Mental Health Evaluator

About This Role

The Mental Health Evaluator delivers comprehensive, clinically appropriate, and trauma-informed behavioral health interventions within the hospital Emergency Department, including psychiatric evaluations, crisis interventions, and coordinating aftercare. This role ensures high-quality patient care by collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and adhering to documentation standards.

Responsibilities

• Gather relevant psychosocial and diagnostic information to conduct comprehensive psychiatric evaluations
• Conduct thorough interviews with patients and collateral resources
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary Emergency Department and Psychiatry Department teams to determine appropriate level of care
• Demonstrate proficiency in using electronic medical records, online collateral resource applications, and telepsychiatry platforms
• Provide a clinical summary for patients requiring inpatient psychiatric admission, identifying purpose and need for hospitalization
• Demonstrate knowledge of all legal statuses for patients and ensure completion of appropriate legal documentation
• Ensure patients are familiar with the Patient's Bill of Rights, legal status, and hospital programs
• Identify patient needs if being discharged and develop a safe, comprehensive plan for services that promote recovery and prevent readmission
• Maintain timely and comprehensive documentation of assessments, interventions, discharge planning and communications
• Initiate and maintain communication regarding patient disposition with families, guardians, outpatient providers, education providers, law enforcement, and other relevant stakeholders
• Assess for child and adult abuse, determining the need for reporting and responding accordingly
• Exhibit cultural competence by providing culturally appropriate assessments and disposition planning
• Serve as a patient advocate, acting in patients' best interest and maintaining confidentiality

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Social Work or Mental Health Counseling from an accredited graduate program
• New York State Social Work or Mental Health Counseling license

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Social Work or Mental Health Counseling from an accredited graduate program
• At least two years post-graduate experience in a medical, mental health, or human services setting as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, preferred.

Nice to Have

• At least two years post-graduate experience in a medical, mental health, or human services setting