Behavioral Health Specialist, Trans and Gender Diverse Youth Program

Job Description

Job Description

Description :

Under the general supervision of the Clinical Lead of Adolescent Services, the Behavioral Health Specialist - Trans Youth and Families, provides and coordinates support, counseling as a primary care behavioral health provider, advocacy and referrals to community resource services to medical department patients.

This position supports the transgender health program, engages medical patients in care and supports patients in achieving wellness.

This position will have a focus on working with transgender youth, and will support the development of the transgender health program’s ability to work with TGD youth / families.

This is a part-time position working approximately 18-20 hours per week. This position requires 2 days of on-site work and afternoon / evening availability.

Representative Duties :

Provides direct case coordination services to medical patients

• Upon referral of patients, reviews medical and psychosocial history, assesses problems and refers patients as appropriate in a timely, courteous manner
• Provides case coordination services to medical department patients as indicated
• Provides information to patients about available community resources and assists patients to determine eligibility and obtain services by giving resource list and / or contacting services directly
• Provides on-going supportive maintenance to patients as appropriate and conducts outreach to encourage clients to utilize further needed services
• Provides referrals and information to Trans Youth for medical affirming services and social support services

Provides direct behavioral health services to primary care clients

• Provides psychosocial assessments, behavioral health and substance use diagnostic evaluations for medical patients
• Provides direct behavioral health treatment to medical patients through a short-term, evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment model within the primary care setting
• Identifies high-risk psychosocial factors that impact health status; engages patients by phone and in person to monitor progress, build therapeutic alliance, provide education, encourage treatment adherence, mitigate risk factors, review goals and expectations of treatment in order to stabilize functioning
• Develops and provides group therapeutic interventions for medical patients
• Assumes essential role in coordination of care
• Adheres to NASW Code of Ethics
• Provide general integrated services to assist / provide coverage for the Behavioral Health Specialist team
• Adheres to WPATH Standards of Care Version 8

Child / Adolescent Care

• Demonstrates an understanding of the developmental milestones of children / adolescents
• Demonstrates an understanding of development of gender identity and sexual orientation in children / adolescents
• Demonstrates an understanding of the needs of children / adolescents with mental health issues
• Demonstrates an understanding of the needs of children / adolescents with addiction issues
• Demonstrates an understanding of the child’s / adolescent’s role within a family system
• Demonstrates an understanding of the needs of children / adolescents who at TGD
• Demonstrates effective and age-appropriate clinical interventions with youth and families
• Completes CANS assessments as required

Focus on Working with Transgender Youth

• Provide group services for parents and youth
• Provide diagnostic assessments and case coordination, engaging all relevant systems in youth and family’s lives
• Support obtaining gender affirming services
• Provide short-term counseling re : coming out, hormone readiness / preparation, gender identity, community connection and informal resources
• Ongoing caseload of variable duration in care to support medical providers and other team members with providing comprehensive care
• Provide curbside consults for all therapists and medical providers
• Develop more strategic partnerships with other behavioral health, social service and community- based support on behalf of TGD youth and families, and especially for younger children

Ensures access to care :

• Effectively manages caseload, including bringing new clients into BH care and ending episodes of care as appropriate
• Maintains required caseload and meets productivity expectations, according to department standards
• Maintains same-day or next day appointment availability to respond to urgent needs related to diversion or crisis work

Provides coverage for assigned open access paging days :

• Provide back-up coverage open access pager shifts in the morning, afternoon, and evening
• Responds to requests from medical staff for routine and crisis interventions and warm handoffs
• Handles periods of multiple, simultaneous requests for patient care
• Actively interacts with and solicits referrals from medical providers
• Participates in covering business hours behavioral health on call

Collaborates with other agencies and services :

• Develops and maintains resource listings appropriate for Fenway Health patients
• Works with Medicaid, Medicare, Welfare, Social Security, housing, educational, day care and other institutions to assist patients
• Consults with a variety of health center and community staff (Nutritionists, Home Health Aides, P.H. Nurse, and Medical staff) about specific clients and general approaches to patient treatment
• Develops awareness of local resources for TGD youth / families

Performs and Completes Administrative Tasks in a timely and efficient manner

• Writes case notes for each client interaction
• Completes treatment plans, treatment plan updates, session notes, assessments, and discharge summaries according to department standards and in accordance with Fenway policy
• Participates in staff and team meetings and conferences
• Participates in regularly scheduled supervision

Meets Agency Participatory Expectation

• Suggests and participates in continuing quality improvement efforts
• Adheres to all agency and departmental policies and procedures
• Participates in quality assessment and improvement activities as requested
• Adheres to the highest principles of patient and client confidentiality
• Adheres to established safety policies, procedures and precautions; identifies potential or actual unsafe situations in the environment and takes measures to rectify the situation
• Attends all required meetings, in-services and professional trainings
• Attends all regularly scheduled meetings, trainings, forums and pertinent FCH staff meetings
• Maintains professional competence necessary to perform job responsibilities; maintains and provides agency with records of continuing education activities
• Serves on agency committees and in professional organizations when requested

Performs related duties as required

Requirements :

• Requires a Master's Degree in Social Work or related mental health field
• LCSW
• Experience with CBT, short-term interventions and mental health and substance abuse assessment and evaluation
• Interest in or experience with LGBT and specifically TGD youth / families
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience supervising and working effectively and collaboratively with an ethnically, culturally, racially and gender diverse staff
• Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with ethnically, culturally, racially and gender diverse clients
• Demonstrated understanding of the intersectional impacts of racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, classism, and other forms of oppression
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to be an effective team member
• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability to multitask
• Ability to work harmoniously and effectively with colleagues, patients, clients and vendors across the spectrum of diversity, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, national origin and immigrant status, religious or spiritual identity, disability (physical, mental, emotional and developmental), veteran status, and / or limited English proficiency.
• Willingness to contribute towards Fenway’s efforts in becoming an anti-racist organization and promoting a culture dedicated to ongoing development in service of humility, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, where differences are acknowledged and valued.

Preferred Requirements :

• LICSW or equivalent independent licensure preferred
• Experience working in an ethnically, culturally, and racially diverse environment preferred

Physical Requirements :

Ability to meet the following physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodations :

• Sit at a computer station for extended periods of time
• Ability to keyboard for extended periods of time
• Ability to move around the medical care areas and see patients in non-traditional settings, such as an exam room

Ability to provide remote based client care when assigned in an optimal setting that ensures :

• reliable internet connectivity with a minimum of 25Mbps per household member
• consistent access to a quiet, private area (room or office) for conducting private telehealth client care, and private client care based communication free of interruptions

We offer competitive salaries, and for those who qualify, an excellent benefits package; including comprehensive medical and dental insurance plans, generous paid time off, commuter benefits, and more.

LGBTQIA+ identified persons, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), and individuals from other historically underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

This is a union position in a Fenway Health bargaining unit represented by 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.