Mental Health Counselor/Clinical Social Worker

Fall River Health Service is looking for a Mental Health Counselor or Social Worker in Hot Springs, South Dakota to work in collaboration with the medical and clinical staff providing direct patient care primarily within the rural health clinic (RHC).  Collaboration may occur in the inpatient, long-term care, behavioral health or emergency department when necessary.  In this role, you will counsel individuals and groups to promote optimum mental health. You will help individuals deal with thoughts of suicide; addictions and substance abuse; family parenting and marital problems; problems with self-esteem; and issues associated with aging, mental, and emotional health.

Responsibilities:

• Provide direct patient assessment, counseling or therapy, information and referral services, education, and guidance to the patient and family in the rural health clinic setting and, possibly, during hospitalization or outpatient treatment.
• Work collaboratively with physicians, nurses, and allied health staff to identify and meet patient/family needs, ensuring effective communication between the patient, healthcare providers, and external resources.
• Counsel clients and patients, individually and in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes. Maintains confidentiality of records relating to client treatment.
• Guides clients in the development of skills and strategies to deal with their problems. Encourages clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives and helps them develop insight into themselves and their relationships.
• Collect information about clients through interviews, observations, and tests. Prepares and maintains treatment records and reports.
• Evaluate the client's physical or mental conditions based on review and client information. Develops and implements treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge. Acts as a client advocate to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crises.

Core Competencies: 

• Work as an advocate for the rights and needs of all patients.
• Effective communication skills with external and internal customers.
• Ability to establish therapeutic relationships with clients from a variety of cultural, religious/spiritual, and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Establish a plan of care based on risk level and initiate same.
• Refer families and/or individuals to appropriate community resources, both locally and nationally.
• Ability to provide timely electronic health record documentation of clinical interventions supporting medical necessity and treatment methodology that is outcome-oriented, describes the progression of care, and/or reflects appropriate patient referrals.
• Act as a coordinator between patient and professional schedules with the behavioral health or medical providers, as appropriate.

Average Salary for this position is $49,920 - $56,160 a year depending on years of experience.