Care Navigator

Talentify; Madera (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

River Vista Behavioral Health is seeking a forward-thinking Step-Down Outpatient Coordinator for its IOP/PHP outpatient clinic. You will coordinate admissions/registrations, provide case management, and interface with community and hospital teams to ensure seamless care transitions.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least 2 years of psychiatric/mental health experience, CPR, and CPI training. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, mental health or related field.
• Minimum of two years direct clinical experience in a psychiatric/mental health setting.
• CPR certification and CPI training; knowledge of Joint Commission and OSHA requirements.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate Step-Down admissions/registrations for IOP and provide case management.
• Interact with community, utilization review, business office and clinical staff to ensure continuity.
• Schedule evaluations and admissions; manage inquiries and referrals.
• Post appointment schedules and perform follow-up on no-shows.
• Assist with insurance verification and financial responsibilities for admission.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Customer service

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Emergency response

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, mental health or related field

Job description

Responsibilities

River Vista Behavioral Health sits along the bluffs overlooking the San Joaquin River, this brand new, 128-bed facility, will provide high-quality and advanced behavioral health services to residents and visitors in the Central Valley. The new hospital will employ more than 250 people, including clinicians, nurses, mental health technicians, support staff and administration.

We are currently seeking a forward thinking and compassionate Step-Down Outpatient Coordinator – (PHP/IOP) to be part of our Outpatient Clinic Team. The Step-Down Navigator of the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is accountable for coordinating the Step-Down admission/registration functions for IOP and providing case management services to the Outpatient program as determined. This position involves extensive contact with the community and interfaces closely with the utilization review staff, business office staff, and clinical staff to ensure continuity of communication. Position meets with all eligible In-Patient individuals to discuss the benefits of PHP/IOP services as part of their continuum of care treatment and ensure the proper referral is made. Registration functions require data entry. This position is also responsible for inquiry calls and scheduling of evaluations and admissions.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Step-Down Coordinator of the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is accountable for coordinating Step-Down admissions/registrations for IOP and providing case management services to the Outpatient program, as determined. This position involves extensive contact with the community and interfaces closely with the Director, utilization review staff, business office staff, and clinical staff to insure continuity of communication. Position meets with all eligible In-Patient individuals to discuss the benefits of PHP/IOP services as part of their continuum of care treatment and ensure the proper referral is made. Registration functions require data entry. This position is also responsible for inquiry calls and scheduling of evaluations and admissions.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, mental health or a related field.

Experience: A minimum of two (2) years of direct clinical experience in a psychiatric or mental health setting

Additional Requirements: Thorough knowledge of The Joint Commission, OSHA, and state and federal regulatory requirements. CPR certification and successful completion of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training. CPI Training may be obtained during new hire orientation.

Qualifications

STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE CATEGORIZED UNDER THE JOINT COMMISSION STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

Intake Functions

1. Responsible for meeting with every eligible patient to discuss PHP/IOP services, methods of transportation, virtual programming options and potential start-dates.
2. Telephone screening of all inquiry calls with appropriate referrals made for any emergency situations and appointments scheduled as indicated.
3. Documents inquiry calls in system data base.
4. Collects data-points specific to the step-down process, including Eligibility, Referrals, Refusals, Reason for Refusal and Attended. This data will be routinely entered into Midas (preferably daily) with prior month’s data.
5. Coordinates with other mental health facilities to obtain clinical referral information and schedule referrals within a timely manner. (3 business days)

1. Posts Appointment schedule for following day and distributes to appropriate River Vista staff as identified.
2. Makes follow-up calls to those failing to show for scheduled appointments.
3. Assists with insurance benefits verification and completion of financial responsibility agreement with parents to ensure financial requirements are met for admission.
4. Completes Admission paperwork in accordance with policy.

Professional Collaboration

1. Serve as a source of information for referral sources regarding services provided by the facility.
2. Works closely with those departments that participate in the eligibility verification process (Social Services, Business Office, Utilization Review and Outpatient Departments) to confirm the patient’s ability to transition to PHP/IOP programming after inpatient discharge.
3. Collaborates with Business Development Coordinator to provide referral source feedback, maintains referral source data base per system requirements
4. Collaborates with Director of Transportation to ensure timely addition of patients to transportation routes and facilitates parents needs related to transportation.
5. Ensures patients and families receive an orientation to the program.
6. Coordinates admissions with clinical staff to ensure timely admission to the program.
7. Coordinates transfer referrals from River Vista Behavioral Health ensuring clinical data is received timely.
8. Provides assistance with receptionist area as assigned.
9. Identifies trends from data collected and reports on opportunities to increase step-down referrals weekly.

Specific Standards for the Care of Adolescent Patients Ages 5 through 62 or older:

1. Maintains knowledge of the Adolescent Program rules, protocols and level system.
2. Maintains knowledge of adolescent stages of development and seeks guidance from the nurse in charge when questions about the norms for behavior related to adolescent development arise.
3. Recognizes acting out behavior of adolescent specific age group and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral, and non-judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
4. Relates to adolescent patients in an age-appropriate manner.
5. Utilizes behavioral management techniques with an understanding of the need for modification regarding smaller body sizes of adolescents, abandonment issues and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse issue.

