Mental Health Therapist II

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health!

Organization:

PAMF-Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAD

Position Overview:

Provides psychosocial assessment, individual/group treatment, family therapy, discharge and aftercare planning to patients and their families for mental health recovery. Develops ways of mitigating obstacles affecting care plan implementation and success. Competency in delivering services and treatments based of recovery-oriented services, family systems, and evidenced based treatments. Provides consultation and training on psychosocial aspects of care as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Provides emotional support and education for staff. Serves as a liaison to community programs and develop strategic partnerships to enhance aftercare plans of patients and their families.

Job Description:

• These Principal Accountabilities, Requirements and Qualifications are not exhaustive, but are merely the most descriptive of the current job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, staff changes, workload, or technical development).

  This will be a hybrid job with 4 days in the Palo Alto location and 1 day per week remote after an orientation period is complete.

  
  JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:
  
  Performs the following duties under supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker:
  • Gathers appropriate data and formulates relevant assessment of patient and family’s medical, social, and emotional situations using effective interviewing techniques, consultation with healthcare team and chart review.
  • Establishes and periodically revises the treatment plan on the basis of comprehensive and ongoing psychosocial assessment of patient/family's concerns, strengths, needs, clinical impressions, and issues specific to spiritual and cultural values.
  • Develops personalized treatment plan to delineate strengths, deficits and high risk psychosocial needs.
  • Provides educational and therapeutic groups. Documents patient goals and response to group on therapeutic activity for
  • Attend treatment-planning meetings to give and receive feedback. Discuss progress/resistance of patient. Document updates on treatment plan.
  • Identifies and effectively deals with resistance and conflict in work with clients (including patients, families, healthcare team members and community representatives). Appropriately intervenes to decrease tension and assist clients in evaluating non-productive behaviors, thought processes and coping mechanisms.
  • Compiles and maintains accurate, current, legible patient records using approved forms and format. Documents all assessments, plans, interventions, patient/family involvement, outside agency communication, interdisciplinary contacts and case closure according to social work and patient care area standards.
  • Demonstrates understanding of the most recent edition of DSM diagnostic criteria for disorders in children and adolescents as well as an understanding of human growth and development and identifies age-related developmental tasks.
  • Applies the principles of behavior modification, assertiveness training and supportive therapy, and their application.
  
  
  COMPLIANCE
  • Maintains strictest confidence of all patient protected health information (PHI) and protects all PHI from accidental, intentional, or inappropriate disclosure.
  • Performs care in compliance with department standards, policies, and procedures, as well as local, state and federal regulatory agencies to deliver the highest level of patient privacy and care.
  • Retains certification and completes mandated continuing education requirements to meet facility and regulatory agencies accreditation and licensure requirements.
  
  
  EDUCATION:
  
  Master's: social Work, counseling, or related field.

  DEPARTMENT REQUIRED EDUCATION

  Department, SRMC Psychiatric Response Team: equivalent experience will be accepted in lieu of the required degree/diploma

  TYPICAL EXPERIENCE:

  
  2 years recent relevant experience.

  
  
  SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:
  
  Clinical skills in psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, counseling, interdisciplinary collaboration and linkage with resources.
  
  Knowledgeable in child, adolescent, adult and geriatric psychopathology as well as psychiatric interventions.
  
  Knowledgeable with psychiatric, psychosocial and legal issues and substance misuse/abuse and chemical dependency assessment and treatment, understanding of current insurance benefits and restrictions in the area of mental health, knowledgeable of DSM-IV-TR, family systems therapy and crisis intervention models.