Behavioral Health Specialist

About the role

We are seeking a compassionate and skilled Behavioral Health Specialist to join our team. This role involves providing evidence-based interventions within our primary care clinic, focusing on trauma-informed evidence-based clinical services to people with alcohol and other drug-related problems, mental health, and/or co-occurring conditions. Specifically, this position will be working with patients participating in Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) alongside a multidisciplinary team including the physician, nurse, medical assistant, and alcohol and drug service specialist.

Responsibilities

• Provides trauma-informed, evidence-based mental health and behavioral interventions within the primary care Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program.
• Collaborates closely with the MAT program treatment team.
• Conducts biopsychosocial assessments to identify substance use and co-occurring mental health needs.
• Affirms readiness for change and stages of recovery.
• Develops diagnostic impressions using DSM-5 criteria.
• Provides individual counseling using trauma-informed evidence-based approaches (e.g., EMDR, CBT, MI, ACT, Seeking Safety).
• Responds to crises such as suicidal ideation, overdose risk, or acute withdrawal symptoms.
• Coordinates emergency care or safety planning as needed.
• Collaborates with case managers and external providers to connect clients to housing, employment, legal aid, detox, residential treatment, or medical care.
• Refers clients to higher or lower levels of care based on ongoing assessment.
• Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings with clinicians, physicians, nurses, and case managers.
• Works in partnership with other clinical staff (medical assistants, nurses, nutritionists, health care practitioners, and physicians) to provide needed behavioral health services to patients.
• Offers clinic-wide training(s) based on areas of interest or expertise related to integrated behavioral health topics.
• Documents in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) all clinical activity presenting diagnostic and interview findings, clinical evaluations, and recommendations.
• Maintains expected productivity and billing practices for services.

Requirements

• Experience in an integrated healthcare setting.
• Passion for serving uninsured, under-insured, and low-income populations.
• The ability to speak, read and write in Spanish and/or a Mixtec dialect (preferred).
• Strong clinical skills in addressing co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues, including assessment, evidence-based therapy, and referrals as needed.
• Familiarity with psychological interventions in co-occurring substance use and trauma treatment including MI, EMDR, TF-CBT, and/or Seeking Safety.
• Ability to effectively work with diverse patient populations, utilizing medical interpreters when necessary.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, flexibility, and ability to multitask in a busy medical clinic environment.
• Proficiency in administering, scoring, and interpreting screening tools and health-setting instruments.
• Understanding of Recovery Models in mental health.
• Experience in structured quality improvement methods.
• Experience with Electronic Health Records.

Qualifications

• Valid license as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
• Valid license as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
• Valid license as a Psychologist issued by the California Board of Psychology.

Skills

• Specialized evidence-based interventions and treatments for general behavioral health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance abuse problems) and areas of physical health that impact behavioral health (e.g., chronic pain, obesity and diabetes).
• Consultation and liaison skills.
• Medical literacy, as demonstrated by familiarity with common medical terms, front-line psychiatric medications, understanding of medical culture, and previous experience as part of interdisciplinary treatment teams.

Benefits

The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits, including retirement reciprocity, time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate, reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and flexible relocation assistance, housing, and student loan offsets. Applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for additional benefits. The County may also provide cash incentives and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization. The County may also provide Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program, Perkins Loan Cancellation, and/or National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program under the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).

Pay

$41.82 - $50.21 Hourly
$86,985.60 - $104,428.48 Annually

Schedule

Full-Time, Limited Term*