Position Summary
The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) is a licensed behavioral health clinician embedded within the primary care team who provides brief, evidence-based behavioral health services to patients across the lifespan. Using the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model, the BHC partners with primary care providers to assess and address behavioral, emotional, and psychosocial factors that impact physical health, chronic disease management, and overall well-being.
The BHC delivers same-day consultations, brief interventions, crisis assessment, and behavioral health consultation while promoting patient self-management, resilience, and healthy behavior change. Services are designed to improve access, reduce barriers to care, and support whole-person health through close collaboration with physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing, Registered Dietitians, Integrated Care Coordinators, and other members of the interdisciplinary care team.
Who Are We?
At Adelante Healthcare, we believe that healthy people create healthy communities. Our mission is to improve the health of our communities by providing the highest level of primary and preventive care, making it affordable for everyone. For over 40 years, we have been dedicated to serving our communities by providing healthcare to those most vulnerable by offering health care services at nine locations throughout Maricopa County. By joining the Adelante Healthcare team, you become part of a patient centered caring organization that is playing a vital role in helping our communities.
Our Amazing Benefits
We offer a culture that values caring, professional development, growth, and sustainability. We provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits program including:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
- 5 weeks Paid Time Off annually
- 10 paid Holidays annually
- 1 week CME time annually
- 403b Retirement Account Savings Plan with employer match
- Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan reimbursement for eligible programs
- Short Term and Long-Term Disability coverage
- And MORE
What You’ll Need to Have
- Certification or certification eligibility as an LCSW, LPC, or PsyD is required.
- Master's degree in the Behavioral Health field (Psychology, Social Work) with two (2) years of directly related experience is desired
- Computer literacy is required
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) is preferred
- Excellent working knowledge of behavioral medicine and evidence-based treatments for medical and mental health conditions.
- Ability to work through brief patient contacts as well as to make quick and accurate clinical assessments of mental and behavioral conditions.
- Should be comfortable with the pace of primary care, working with an interdisciplinary team, and have strong communication skills.
- Good knowledge of psychopharmacology
- Ability to design and implement clinical pathways and protocols for treatment of selected chronic conditions
- Certification to perform cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for the Health Care Professional (CPR) and AED through courses that follow the guidelines from the American Heart Association and Red Cross
- Level 1 Fingerprint clearance card issued by Arizona Department of Public Safety
Position Responsibilities
Clinical Care
- Provide same-day behavioral health consultations within primary care for children, adolescents, adults, prenatal, and geriatric populations.
- Deliver brief, evidence-based interventions ( 15-20 mins) utilizing approaches such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Behavioral Activation
- Problem-Solving Therapy
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
- Assess behavioral, emotional, and psychosocial factors impacting physical health, chronic disease management, treatment adherence, and overall functioning.
- Develop collaborative self-management goals (SMART Goals) that support patient-centered behavior change.
- Provide crisis assessment, suicide risk assessment, and safety planning when clinically indicated.
- Facilitate referrals to specialty behavioral health and community resources when patient needs exceed the scope of integrated care.
- Support prevention, early intervention, and chronic disease self-management.
Integrated Care
- Function as an active member of the interdisciplinary primary care team.
- Participate in daily huddles, warm handoffs, case consultations, and care coordination.
- Maintain visibility within the clinic to support provider collaboration and improve access to behavioral health services.
- Provide consultation and education to medical providers and clinic staff regarding behavioral health concerns and evidence-based interventions.
- Collaborate with Registered Dietitians, Integrated Care Coordinators, nurses, pharmacists, and other disciplines to improve whole-person care.
Documentation & Quality
- Complete concise, medically necessary documentation that supports continuity of care and billing requirements.
- Document behavioral interventions, patient response, SMART Goals, and follow-up plans.
- Maintain timely communication with the referring provider regarding assessment findings and treatment recommendations.
- Participate in peer review, quality improvement initiatives, and documentation audits.
Productivity & Performance
- Prioritize same-day access and timely follow-up for patients requiring integrated behavioral health services.
- Complete documentation by the end of the workday whenever possible.
- Demonstrate professional communication, teamwork, and accountability.
- Build collaborative relationships with providers and clinic staff to improve patient access and utilization of behavioral health services.
