Licensed Mental Health Professional LCSW/LMFT/LPC

1st Priority Healthcare LLC

Job Description

Position: Licensed Mental Health Professional- LCSW/LMFT/LPC

This is a part-time contract position.

Responsibilities:

• Supervise the provision of quality outpatient therapeutic services to clients of ALL ages.
• Work collaboratively to build community awareness of our services and promote growth of the agency.
• Review and provide consultation for development of Treatment Plans, assessments, and formulation of accurate clinical diagnosis.
• Assistance with oversight of Quality Assurance initiatives
• Review service notes within agency required timelines.
• Collaboration with the Corporate Compliance initiative to ensure program meets all local, State, and federal standards;
• Review of authorization tracking systems
• Crisis intervention and consultation
• Assist Therapist and Day Treatment team with intervention and activity planning.
• Ensuring appropriate assessments for all recipients served;
• Implementation of best practice and emerging practice protocols;
• Reviews of service quality.
• Provide supervision to associate level clinicians.

Conducting Assessments

1st Priority Healthcare provides assessment services to children, youth, and adults. Licensed Therapist may participate in the assessment process, either through a Comprehensive Clinical Assessment or a Diagnostic Assessment. All assessments and evaluations should be conducted according to local, State, and agency regulations.

1st Priority Healthcare uses a standardized assessment tool for all Comprehensive Clinical Assessments conducted at the agency. All clinicians are trained on this tool prior to administration. Eligibility for services for Enhanced Services is determined and required by a licensed clinician and the Medical Director through a thorough clinical assessment process. During this assessment process, the credentialed professional gathers and documents information to include:

• Presenting concerns and precipitating events (from the perspective of the recipient);
• Strategies to address presenting concerns if assessment is completed prior to initiating service-delivery;
• Urgent needs and safety risk assessments;
• Relevant medical and psychiatric history;
• Effectiveness of previous mental health treatment, as well as diagnostic and assessment information (psychiatric, substance abuse, medical, and vocational as relevant to the recipient’s need);
• Current and history of substance use, abuse, and dependence;
• Current and previous medications and history of medication compliance;
• Health history and current health needs;
• Summary of symptoms and needs;
• Recipient strengths, preferences, and needs;
• Mental status;
• Functional status;
• Cultural, language, and religious preferences;
• Abilities, interests, and leisure activities;
• Employment and legal history;
• Family history;
• Life stressors to include history of abuse and neglect;
• Developmental history (for children and adolescents).
• Support systems or lack of natural support, to include social history;
• Risk-taking behaviors;
• Information regarding co-occurring disorders;
• Need for supportive technology;
• Advanced directions when appropriate; and
• An assessment of whether or not the agency can provide services to address an individual's needs.

The Licensed Therapist will then provide an interpretive summary, recommendation for treatment interventions, and a diagnosis for the recipient on all five axes as outlined in the DMS-IV. In accordance with state regulations, a provisional or admitting diagnosis with an established diagnosis must be determined within 30 days of admission, except that a recipient admitted to a detoxification or other 24-hour medical program should have an established diagnosis upon admission. In some cases, clinicians may be required to assess criteria for assignment of a Target Population. 1st Priority Healthcare follows all guidelines for recommendations for services based on the recipient’s diagnosis, Global Assessment of Functioning score, and Target population. Eligibility requirements for each service are reviewed prior to making referrals for Enhanced Services (such as Intensive In-Home Services and Community Support Team).

Participation in a Diagnostic Assessment Team

As specifically described in the State Service Definitions, a Diagnostic/Assessment is an intensive clinical and functional face to face evaluation of a recipient’s mental health, developmental disability, or substance abuse condition that results in the issuance of a Diagnostic/Assessment report with a recommendation regarding whether the recipient meets target population criteria, and includes an order for Enhanced Benefit services that provides the basis for the development of an initial Person Centered Plan. For substance abuse-focused Diagnostic/Assessment, the designated Diagnostic Tool specified by DMH (e.g., SUDDS IV, ASI, SASSI) for specific substance abuse target populations (i.e., Work First, DWI, etc.) must be used. In addition, any elements included in this service definition that are not covered by the tool must be completed.

The Diagnostic/Assessment must include the following elements:

A. A chronological general health and behavioral health history (includes both mental health and substance abuse) of the recipient’s symptoms, treatment, treatment response and attitudes about treatment over time, emphasizing factors that have contributed to or inhibited previous recovery efforts;

B. Biological, psychological, familial, social, developmental and environmental dimensions and identified strengths and weaknesses in each area;

C. A description of the presenting problems, including source of distress, precipitating events, associated problems or symptoms, recent progressions; and current medications;

D. A strengths/problem summary which addresses risk of harm, functional status, co-morbidity, recovery environment, and treatment and recovery history;

E. Diagnoses on all five (5) axes of DSM-IV;

F. Evidence of an interdisciplinary team progress note that documents the team’s review and discussion of the assessment;

G. A recommendation regarding target population eligibility; and

H. Evidence of recipient participation including families, or when applicable, guardians or other caregivers

This assessment will be signed and dated by the clinician and the Medical Director and will serve as the initial order for services included in the ISRP. Upon completion, the ISRP will be sent to the LME for administrative review and authorization of services under the purview of the LME.

For additional services added after the development of the initial ISRP, the order requirement for each service is included in the service definition.

Core Competencies

Required core competencies include:

• Maintain current licensure as an LPC, LCSW, LMFT, or licensed psychologist in the State of KY.
• Maintain Kentucky Medicaid status
• Technical knowledge in the use of relevant counseling and psychotherapy techniques that apply to the services authorized. The Licensed Therapist understands and can articulate technical concepts and information that relate to the disorder(s) treated and the therapies used to provide treatment. Recognize signs and symptoms of mental health needs and co-occurring disorders related to the population served.
• Have cultural awareness in the delivery of service to a diverse population. Understands and can articulate the psychological, sociological and political aspects of providing MH/DD/SAS services to diverse populations. Has the ability to communicate and provide competent and appropriate services to a diverse population.
• Have analytical skills in screening, assessing and evaluating persons receiving services. Understanding psychological, physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and developmental issues, determines accurate diagnosis and/or assessment, and interprets evaluative instrument…