Purpose & Scope

The Director of Social Services (DSS) of the Behavioral Health Service Line is responsible for the overall management of the Clinical Therapy services within the Behavioral Health Inpatient Unit (BHU), Recovery and Wellness Inpatient Unit (R&W) and the Aftercare/Intensive Outpatient Services (IOP) at VHC Health. The Director of Social Services will also be responsible for any additional Clinical Therapy programs or services added under the Behavioral Health Service Line now and in the future.

The DSS develops patient care services goals, objectives, and standards of performance, policies and procedures; organizes the department in accordance with the hospital’s mission and vision statements in order to provide Clinical Therapy services to meet the legal, organizational and medical staff guidelines. Ensures all programs and services within the Behavioral Health Service Line meets all criteria related to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC), the Virginia Department of Healthcare Licensing (DOL), the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Disability Services (DBHDS) rules and regulations. Evaluates proposed procedural changes as they relate to patient care, directs/supervises the implementation, and ensures compliance with CMS, TJC, DOL, ASAM and DBHDS criteria that promote optimum compliant health care delivery.

The DSS will also provide and manage counseling services to patients individually and/or in a group setting, utilizing clinical counseling principles, methods, or procedures to assist individuals in achieving their established goals as outlined in their individual treatment plans, that are consistent with treating the patient's mental health disorder, becoming sober and/or healthier in their personal, physical, social and psychological wellbeing in the BHU, R&W and IOP programs. The DSS will also manage for employment purposes all Licensed Clinical Therapists and the counseling program. The DSS will also supervise for clinical purposes and manage for employment purposes all non-licensed Therapists and CSAC’s.

"Apply clinical counseling principles, methods, and procedures," means an approach to counseling that emphasizes the counselor's role in systematically assisting clients through all of the following

Assessing and analyzing emotional conditions, exploring possible solutions, and developing and updating as indicated a treatment plan for mental and emotional adjustment or development. It may include counseling, appraisal, consulting, supervision, administration, medication management and changes or referral.

Engaging in the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional and substance abuse disorders within the scope of laws and regulations of the Virginia Department of Health Professions.

Provide training and supervision for students and registered counselor trainees when services are within their scope of practice, which does not include supervision of the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders. Provide supervision of all unlicensed Therapists and CSAC’s as required by the Virginia Department of Health Professions (VDHP). Ensure there is documentation of this supervision as required by VDHP.

Education

A master's degree in social work, psychology, or counseling is required.

Experience

Three years of experience in behavioral health - post licensure is required.

Three years of experience in substance abuse counseling - post licensure is required.

Three years of Behavorial health/substance abuse leadership is required.

Certification/Licensure

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP) by the Virginia Department of Health Professions is required.

Other Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of providing care to individuals who may be emotionally disturbed, socially dysfunctional, behaviorally disordered, suffer from mental illness and/or substance use disorders, and their families.
• A minimum of two years’ experience working with American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria.
• Thorough knowledge of all regulatory bodies to include Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS),

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of HealthCare Organizations (TJC), Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (VDBHDS) and Virginia’s Office of Human Rights (OHR);

• Thorough knowledge of community resources and human services network;
• Thorough knowledge of community-based behavioral health principles and evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment techniques;
• Thorough knowledge of the theories and techniques of counseling and crisis intervention;
• Thorough knowledge of intake techniques and procedures; ability to evaluate and screen clients; ability to prepare adequate records and to report findings and data effectively;

Ability to solve problems within scope of responsibility;

• Ability and experience to manage productively within budget all clinical therapists and CSAC’s who will report to the DSS;
• Ensure all programs/units under the supervision of DSS are working within productivity standards and remain within budget;
• Work closely with Finance department to ensure all patient days are covered;
• Ensures all patients Biopsychosocial are completed timely per Policy;
• Ensures all Treatment Plan/Team requirements are updated and met; goals in the patient’s treatment plan are quantifiable, reviewed timely and the patients are included in the development and ongoing changes in their treatment plan.
• Ensures all staff are trained and competent on suicide prevention and/or identification;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, physicians, clients and their families, associates, community partners, medical personnel, law enforcement, State and Federal agency representatives and the general public
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the quality and appropriateness of all social services and therapeutic services provided;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, physicians, clients and their families, associates, community partners, medical personnel, law enforcement, Sate and Federal agency representatives and the general public;
• Responsibilities include but are not limited to participating in discharge planning, arranging for follow-up care and developing mechanisms for exchange of appropriate information with sources outside the hospital;
• Ability to ensure the provision of robust therapeutic and activities programs that meets the regulation of each program supervised.