Care Access Specialist I

Headlight; Salt Lake City (UT); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Medical, Dental and Vision

Paid Vacation, Sick, and Holiday

EAP

401(k) plan

Incentive pay

Job summary

Headlight is a behavioral health company in Salt Lake City seeking a Care Access Specialist I. You will be the first contact for patients, guiding them through the care journey and coordinating onboarding with clinicians.

This non-clinical role emphasizes empathy, scheduling, and clear communication to connect patients with appropriate Headlight clinicians and services. Hybrid work is required in Downtown Salt Lake City.

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service call center or client-facing roles.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Connect each person to care and ensure first appointment is kept.
• Follow up with people who have not started care.
• Respond quickly to new opportunities with rapid outreach.

Skills

Customer service

Active listening

Communication skills

Empathy

Education

High School Diploma

Associate degree

Tools

EHR systems

Scheduling systems

Phone systems

Job description

Join a team that’s transforming mental healthcare. Founded by psychiatrists, Headlight is more than a company: it’s a movement. A movement that exists on the front lines of the mental health crisis, transforming the way people access care and the way clinicians deliver it. In order to help people in their time of need and ensure that every person who comes to us has options, we are transparent about our capabilities, treatments, and coverage, we champion innovation, and we leverage our rich data to continuously implement better ways of delivering care. Our mission is simple but powerful: Improving lives, one session at a time.

Our highly skilled and principled clinical team enjoys autonomy and institutional support so they can put their focus where it should be: on improving patient outcomes. Our clinicians want to do more than help individual clients, so they work to affect the system as a whole, elevating standards of care so that their efforts reverberate far beyond what they could do in private practice.

As the most trusted behavioral health partner in the Western U.S., we’ve established deep relationships that give us unparalleled access, interoperability, and first-priority referrals. This exclusivity, combined with our best-in-class coordinated care and feedback loops, results in superior outcomes and cost savings.

Our services are convenient, accessible, and expert, combining personalized client engagement with advanced technology to enhance, not replace, human connection. Indeed, we hold that human-to-human relationships are indispensable, so from the match to the session to the time between sessions, we provide whole person care so nobody falls through the cracks and there is a brighter path forward for all.

Position Summary

The Care Access Specialist I serves in a critical role as the first person a patient connects with when seeking care at Headlight Health. In this role, the Specialist helps patients feel welcomed, heard, and supported as they begin their care journey.

Care Access Specialists are non-clinical role. Care Access Specialist facilitate access to care, provide peer informed support within the scope of their training, and follow established escalation protocols. Care Access Specialist do not diagnose, independently assess clinical acuity, provide treatment recommendations, deliver psychotherapy, or replace the judgment of licensed clinical professionals.

The Care Access Specialist I provides clear, compassionate guidance about Headlight Health’s services, responds to patient questions, confirms service eligibility, and coordinates appropriate clinician matching. Through empathy, patience, and persistence, the Specialist supports patients through scheduling, onboarding documentation, and related administrative steps to promote a smooth, reassuring transition into care.

This role is a hybrid role that requires 3 days a week in our Downtown Salt Lake City office (136 S Main Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84101). Work hours will be Monday- Friday, 10:30am-7pm MT.

Our Pillars

• Make things easier.
• Forge genuine connections.
• Elevate the standard.

Roles & Responsibilities

Own the Outcome

• Take accountability for connecting each person to care. Success is a kept first appointment, not simply a scheduled appointment
• Close the loop on every opportunity by proactively following up and re-engaging people who have not yet started care
• Respond to new opportunities quickly, with a standard of first outreach within five minutes

Engage and Guide

• Meet people where they are in their care journey and provide the right combination of information, reassurance, guidance, and encouragement to help them move forward
• Build supportive, engaging relationships with people who reach out directly or are referred by a healthcare provider, introducing them to Headlight Health’s mental healthcare services
• Create a positive and reassuring experience for people taking the step of seeking mental health support 1
• Facilitate access to client care with the appropriate Headlight clinician based on client specific needs; schedule appointment needs, gather accurate information, and determine the appropriate next steps
• Keep people informed and comfortable throughout the process, addressing questions, concerns, and barriers as they arise

Facilitate the Onboarding Lifecycle

• Own the onboarding process from first contact through the first kept clinical appointment, including scheduling and collection of required intake paperwork, insurance information, and payment method
• Follow Headlight’s Service Offer Standard and all applicable guidelines when discussing or introducing additional services

Keep the System Clean

• Accurately document and maintain client information, interactions, outreach activity, and appointment records
• Partner with clinicians, operations, and other teams to remove barriers, streamline access to care, and improve the client’s experience
• Follow all organizational policies, procedures, and legal and regulatory requirements while maintaining a high standard of care

Performance Expectations/Metrics

• Performance is measured through both activity discipline and the outcomes those activities produce.
• Activities per day: 100 to 125 (calls, texts, emails)
• New intakes scheduled: 40 per week
• Speed to first contact: Within 5 minutes on new incoming opportunities
• New intakes kept: 30 per week (75% kept rate)

Qualifications

• High School Diploma, GED or equivalent required
• Associate degree, or some college coursework, preferred
• One (1) year experience in customer service call center environment or similar client-facing role, required
• Experience in healthcare, behavioral health or client engagement, preferred
• Strong customer service skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with prospective clients
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including active listening and clear explanation of services
• Exhibits sound judgment, knowing when to proceed, elevate, clarify or involve other team members, as needed
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple intake tasks, appointments, and follow-ups
• High attention to detail when entering client information, insurance details, payment information, and documentation
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive health information with professionalism and discretion
• Basic understanding of healthcare, behavioral health, or outpatient service workflows.
• Experience using electronic health records, scheduling systems, phone systems, and other digital tools
• Ability to work collaboratively with clinicians, operations teams, and other departments to support a positive client experience
• Demonstrated empathy, patience, and professionalism when assisting individuals seeking mental health services

Benefits

• W2 role with competitive hourly rate and an additional incentive-based pay structure
• Medical, Dental and Vision on the first of the month after employment (based on FT hours)
• Paid Vacation, Sick, and Holiday time
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential counseling services, resources, and support to help you navigate personal or professional challenges.
• 401(k) plan with company contribution
• Hybrid work schedule
• Opportunity to work in a cutting-edge healthcare technology environment
• Professional development opportunities and training
• Collaborative and supportive work culture
• Impactful role contributing to the enhancement of patient care and healthcare processes

$20 - $21 an hour

Our Care Access Specialists are eligible for a monthly incentive plan on top of the hourly rate that is based on appointments scheduled and appointments kept. The average monthly bonus is ~$500.

If you need any accommodations for your interview please email [e-mail] prior to scheduling.

Headlight is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness and seeks to create a working environment reflective of this commitment. We seek to provide a diverse clinician base to support the diversity of our clients. Headlight supports and respects diversity of people, culture, and ideas throughout our organization. Headlight thrives to be a welcoming, diverse and discrimination- and harassment-free workplace.

By applying for this position, you consent to receive future communications from Headlight via email or text regarding this application and related employment opportunities. You may opt-out at anytime by contacting us directly.

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