Lead Coordinator - Behavioral Health Care

Merrimack Health; Lawrence (MA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Merrimack Health in Lawrence, MA seeks a mission-driven Lead Coordinator, Clinical Care (LICSW) to oversee the Behavioral Health Crisis Care team, connecting ED and inpatient services to ensure timely, quality care.

The role requires LICSW or LMHC licensure, a Master’s in Social Work or Mental Health, and strong leadership, with hybrid/onsite responsibilities at the Lawrence campus. Full-time hours and competitive pay are offered.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in healthcare settings.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with Electronic Medical Records.

Responsibilities

• Lead BH Crisis Care team for patients in ED or inpatient settings.
• Provide clinical supervision and training for BH Crisis Clinicians, including remote staff.
• Collaborate to develop departmental goals, policies, workflows, and initiatives.
• Oversee daily operations, scheduling, payroll, and performance management.
• Coordinate with patients, families, hospital teams, and BH Crisis staff.
• Support telepsychiatry consults and clinical crisis evaluations.
• Back up BH Clinicians for crisis evaluations as needed.
• Participate in on-call rotation for supervision of clinicians.
• Assist with recruitment, onboarding, and staff development.
• Ensure efficient patient flow and timely insurance authorizations.
• Document all encounters in Meditech.

Skills

Leadership

Verbal/written communication

Electronic Medical Records

Healthcare experience

Education

Master’s Degree in Social Work/Mental Health

Job description

Department: Behavioral Health

Lawrence , MA

At Merrimack Health, we are committed to pay transparency and equity. The base salary range for this position is $40.20 – $60.31, excluding fringe benefits and potential bonuses.

Your final base salary will be determined based on your education, experience, licensure, and internal equity considerations. Offers are typically made below the top of the range to support future salary growth.

Eligible employees may also participate in comprehensive benefits, including health coverage, paid time off, and wage increase programs, depending on position type (full-time, part-time, or per diem) and applicable eligibility criteria.

Position Summary:Lead Coordinator, Clinical Care (LICSW), Full-time 40 Hours per week. Lawrence campus

We are seeking a mission-driven and compassionate individual dedicated to providingsuperiorcare to make a difference in the lives of clients we serve.The Behavioral Health Care Coordinator works within the Integrated Behavioral Health program to bridge communication among Lawrence Hospital medical providers, outside professionals, and in-house behavioral health providers. Keeps patients engaged in their care; provides same-day care for patients in need who originally come in for medical appointments by reviewing skills, care plans, and/or connecting to resources.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for the leadership and oversight of the BH Crisis Care team caring for patients presenting to the ED with a BH crisis or admitted to an inpatient unit for concurrent medical and BH needs.
• Provides clinical leadership through training, supervision, and case consultation for BH Crisis Clinicians; including those working remotely and oversees contracted agencies providing BH Crisis Services.
• Collaborate with the system wide Manager to develop departmental goals, policies, workflows, and strategic initiatives.
• Assumes responsibility for daily departmental operations in the absence of the System Wide Manager; including staff scheduling, payroll oversight, performance management, clinical supervision, resolution of patient complaints and grievances and management of operations issues escalated to leadership.
• Serve as a liaison between patients, families/caregivers, hospital teams, and BH Crisis staff.
• Engage with Behavioral Health patients in the Emergency Department and inpatient units to ensure adequate therapeutic support.
• Assist with coordinating telepsychiatry consults and care.
• Serve as backup to Behavioral Health Clinicians as needed, assisting with clinical crisis evaluations and MSUs.
• Participates in rotating on-call schedule with BH Crisis Manager to provide clinical supervision to non-independently licensed clinicians and placement team.
• Assist with ADP Timeclock approvals as needed to support BH Dept. Manager.
• Assist with recruitment, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding new BH Crisis staff.
• Provides support and oversight to the BH Placement and Admissions team to ensure efficient patient flow, appropriate admissions to system psychiatric units, and timely completion of insurance authorization.
• Document all patient encounters in Meditech.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND RELATED EXPERIENCE:

Required:

• Independent Clinical Licensure: LICSW, LMHC
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Master’s Degree in Social Work/Mental Health

Preferred:

• Leadership experience in healthcare setting.
• Experience in Electronic Medical Records
• Experience in Health Care

SCHEDULE:

• Full-Time
• Work performed in a hospital setting is preferred, but hybrid and remote work may be an option.

Merrimack Health is a private, nonprofit community hospital providing the Merrimack Valley & southern New Hampshire regions with patient-centered, compassionate, and high-quality healthcare for the whole family. For over 140 years, the dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff of Merrimack Health have been committed to improving the health of the people and communities we serve—competitive pay, a robust benefit package, generous paid time off, and free parking.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce.