General Summary:
The Counselor/Phone Flex employee provides non-judgmental, integrated, counseling services addressing the full scope of emotional, medical, and spiritual needs of a patient who is making a pregnancy decision. Responsible for providing reproductive health counseling to patients, their partners and families. This includes pre-abortion, post-abortion, pregnancy options counseling and contraception counseling. The Counselor is expected to display a mastery of psycho-social issues related to pregnancy decisions including but not limited to positive coping, social support, partner violence, drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, prior or current abuse, safety concerns and physical, mental health or cognitive disabilities. Counselors will help patients and Allegheny Reproductive Health Center (ARHC) maintain compliance with all federal and state laws surrounding abortions services and are mandated reporters of Child Protective Services law.
The Counselor/Phone Flex also provides support to patients seeking medical care and serves as the patients’ first point of contact. Assists with general office, clinic and administrative duties, as assigned.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provides brief counseling, informed consent sessions, and reproductive health education to a diverse population of patients seeking abortion services.
- Provides quality, competent care in communication with patients and other individuals contacting the office by demonstrating following skills: answering the telephone, scheduling and confirming appointments, patient triage, providing appropriate answers to questions from individuals contacting ARHC, responding to voicemails and emails, cross-training in various areas of the clinic to fill in for absent staff as needed, and any other office tasks assigned.
- Addresses medical, emotional, spiritual, and/or relationship issues that patients may present in a way that encourages healthy coping and resilience.
- Explains the abortion procedure and the steps involved in having the procedure. Reviews all consent forms and witnesses signatures.
- Educates patients about contraceptive use and STI-prevention if desired, developing personalized plans for family planning based on prior contraceptive use and future contraceptive goals.
- Conducts pre-abortion, options, and post-abortion counseling sessions as needed with patients, their partners, and / or families.
- Sets up patient charts for the OR. Reviews chart to ensure that proper paperwork and documentation is present and the chart is complete.
- Provides appropriate referrals for a wide spectrum of community resources, reproductive health needs and mental health services when needed.
- Designs support plans for patients with immediate safety needs, including those in crisis, at risk for partner violence or in recovery.
- Assists minors seeking to obtain an abortion through the judicial bypass process.
- Ensures that all consent forms, counseling, and resource materials are stocked and up to date.
- Understands and complies with state mandated reporting requirements and Child Protective Services Law.
- Assists in daily administrative tasks as needed.
Any other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Skills/Qualifications:
- Ability to provide crisis management
- Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to communicate professionally, objectively and, non-judgmentally with patients and/or guests and family members from a wide range of ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Ability to mediate between family members and/or patients and their guests when needed.
- Facilitate decision-making for patients, partners/family, etc.
- Assessment skills and ability to set boundaries.
- Knowledge of local resources and ability to access additional resources as needed.
- Current CPR certification or willingness to obtain CPR certification
- Ability to be self-motivated, as well as take instruction and guidance from others.
- Ability to work under conditions of stress with minimal supervision and direction.
Working Conditions:
Employee will interact with a variety of people of various ages, experience and points of reference. Patients may be experiencing emotional stress which may result in ambivalent behavior. Employees may also expect to encounter individuals who are strongly anti-abortion and may verbally harass or possibly threaten employees and/or patients. Possible exposure to contaminated specimens and other conditions associated with a health center environment.
