Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

 

The Mental Health Specialist works along with and assists the HMH Behavioral Health staff, which includes the clinical supervisor, psychiatrists, therapists, office staff, and nurse. The Mental Health Specialist role is integral to the functioning of this clinic in that they provide support and complete various tasks for the physicians and office staff, as well as the patients with various mental health diagnoses.

 

*This is a grant funded position.

 

The Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative program is an innovative state-funded grant program designed to ensure screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of children presenting in pediatric primary care settings with behavioral health disorders. This is a key position in a state-wide initiative to expand mental health and case coordination in support of pediatricians. This program is composed of pediatrician screening and assessment, education, including guidance on behavioral health issues for parents and education for clinicians/staff at the practice sites and integrated care management between pediatricians, child and adolescent psychiatrists, and community mental health agencies.

 

This grant program provides a very unique opportunity. Behavioral professionals working in this program have the ability to help pediatric healthcare providers to combine both medical and psychiatric support. They have the ability to use clinical skills to help intervene and help pediatric patients to receive the support and care they need soon after symptoms appear rather than a reactive approach during a crisis.

 

Our behavioral professionals demonstrate our culture in the following ways:

 

• Collaborative is in the name of the grant. Everything is collaborative; working with peers, pediatricians, families to give the best care for the children. 

• Creative - clinicians can conduct clinical intakes with their own style/level of comfort, of course within regulations. It's a flagship program so creativity is a must in a lot of the work that they do. 

• Courageous - any ideas that any of the staff have can be suggested. Sometimes they are implemented. Opinions are always welcome for doing something better or more efficiently. Presenting at conferences helps people moving outside of their comfort zone.

• Compassion is part of every interaction.

A day in the life of a Mental Health Specialist at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

 

1. Provides clinically competent case management services to clients as needed
a. May include phone calls, communicating with patients and families, and completing forms or letters for the physicians regarding Social Security, disability forms, Leave of Absence, etc.
b. Provide referrals and linkage to community-based services, and case management for patients and their families.
c. Contribute to the development of individualized treatment plans, and encourage the compliance with treatment plan goals with respect to case management objectives.
d. Participate in weekly clinical team meetings and document updates in client records
e. Documentation of all encounters is completed in an accurate and timely procedure within program policies and procedures.
f. Schedule translator or transportation services if needed.
g. Coordinate with Financial Services department if necessary.
h. Promotes a positive client experience, participates in service recovery, and encourages clients` feedback.
i. Demonstrates competency in the provision of case management services.
2. Completing discharges on the Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
a. Work with supervisor, physicians, and therapists to identify clients that are not actively in treatment, complete the required documentation, and send a letter if needed.
3. Information entry in Microsoft Excel
a. Information is extracted from our EMR and utilized to identify referral sources, time from referral to intake, and various other benchmarks.
b. Complete reports at least monthly, working with clinical supervisor.
4. Scheduling appointments with the physicians, therapists, or nurse as needed.
5. Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.
a. Maintain confidentiality, accuracy of records, and quality of care.
b. Annual professional development/training.
6. If needed, the ability to lift a minimum of 5 lbs., pushes/pulls a minimum of 5 lbs. and stand a minimum of 1 hour a day.
7. Other duties and/or projects as assigned.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

1. Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Counseling or a related Human Services Area, or 10 plus years of relevant experience
2. Communication and interpersonal skills, computer skills, letter writing
3. Ability and willingness to travel locally
4. Proficiency with Microsoft Office
5. Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team setting
6. Strong organizational and time management skills

 

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

1. Bi-lingual (English/Spanish)
2. Experience working in a behavioral health related area

 

If you feel the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!

Starting at $28.93 Hourly

HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members. The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package.

The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer. Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate. The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to:

Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness.
Experience: Years of relevant work experience.
Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training.
Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies.
Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location.
Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization.
Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered.


Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate. Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts.

In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.