordination of care of Behavioral health patients.
• Maintains an awareness of community resources and provides this information to clients as requested.
• Serves as an initial contact for internal emergencies, administrative concerns, and public relations issues, and directs these contacts to the appropriate WellSpan Philhaven staff.
• Maintains an awareness of WellSpan Philhaven's admission criteria and the Mental Health Procedures Act and serves as a resource for other WellSpan Philhaven staff concerning appropriateness for admission and mental health legal requirements.
• Maintains a knowledge base of behavioral management techniques and assists in behavioral management emergencies (BERT) throughout the ED.

Common Expectations:

• Prioritizes workload and manages time effectively to best serve other staff and potential clients.
• Maintains a constant awareness of customer service and assists customers until their needs are satisfied.
• Completes Service Activity accurately and on a timely basis.
• Maintains an accurate and up-to-date awareness of WellSpan Philhaven programs and services and provides this information to clients as requested.

Minimum Education:

Master's Degree Required

Work Experience:

2 years' experience in psychology, social work, or related field required

Driver's License Statement:

Must possess a valid driver's license in the current state of residence. Driving record must meet requirements established by WellSpan Risk Management.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Requires interpersonal skills, both verbal and listening, to manage patient admission interaction, and to advise, counsel, and lead employees in compliance with policies. In addition, the ability to provide counsel on sensitive patient matters and act in a public relations capacity on various issues is required. Analytical ability is required to determine appropriate solutions to crisis calls and service inquiries. Visual ability to review and prepare written information and to observe patient behavior is required. Knowledge of and ability in the care and handling of patients in all age groups is required, including consideration of the special needs and behaviors of children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.

WellSpan Health's vision is to reimagine healthcare through the delivery of comprehensive, equitable health and wellness solutions throughout our continuum of care. As an integrated delivery system focused on leading in value-based care, we encompass more than 2,300 employed providers, 250 locations, nine award-winning hospitals, home care and a behavioral health organization serving central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Our high-performing Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is the region's largest and one of the best in the nation. With a team 23,000 strong, WellSpan experts provide a range of services, from wellness and employer services solutions to advanced care for complex medical and behavioral conditions. Our clinically integrated network of 3,000 aligned physicians and advanced practice providers is dedicated to providing the highest quality and safety, inspiring our patients and communities to be their healthiest.

WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital For more than 125 years, WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital has provided leading-edge inpatient, outpatient, and emergent care to the Lebanon County community. One of eight premier hospitals in the WellSpan system, WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital features an award-winning cardiac and vascular center, a certified Primary Stroke Center, and a wound care and hyperbaric medicine center, while providing a supportive continuum of care through our extensive WellSpan primary, specialty, ambulatory, and behavioral health care locations within the community. WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital is supported by the nearby WellSpan Sechler Family Cancer Center, Lebanon's first and only integrated cancer center. WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital was one of several WellSpan Health hospitals honored by U.S. News & World Report with the High Performing recognition for 2022-23.

WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital serves as the cornerstone of care for a total population of nearly 142,000 residents living in the rural and urban mix of Lebanon County. A full-service, acute-care hospital, with a 163 licensed bed capacity, admitting approximately 7,000 patients annually. We offer open heart procedures, comprehensive cardiac care, total joint replacements, private labor and delivery birthing suites, robotic surgery, and emergency care.

Quality of Life

Formed in 1813, Lebanon is a quaint city of 25,700 residents. The area, rich in heritage and the small-town charm of yesteryear, features sites on the National Register of Historic Places, museums, scenic parks and recreation facilities, performing arts theaters, artists' studios, a farmers market and dining establishments for all tastes. Life in Lebanon County offers affordable housing and options for pursuing higher education. Residents can find local employment in manufacturing, retail, arts and entertainment, healthcare and service sectors. Located in Central Pennsylvania, Lebanon is within an easy driving distance of Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading and York. (Patient population: 140,000) WellSpan Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy and intention of the System to maintain consistent and equal treatment toward applicants and employees of all job classifications without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.