Medical Assistant - Behavioral Health

Neighborhood Healthcare; Escondido (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Neighborhood Healthcare seeks a Medical Assistant to support MAT, Telepsychiatry, and SDoH programs. You will work with providers, RNs, and staff to ensure patient-centered care and timely referrals, while obtaining required authorizations and eligibility information for behavioral health services.

The role requires MA certification and BLS on hire, with cross-coverage across departments as needed. Schedule is Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm, with a focus on compassionate care and teamwork.

Qualifications

• Valid MA certificate from an accredited program.
• BLS certification required on hire and maintained.
• 1 year MA experience preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred may aid communication.

Responsibilities

• Secures and communicates patients referrals and authorizations to providers.
• Schedules and communicates appointment information to patients and/or families.
• Follows up with patients and providers to ensure appointments were kept.
• Obtains and documents the consultation and progress reports in patient records.
• Provides MAT pre-intake assessments to determine program fit.
• Documents MAT group attendance and drug/medication counts.
• Completes SDoH assessments, referrals, and tracks outcomes.
• Follows Telepsychiatry for on-site policy and coordinates care with remote providers.

Skills

Medical procedures

EHR experience

Data entry

Multitasking

Confidentiality

Communication

Cultural sensitivity

Education

Medical Assistant certificate

BLS certification

1 year MA experience preferred

Tools

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Job description

ABOUT US:

Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It’s about giving people the resources they need to live their best lives. At Neighborhood, this is our vision: a community where everyone is healthy and happy. We’re with you every step of the way, with the care you need for each of life’s chapters. At Neighborhood, we are Better Together.

As a private, non-profit 501(C) (3) community health organization, we serve over 500,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits from more than 100,000 people annually. We do this in pursuit of our mission to improve the health and happiness of the communities we serve by providing quality care to all, regardless of situation or circumstance.

Since 1969, our employees have been making this mission a reality. Regardless of the role, our team focuses on being compassionate, having integrity, being professional, always collaborating, and consistently going above and beyond. If this sounds like an organization you would like to be a part of, we would love to meet you.

ABOUT US:

Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It’s about giving people the resources they need to live their best lives. At Neighborhood, this is our vision: a community where everyone is healthy and happy. We’re with you every step of the way, with the care you need for each of life’s chapters. At Neighborhood, we are Better Together.

As a private, non-profit 501(C) (3) community health organization, we serve over 500,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits from more than 100,000 people annually. We do this in pursuit of our mission to improve the health and happiness of the communities we serve by providing quality care to all, regardless of situation or circumstance.

Since 1969, our employees have been making this mission a reality. Regardless of the role, our team focuses on being compassionate, having integrity, being professional, always collaborating, and consistently going above and beyond. If this sounds like an organization you would like to be a part of, we would love to meet you.

ROLE OVERVIEW and PURPOSE:

The Medical Assistant, Behavioral Health will schedule and coordinate patient care and follow-up for patients in the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Telepsychiatry, and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) programs. This role will support various providers, advanced providers, and registered nurses to provide excellent patient-centered care and services within a dynamic team environment. This role will obtain required authorization and eligibility information for patients referring to behavioral health programs.

This position is required to provide cross-coverage in other departments at the assigned site and perform Medical Assistant duties as needed to support clinic operations and patient care demands.

Schedule:

M-F 8am-5pm(1 hour lunch).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Secures and communicates patients referrals and authorizations to providers
• Schedules and communicates appointment information to patients and/or families
• Follows up with patients and providers to ensure appointments were kept
• Obtains and documents the consultation and progress reports from providers, radiologists, and other medical professionals in patient medical records
• Provides MAT pre-intake assessments to determine appropriate fit for the program
• Documents MAT group attendance, random urinary drug screens, and film/pill counts
• Completes SDoH assessments, referrals, and linkages and tracks information/outcomes in patient medical records
• Follows Telepsychiatry for primary care site policy/procedures and coordinates on-site patient care with telepsychiatry providers at other sites
• Documents all actions taken in patient medical records in accordance with current clinic, DHS, and health plan regulations/guidelines
• Discusses all aspects of the referral process as prescribed by providers with patients, including counseling the patient regarding the cost of a referral, as needed

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• Valid medical assistant certificate from an accredited program required
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required upon hire and must be maintained as a condition of employment
• These courses must follow AHA guidelines but may be completed through approved online providers such as ProMed or other equivalent programs that meet recognized BLS standards

Additional Education/Experience

• 1 year of medical assistant experience preferred
• Bilingual English/Spanish, English/Farsi, or English/Arabic preferred

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Familiarity with medical procedures and terminology
• Proficiency with electronic health records system experience preferred
• Intermediate computer and data entry skills
• Must use sound judgment to anticipate needs of patients and providers
• Flexibility with changing priorities and time-sensitive deadlines
• Use emotional and cultural intelligence to provide appropriate communication and patient care
• Exemplify compassion to patients and team members
• Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently
• Ability to work with highly confidential information in a professional and ethical manner

Physical Requirements

• Lifting/carrying: Frequently lift/carry up to 15lbs.; ability to occasionally lift/carry up to 25–30lbs
• Standing/walking: Frequent standing and walking throughout the clinic during the workday
• Positioning: Frequent bending, reaching, stooping, and occasional kneeling/squatting
• Fine motor skills: Frequent use of hands/fingers for injections, specimen collection, equipment use, computer work, and other clinical tasks
• Patient assistance: Ability to assist with positioning or mobility of patients, with appropriate assistance or equipment when required
• Pushing/pulling: Ability to push/pull equipment such as wheelchairs, carts, exam equipment, or supplies

Pay Range:

$24.95 - $34.93 per hour, depending on experience

Compensation Disclosure:

The posted salary range reflects the designated pay grade for this position. While this range represents the broader classification of the role, actual compensation will be based on several factors, including but not limited to: the candidate’s overall knowledge, skills, and experience, market data and industry benchmarks, internal equity within the organization, Budgetary considerations and organizational needs. As a result, placement within the range is not guaranteed, and the full pay grade range may not be utilized.