Patient Advocate-Mental Health Facility

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Patient Advocate

Position Summary

The Patient Advocate serves as a liaison between patients, families, and facility staff to support a positive, respectful, safe, and therapeutic treatment experience. Working within a behavioral health and substance use treatment setting, the Patient Advocate promotes patient rights, assists with concerns and grievances, facilitates communication, and helps identify and resolve barriers that may impact a patient's experience or participation in treatment.

In addition to advocacy responsibilities, the Patient Advocate plays an active role in the patient community by facilitating structured nightly activities, recreational programming, and other opportunities that promote healthy socialization, engagement, and recovery-focused interaction.

Key Responsibilities

1. Patient Support and Advocacy

• Educate patients and, when appropriate, their families regarding patient rights, responsibilities, facility expectations, and available resources.
• Assist patients in understanding facility policies, procedures, schedules, and general aspects of their treatment experience.
• Provide support and guidance to patients navigating mental health and substance use treatment.
• Serve as an accessible point of contact for patient questions, concerns, complaints, and feedback.
• Promote an environment in which patients feel heard, respected, and supported.
• Advocate for patient needs while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and collaborating with the multidisciplinary treatment team.

2. Communication and Patient Relations

• Serve as a liaison between patients and clinical, medical, operational, and administrative staff.
• Facilitate clear and respectful communication when concerns or misunderstandings arise.
• Collaborate with clinicians, case managers, nursing staff, behavioral health technicians, and leadership to address patient needs and improve the overall patient experience.
• Participate in treatment team, patient experience, or operational meetings when patient advocacy input is needed.
• Identify recurring patient concerns or trends and communicate them to facility leadership.

3. Complaint and Grievance Resolution

• Receive and respond to patient complaints and grievances in a timely, respectful, and impartial manner.
• Assist patients with completing the facility's formal grievance process when necessary.
• Gather relevant information and collaborate with appropriate departments to help resolve concerns.
• Maintain accurate documentation of complaints, grievances, follow-up actions, and resolutions in accordance with facility policy and regulatory requirements.
• Escalate serious concerns involving patient safety, rights, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other reportable matters immediately to appropriate leadership.
• Provide recommendations when recurring concerns suggest opportunities to improve facility processes, policies, or the patient experience.

4. Nightly Activities and Recreational Programming

• Plan, coordinate, and facilitate structured nightly activities for patients in accordance with the facility's programming schedule.
• Lead recreational and leisure activities that encourage healthy socialization, community engagement, teamwork, coping skills, and positive use of free time.
• Develop and introduce engaging activities appropriate for an adult behavioral health population.
• Activities may include games, arts and crafts, wellness activities, recreational groups, movie nights, trivia, outdoor activities, recovery-focused activities, holiday or seasonal events, and other approved programming.
• Encourage patient participation while respecting individual treatment needs, preferences, and clinical limitations.
• Maintain appropriate structure, professional boundaries, and behavioral expectations during activities.
• Monitor the patient environment during recreational programming and immediately communicate behavioral, safety, or clinical concerns to the appropriate staff.
• Coordinate with clinical and operations teams to ensure activities complement the therapeutic environment and do not interfere with scheduled treatment programming.
• Assist with maintaining activity supplies, identifying programming needs, and developing new recreational opportunities based on patient interests.
• Help create a welcoming community atmosphere that supports patient engagement and connection throughout the evening.

5. Patient Education and Resource Support

• Provide patients with information regarding appropriate internal and community resources.
• Assist with connecting patients to resources such as peer support, housing assistance, vocational resources, transportation, community support groups, and continuing-care resources when appropriate.
• Reinforce education provided by the treatment team regarding available services and discharge resources within the scope of the Patient Advocate role.
• Assist with or participate in patient orientation, community meetings, wellness activities, and educational programming as assigned.

6. Documentation, Safety, and Compliance

• Maintain accurate, timely, and professional documentation related to patient concerns, grievances, activities, and other assigned responsibilities.
• Protect patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, facility policies, patient rights requirements, and applicable state and federal regulations.
• Maintain professional boundaries with patients and families at all times.
• Follow facility procedures regarding patient safety, incident reporting, emergency response, and escalation of concerns.
• Immediately report any suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, patient rights violations, or safety concerns in accordance with facility policy.
• Support facility policies, procedures, and standards while serving as a positive role model for patients.

Working Conditions

• This is a highly patient-facing position within a residential behavioral health treatment environment.
• The position requires regular evening hours due to responsibility for facilitating nightly patient activities and recreational programming.
• Weekend and holiday availability may be required based on facility programming and operational needs.
• The role requires frequent interaction with individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges.
• Must be able to move throughout the facility and participate in or supervise recreational activities as appropriate.
• Occasional community travel may be required for approved patient resources, activities, or outreach.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay: $19.00 - $22.00 per hour

• Competitive compensation commensurate with experience.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance for eligible employees.
• Paid time off and holiday benefits.
• Retirement benefits, if applicable.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and continuing education.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person

Required Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Behavioral Health, Public Health, Recreation, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 1–2 years of experience in behavioral health, patient advocacy, social services, case management, residential treatment, or a related patient-facing role preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, conflict-resolution, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable leading activities and interacting with groups of patients in a residential treatment environment.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused when addressing patient concerns or challenging situations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive information.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to balance advocacy, programming, documentation, and patient interaction responsibilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience working in a residential mental health or substance use treatment facility.
• Experience facilitating recreational, wellness, community, or recovery-oriented activities.
• Familiarity with Georgia regulations and standards related to behavioral health services and patient rights.
• Certification or training in Peer Support, Case Management, CPR/First Aid, Crisis Prevention, or a related area is a plus.