Specific Standards for Care of the Dual Diagnosis Patient:

1. Maintains knowledge of the Dual Diagnosis Program, program rules, and protocols.
2. Recognizes acting out behavior of the Dual diagnosis specific group and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non-judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
3. Relates to Dual Diagnosis patients in an age-appropriate manner.
4. Utilizes behavioral management techniques with an understanding of the need for modification in regard to smaller body sizes, abandonment issues, and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse issue.

Performance Accountability:

1. Uses time constructively and in an organized manner to accomplish duties/responsibilities.
2. Participates in business development activities
3. Complies with all facility, department and corporate policies and procedures
4. Attends all mandatory facility in-services and staff development activities as scheduled.
5. Adheres to facility standards concerning conduct, dress, attendance and punctuality.
6. Complies with Employee Code of Ethics/Professional Standards of Conduct
7. Works as needed, including overtime, in case of emergency or as deemed necessary by supervisor.

Customer Service:

1. Promotes and demonstrates through action, deed and communication, an environment of service excellence throughout the facility to include internal and external clients, families, co-workers, physicians and visitors.
2. Answers telephone promptly (within 3 rings) and provides information as requested or schedules appointment.
3. Works with team members in an effective manner
4. Maintains confidentiality of patient information
5. Demonstrates guest relations in communication, cooperation and assistance for patients, families/physicians, licensed practitioners/co-workers and visitors in a prompt and courteous manner.

Note: The essential job functions of this position are not limited to the duties listed above.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

THIS SECTION DESCRIBES WHAT KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES AN EMPLOYEE IN THIS POSITION SHOULD CURRENTLY POSSESS. THIS LIST MAY NOT BE COMPLETE FOR ALL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

1. Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations
2. Knowledge and utilization of crisis intervention techniques.
3. Excellent customer relations skills.
4. Excellent organizational and interpersonal communication skills.
5. Skill in interacting with multiple individuals with diversified roles and perspectives.
6. Skill in organizing and prioritizing workloads to meet deadlines.
7. Skill in telephone etiquette and paging procedures.
8. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
9. Ability to operate in an unstructured environment, orchestrate a myriad of activities and to manage multiple priorities within complex systems.
10. Ability to work at a rapid pace
11. Ability to use good judgement and to maintain confidentiality of information.
12. Ability to work as a team player.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPECIAL DEMANDS

THIS SECTION DESCRIBES HOW AN EMPLOYEE IN THIS POSITION CURRENTLY PERFORMS THE FUNCTIONS OF THIS POSITION. MODIFICATIONS TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS JOB MAY BE PERFORMED WILL BE REVIEWED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

1. Ability to stand, or walk up to six hours, sit for up to two hours.
2. Ability to spend 20% of the workday outdoors in temperatures varying from 30-100oF and 80% of the workday indoors in temperatures varying from 60-85oF.
3. Ability to occasionally push/pull wheeled carts from 200 lbs. (i.e. crash carts, patient on stretchers or in wheelchairs).
4. Ability to frequently lift and carry up to 10 pounds; occasionally lift and carry up to 100 lbs.
5. Ability to see well enough to read written materials.
6. Ability to discern a variety of odors.
7. Ability to handle hazardous/infectious waste on an occasional basis.
8. Ability to work in an environment where the noise level is frequently high; where chemicals are frequently used in cleaning; where mechanical and electrical hazards may occasionally be present; and where dust, mist and stream are frequently generated in housekeeping tasks.
9. Ability to respond to exposure to blood and bodily fluids.

Additional Requirements:

A strong knowledge of The Joint Commission, OSHA regulations, and patient rights standards and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations governing mental health care facilities.

One of the nation’s largest and most respected hospital companies, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. Steadily growing from a startup to an esteemed Fortune 500 corporation, UHS today has annual revenue nearing $10 billion. UHS is recognized as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune; ranked #276 on the Fortune 500, and listed #275 in Forbes inaugural ranking of America’s Top 500 Public Companies.

EEO Statement:

All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.

STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE CATEGORIZED UNDER THE JOINT COMMISSION STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

Intake Functions

1. Responsible for meeting with every eligible patient to discuss PHP/IOP services, methods of transportation, virtual programming options and potential start-dates.
2. Telephone screening of all inquiry calls with appropriate referrals made for any emergency situations and appointments scheduled as indicated.
3. Documents inquiry calls in system data base.
4. Collects data-points specific to the step-down process, including Eligibility, Referrals, Refusals, Reason for Refusal and Attended. This data will be routinely entered into Midas (preferably daily) with prior month’s data.
5. Coordinates with other mental health facilities to obtain clinical referral information and schedule referrals within a timely manner. (3 business days)

1. Posts Appointment schedule for following day and distributes to appropriate River Vista staff as identified.
2. Makes follow‑up calls to those failing to show for scheduled appointments.
3. Assists with insurance benefits verification and completion of financial responsibility agreement with parents to ensure financial requirements are met for admission.
4. Completes Admission paperwork in accordance with policy.

