Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Lmhc)

Major responsibilities:

• Provides culturally competent, excellent quality care to community health center patients

• Provides clinical expertise and guidance to other clinicians working in the same health center

• Collaborates with CHC staff to provide comprehensive primary care to patients

• Provides counseling, therapy, and/or psychotherapy to clients and families as appropriate to the position; prepares treatment plans, discharge plans, and follow-up care programs; provides therapeutic crisis intervention and urgent services as required.

• Collects patient data through interviews, case histories, psychological tests, and/or observational techniques; evaluates data to identify causes of problems and determine proper therapeutic approach or referral to other specialists.

• Consult with mental health and medical staff, as appropriate, in performing therapeutic and/or casework; refer clients to appropriate service agencies as required.

• Provides and/or arranges for therapeutic interventions as appropriate for patients or clients in a crisis condition and those with serious Mental Health/Substance Abuse problems.

• Refers clients to appropriate social service agencies for financial assistance and other required services

• Follows up to determine the reliability of treatment used; changes method and degree of therapy when indicated.

• Establishes and maintains case files, referrals, and other related documents for the treatment of clients; prepares related documentation for civil commitment hearings or other legal proceedings; keeps abreast of patient data to ensure appropriate treatment and care are delivered.

• Consults with other legal and treatment agencies and individuals in relation to patient/client records, rights, and responsibilities.

• Provides clinical supervision to lower-level therapists and/or mental health counseling trainees/interns, as appropriate, and/or consulting services to other patient care professionals.

• May provide formal teaching, consultation, and in-service training to relevant professionals in immediate and proper handling and/or referral of various matters.

• Actively participates in the CHC, Inc. quality assurance program.

• Demonstrate understanding and commitment to the health center's mission.

• Demonstrate understanding and commitment to the established CHC Values and Standards.

• Follows established departmental policies, procedures, continuous quality improvement objectives, and safety, environmental, and/or infection control standards.

• Ability to work both independently and in a team.

• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree, or equivalent, in mental health counseling or clinical/counseling psychology and Massachusetts licensure as an LMHC.

• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.

• Proficiency in using computer (Microsoft Office) as a communication and data management tool.

• Ability to observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress.

• Knowledge of mental health counseling principles, methods, procedures, and standards.

• Familiarity with psychological testing.

• Interviewing and psychological/developmental evaluation skills.

• Skill in preparing and maintaining patient records.

• Knowledge of clinical operations and procedures.

• Knowledge of community mental health resources and willingness to reach out to existing resources.

• Maintaining emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with various constituencies in a diverse community.

• Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques.

• Ability to evaluate the progress of therapeutic programs and to make individual modifications.

• Ability to create, compose, and edit written materials.

• Knowledge of social and vocational rehabilitation principles and methods related to mental health clinical practices.

• Knowledge of legal and ethical issues related to patients' rights.

• Ability to lead and train staff and/or students.