The posting
Behavioral Health Clinician
Family Medicine • Primary Care About the Role Are you a clinical social worker who wants to practice behavioral health the way it works best — side by side with the primary care team, not in a separate building down the street? Thundermist Health Center is looking for a Behavioral Health Clinician to embed directly within our Family Medicine practice. You’ll respond to warm hand-offs, conduct same-day behavioral health consultations, deliver evidence-based brief interventions, and carry a therapy caseload — all as a core member of the primary care team. Your patients are diverse, largely medically underserved, and many are managing mental health, substance use, and medical conditions simultaneously. No after-hours call, no hospital coverage — just meaningful, integrated clinical work in a community that needs you. What You’ll Do Clinical Assessment & Treatment
Respond to warm hand-offs from primary care providers for same-day behavioral health consultations, brief interventions, and triage Conduct behavioral health assessments including biopsychosocial evaluation, risk assessment, and substance use screening Deliver evidence-based brief and short-term interventions (CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, Problem-Solving Therapy, trauma-informed approaches) Provide longer-term individual, group, couples, and family therapy for assigned patients as clinically appropriate Assess clinical emergencies including suicide risk and risk of harm to others; determine appropriate levels of care Develop, review, and deliver individualized care plans designed to improve patient health outcomes
Integrated Care & Team Collaboration
Serve as a core member of the Family Medicine primary care team alongside physicians, APPs, nurses, MAs, care managers, and psychiatric providers Support universal behavioral health screening workflows (PHQ-9, GAD-7, SBIRT, perinatal mental health screening) Provide curbside consultation to PCPs on behavioral health presentations, risk assessment, and intervention planning Participate in team huddles, case conferences, and complex care rounds with the Family Medicine team Partner with psychiatric providers (PMHNPs/psychiatrists) on patients requiring medication management alongside therapy Partner with care management for high-risk, complex, and high-utilizer patients
Documentation & Compliance
Complete same-day documentation in the EHR (eClinicalWorks) including progress notes, treatment plans, screening tools, and encounter forms Ensure compliance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 (SUD confidentiality), Rhode Island LCSW/LICSW scope of practice, and HRSA/FQHC requirements Support HRSA UDS reporting for behavioral health measures (depression screening and follow-up, SBIRT, tobacco cessation counseling)
What We’re Looking For You’re a clinician who can shift from a 20-minute warm hand-off to a structured therapy session to a crisis assessment without missing a beat. You’re comfortable in a medical setting, value working as part of a team, and bring both clinical skill and genuine compassion to every encounter.
Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program Rhode Island LCSW licensure (or scheduled to sit for the exam); LICSW accepted and preferred Experience working on a multidisciplinary team in a medical environment Working knowledge of DSM-5-TR/ICD-10, mental status examinations, and evidence-based treatment planning Demonstrated ability to assess clinical emergencies including suicide risk and determine appropriate levels of care Working knowledge of HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 (SUD confidentiality)
Preferred:
LICSW licensure in Rhode Island strongly preferred Prior experience in an FQHC, community health center, or safety-net primary care behavioral health setting Experience with integrated behavioral health / PCBH model including warm hand-offs and brief interventions Training in SBIRT and universal screening tools (PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT) Experience with perinatal mental health, trauma-informed care, or MAT/SUD support Bilingual (Spanish/English or Portuguese/English) strongly preferred
Schedule & Location Full-time (40 hours/week), benefit-eligible, embedded within a Thundermist Family Medicine practice. Monday through Friday during clinic hours, with some evening sessions to support patient access. Visits are primarily in-person with telehealth available as clinically appropriate. No after-hours call or hospital coverage. Benefits at Thundermist Health Center Full-Time Employees Working 40+ Hours/Week
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance Life Insurance ($75,000) and Long-Term Disability — at no cost Flexible Spending Accounts (Health FSA up to $3,300 / Dependent Care FSA up to $5,000) Retirement Plan with 1:1 employer match up to 4% Critical Illness, Accident Insurance, and Hospital Indemnity Wellness Reimbursement up to $200/year PTO starting at 22 days, increasing with tenure, plus 6 paid holidays
Work Environment
Onsite, embedded within a Thundermist Family Medicine primary care practice Primarily in-person with telehealth sessions as clinically appropriate Moderate physical activity: walking, standing, stooping, and occasional lifting Potential exposure to blood-borne pathogens, respiratory disease, infectious diseases, and other biohazardous materials requiring universal standard precautions
Our Values Everything we do at Thundermist is guided by five core values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Community, and Caring. If those resonate with you, you’ll feel at home here.
Ready to join a team that truly cares? Apply today. Thundermist Health Center is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
