Behavioral Health Intake Clinician — Admissions & Assessments

Summit BHC; United States; On-site; USD 55,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Portsmouth, VA seeks an Intake Clinician to manage admissions, conduct clinical intake assessments, and coordinate prior authorizations to ensure proper care levels. The role collaborates with nursing, clinical staff, and external parties to admit patients promptly.

The position requires a Master’s degree in a related field and emphasizes strong assessment, communication, and insurance verification skills. On-site work with a focus on timely service delivery.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree required in social work, counseling, psychology, mental health or related field.
• One or more years’ experience in mental/behavioral health preferred.
• Experience with managed care pre-certification, level of care assessments and utilization preferred.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates intake, admission, and prior authorization process for incoming patients.
• Performs insurance benefit verifications and communicates findings to patients/families and staff.
• Provides ongoing assessment of patient status in admission and prior authorization processes.
• Handles referrals, level-of-care designation, initiation into services, and follow-up activity.
• Follows EMTALA regulations for verification and precertifications when appropriate.
• Responds to facility inquiries within policy timeframes.
• Schedules/pre-admission assessments and communicates recommendations to patients/families.
• Collaborates with medical and psychiatric staff to ensure appropriate admissions.
• Performs ongoing assessments and crisis intervention as needed.
• Educates patients on healthcare and social resource systems.
• Maintains all admissions documentation.

Skills

Mental/behavioral health experience

Clinical interviewing

Patient assessment

Insurance pre-certifications

Interpersonal skills

Education

Master’s degree in social work/counseling/psychology or related field

Job description

Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Portsmouth, VA seeks an Intake Clinician to manage admissions, conduct clinical intake assessments, and coordinate prior authorizations to ensure proper care levels. The role collaborates with nursing, clinical staff, and external parties to admit patients promptly.

The position requires a Master’s degree in a related field and emphasizes strong assessment, communication, and insurance verification skills. On-site work with a focus on timely service delivery.