Professional Collaboration

1. Serve as a source of information for referral sources regarding services provided by the facility.
2. Works closely with those departments that participate in the eligibility verification process (Social Services, Business Office, Utilization Review and Outpatient Departments) to confirm the patient’s ability to transition to PHP/IOP programming after inpatient discharge.
3. Collaborates with Business Development Coordinator to provide referral source feedback, maintains referral source data base per system requirements
4. Collaborates with Director of Transportation to ensure timely addition of patients to transportation routes and facilitates parents needs related to transportation.
5. Ensures patients and families receive an orientation to the program.
6. Coordinates admissions with clinical staff to ensure timely admission to the program.
7. Coordinates transfer referrals from River Vista Behavioral Health ensuring clinical data is received timely.
8. Provides assistance with receptionist area as assigned.
9. Identifies trends from data collected and reports on opportunities to increase step‑down referrals weekly.

Specific Standards for the Care of Adolescent Patients Ages 5 through 62 or older:

1. Maintains knowledge of the Adolescent Program rules, protocols and level system.
2. Maintains knowledge of adolescent stages of development and seeks guidance from the nurse in charge when questions about the norms for behavior related to adolescent development arise.
3. Recognizes acting out behavior of adolescent specific age group and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral, and non‑judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
4. Relates to adolescent patients in an age‑appropriate manner.
5. Utilizes behavioral management techniques with an understanding of the need for modification regarding smaller body sizes of adolescents, abandonment issues and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse issue.

Specific Standards for Care of the Dual Diagnosis Patient:

1. Maintains knowledge of the Dual Diagnosis Program, program rules, and protocols.
2. Recognizes acting out behavior of the Dual diagnosis specific group and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non‑judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
3. Relates to Dual Diagnosis patients in an age‑appropriate manner.
4. Utilizes behavioral management techniques with an understanding of the need for modification in regard to smaller body sizes, abandonment issues, and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse issue.

Performance Accountability:

1. Uses time constructively and in an organized manner to accomplish duties/responsibilities.
2. Participates in business development activities
3. Complies with all facility, department and corporate policies and procedures
4. Attends all mandatory facility in‑services and staff development activities as scheduled.
5. Adheres to facility standards concerning conduct, dress, attendance and punctuality.
6. Complies with Employee Code of Ethics/Professional Standards of Conduct
7. Works as needed, including overtime, in case of emergency or as deemed necessary by supervisor.

Customer Service:

1. Promotes and demonstrates through action, deed and communication, an environment of service excellence throughout the facility to include internal and external clients, families, co‑workers, physicians and visitors.
2. Answers telephone promptly (within 3 rings) and provides information as requested or schedules appointment.
3. Works with team members in an effective manner
4. Maintains confidentiality of patient information
5. Demonstrates guest relations in communication, cooperation and assistance for patients, families/physicians, licensed practitioners/co‑workers and visitors in a prompt and courteous manner.

Note: The essential job functions of this position are not limited to the duties listed above.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

THIS SECTION DESCRIBES WHAT KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES AN EMPLOYEE IN THIS POSITION SHOULD CURRENTLY POSSESS. THIS LIST MAY NOT BE COMPLETE FOR ALL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

1. Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations
2. Knowledge and utilization of crisis intervention techniques.
3. Excellent customer relations skills.
4. Excellent organizational and interpersonal communication skills.
5. Skill in interacting with multiple individuals with diversified roles and perspectives.
6. Skill in organizing and prioritizing workloads to meet deadlines.
7. Skill in telephone etiquette and paging procedures.
8. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
9. Ability to operate in an unstructured environment, orchestrate a myriad of activities and to manage multiple priorities within complex systems.
10. Ability to work at a rapid pace
11. Ability to use good judgement and to maintain confidentiality of information.
12. Ability to work as a team player.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPECIAL DEMANDS

THIS SECTION DESCRIBES HOW AN EMPLOYEE IN THIS POSITION CURRENTLY PERFORMS THE FUNCTIONS OF THIS POSITION. MODIFICATIONS TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS JOB MAY BE PERFORMED WILL BE REVIEWED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

1. Ability to stand, or walk up to six hours, sit for up to two hours.
2. Ability to spend 20% of the workday outdoors in temperatures varying from 30-100oF and 80% of the workday indoors in temperatures varying from 60-85oF.
3. Ability to occasionally push/pull wheeled carts from 200 lbs. (i.e. crash carts, patient on stretchers or in wheelchairs).
4. Ability to frequently lift and carry up to 10 pounds; occasionally lift and carry up to 100 lbs.
5. Ability to see well enough to read written materials.
6. Ability to discern a variety of odors.
7. Ability to handle hazardous/infectious waste on an occasional basis.
8. Ability to work in an environment where the noise level is frequently high; where chemicals are frequently used in cleaning; where mechanical and electrical hazards may occasionally be present; and where dust, mist and stream are frequently generated in housekeeping tasks.
9. Ability to respond to exposure to blood and bodily fluids.

Additional Requirements:

A strong knowledge of The Joint Commission, OSHA regulations, and patient rights standards and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations governing mental health care facilities.