Patient Navigator

University of Minnesota; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 50,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Health benefits

Retirement plans

Job summary

The University of Minnesota is seeking a Patient Navigator to provide care coordination and advocacy for patients transitioning from emergency or hospital settings to outpatient SUD services. The role emphasizes compassionate, patient-centered care within an integrated care team.

You will connect patients with care and benefits, coordinate resources, and support engagement with services, aiming to reduce barriers and improve outcomes under ASAM guidelines.

Qualifications

• Education: BA/BS in Social Work, Human Services, Addiction Studies, Minnesota CHW Cert or related field; LADC or CPRS preferred.
• Experience: 2+ years in healthcare navigation or related, with SUD/mental health focus; or 6+ years combined education/experience.
• Systems & Data: Experience documenting in EHRs (e.g., Epic) and HIPAA-compliant databases.
• Communication: Ability to handle high-volume telephonic outreach and care transitions.
• SUD Knowledge: Harm reduction, naloxone distribution, trauma-informed care.
• Community Outreach: Participate in public outreach events and neighborhood meetings.

Responsibilities

• Connect patients with medical care, health insurance, and pharmacy benefits.
• Coordinate resources for food, housing, transportation, education and employment.
• Facilitate access to services for physical, mental, and spiritual health.
• Conduct a high volume of outbound calls to assist during transitions of care and check-in on medications.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Care coordination

HIPAA compliance

Telephonic outreach

Harm reduction knowledge

Public outreach

Education

BA/BS in Social Work or related health field

Tools

Epic EHR

Job description

About the Job

The Patient Navigator (PN) will provide care coordination, resources, and advocacy for patients needing support as they transition care from emergency room visits or hospitalizations to outpatient treatment services for substance use disorder. This role will function within our integrated care team of medical professionals. The PN will help patients navigate the healthcare system, reduce access barriers, and help patients achieve improved health outcomes and quality of life. Highly skilled interpersonal communication, compassionate medical care, and strong work initiative are essential to the success of the PN. An ideal candidate will adhere to the highest standards to provide comprehensive, inclusive, patient-centered care to support vulnerable persons with SUD during treatment transitions and engagement. This is a temporary position, with the possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance, availability of work, and departmental/ grant funding.This position is supported by the MDH-TOWN grant program, currently funded through May 31, 2028. Renewal of this position is dependent on job performance, availability of work, and future funding.

Duties/scope of work-100%:

• Connect patients with medical care, health insurance, and pharmacy benefits.
• Coordinate resources for food, housing, transportation, education and employment.
• Facilitate access to services for physical, mental, and spiritual health.
• Conduct a high volume of outbound calls to patients to assist during transitions of care, remind of upcoming appointments, reschedule missed office visits, and check-in about medication needs and resources.
• Contact healthcare providers, pharmacies, and recovery community organizations (RCOs) about follow-up information to support patients.
• Answer questions from inbound callers and provide support or resources, as requested.
• Assist in the maintaining harm reduction supplies at North Memorial Hospital (NMH; emergency department, labor/delivery, inpatient care) and distributing kits to patients at time of contact.
• Partner with other care coordinators and support staff at NMH, Broadway Family Medicine, and other local clinics to meet the needs of patients and share resources.
• Conduct survey follow-ups with patients to determine outcomes of patient navigation services.
• Clinical documentation in electronic health record.
• Maintain HIPAA-compliant database for patient navigation services for tracking patient services and reporting purposes to funding agency.
• Promote health equity in interactions with patients and medical professionals.
• Maintain relationships with RCOs, neighborhood coalitions/councils, and advocacy groups that support patients.
• Participate in outreach efforts, including community health fairs and events, MN State Fair experience, and neighborhood huddle meetings to share information, promote service, and improve community health.
• Maintain an organized, up-to-date repository of community resources for food, housing, education, employment, medical/dental, SUD treatment, mental health, and legal concerns.
• Stay current on education and knowledge base associated with professional degree.
• Conduct patient navigation services that are contemporary with ASAM principles (American Society of Addiction Medicine).
• Uphold the missions and values of the University of Minnesota and affiliated clinical sites we serve.

Qualifications

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: BA/BS degree in Social Work, Human Services, Addiction Studies, Minnesota Community Health Worker (CHW) Certificate or a closely related health field or training, such Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LADC) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS).
• Experience: 2 years of experience in healthcare navigation, community health, social services, or peer support, specifically working with individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) or mental health concerns.; OR a combination of related education and work experience to equal to at least six years.
• Systems & Data Knowledge: Proven experience documenting in Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems (e.g., Epic) and maintaining HIPAA-compliant databases for tracking and reporting.
• Communication Skills: Demonstrated capability to handle a high volume of telephonic outreach (inbound/outbound calls), manage care transitions, and conduct follow-up surveys.
• SUD Knowledge Base: Foundational understanding of harm reduction principles, naloxone distribution, and stigma-free, trauma-informed care.
• Community Outreach: Ability to participate in public outreach events, community fairs, and neighborhood stakeholder meetings to promote services.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced Certification: Current certification as a Minnesota Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) or Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Master's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Addiction Studies, or a closely related health field.
• Local Network & Resources: Established relationships with Twin Cities Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs), local housing/food resources, and Hennepin County safety-net programs.
• Health Equity Expertise: Formally trained in cultural humility, health equity, or social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions within diverse urban populations.
• Clinical Setting Experience: Prior experience working directly within an emergency department, treatment centers, or inpatient hospital setting (ideally within the NMH or U of M system).
• Bilingual Skills: Fluency in a language widely spoken in the local community (e.g., Somali, Spanish, or Hmong) to better assist diverse patient populations.

About the Department

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota was created more than 50 years ago in response to a legislative mandate to train primary care physicians. Since then, we have been leaders in transforming the specialty through education, research, and patient care. We are the academic sponsor of ten family medicine residencies-five in the Twin Cities, five in Greater Minnesota. We are involved in medical student education activities across the Medical School's three campuses: Twin Cities, Duluth, and Saint Cloud. We sponsor five fellowship programs-sports medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, behavioral medicine, clinical informatics, and human sexuality- and offer continuing medical education opportunities. We are regularly among the top National Institutes of Health-funded family medicine departments. Our faculty are actively researching health disparities, healthcare delivery, and population health. More at https://med.umn.edu/familymedicine.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $23.84-$27.42 per hour, we anticipate most offers will be around the midpoint of this range, depending on education and experience.

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment (40 hours per week)

Position Type: Civil-Service

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, pharmacy and disability plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.