Navigator - Behavioral Health Integration

Job Title:Navigator

Department:Behavioral Health Integration (BHI)

Reports To:Clinical Services Supervisor

FLSA Status:Non-Exempt

Wage Range that the Company Expects to Pay: $21.00 - $23.15 per hour

SUMMARY 

The Navigator is the bridge for Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) services. Under the direct supervision of the Clinical Services Supervisor, the primary role of the Navigator is to link patients into Behavioral Health (BH) services by supporting the clinics with increased access to quality and timely health care. This Navigator directly supports the Primary Care Team and Behavioral Health Clinicians (LCSW, LMFT, ASW, Psychiatrists) by conducting care coordination activities, behavioral health maintenance, and linking patients with resources in the community. The Navigator will use a remote care monitoring platform telephonically to facilitate this process.

It is the primary purpose of CHCCC to provide the highest quality of total care possible to the patient population it serves. Such a level of quality depends ultimately on the staff's desire and ability to work together, individually, and as a team. The employee is expected to be professional, punctual, maintain regular attendance, cooperative, motivated, and organized at all times.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Additional duties may be assigned with or without prior notice.

Assists the patient telephonically with the completion of appropriate forms with professionalism, diplomacy, and advocacy for patients’ cultural and diversity needs.

Ensure the patient’s chart is in order and current with appropriate demographics and payer source information along with completed forms, consents, and portal access. Verifies insurance, payer status, physical address, and emergency contact at every visit. 

Identifies any gaps in care and any quality metrics that need to be met by reviewing the patient’s historical electronic medical record and using the appropriate disease management guidelines (i.e American Diabetes Association, National Institute of Health).

Maintain a continuous relationship with the patient and a collaborative, integrated relationship with the rest of the care team.

Perform primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies including wellness education, administer screening using applicable, validated clinical rating scales, and referral and linkage to appropriate BH providers and resources.

Informs patients about all services and programs available throughout the CHC care network and makes appropriate referrals.

Must be professional at all times, and provide quality “Customer Service” using AIDET Standards.

Answers telephones with professional greeting and voice.

Schedules patients per the protocol and refers triage, medical and medication management calls to qualified nursing staff or licensed independent practitioners (LIP).

Participates in service coordination activities as directed to improve service continuity and effectiveness for clients within the CHC network.

Provides clerical and care coordination support to BH providers (LCSWs, LMFTs, ASWs, Psychiatrists) and Primary Care Teams including but not limited to scheduling and rescheduling patient appointments, activation, and maintenance calls at regularly scheduled intervals.

Assists patients in the navigation of the mental health system, and appropriate linkage to various county agencies, and other community resources based on patient need and availability.

Documents all service contacts in the patient’s electronic health record on a timely basis to include any outside agency correspondence and maintains the care records in accordance with agency standards and requirements by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Assists clinic staff telephonically with de-escalating patient behavioral issues and concerns in the clinic.

Meets regularly with the Clinical Services Supervisor and/or supervising BH clinician as a means of enhancing professional growth, reviewing and processing the provision of care coordination services, and dealing with appropriate administrative issues.

Liaises with community and external agencies on behalf of CHC in matters pertaining to high-risk behavioral health patients.

Attends training and staff meetings as required and performs related work as assigned.

Ability to work with a high volume of patients, internal/external customers, and deal with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events.

Demonstrates adherence to and observes all safety policies and procedures, inclusive of infection control rules and regulations.

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age and behavioral health needs of the patients served (adults 18 years or older).

Demonstrates knowledge of domestic violence, child and dependent abuse protocols.

Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and competence with patients.

Maintains and adheres to HIPAA, employee confidentiality, and privileged communications (patient, employee, and corporation).

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or GED required. Associate’s degree or currently enrolled in Human Services, Addiction Studies, Nursing program, or related field. Some experience in front and/or back office medical and/or behavioral health experience required.

Will consider if graduated from an accredited school in Medical Assisting; and/or certified or registered medical assistant (CMA/RMA), and minimum of one (1) year of recent medical assisting experience in the medical field.

COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following characteristics:

Strong communication skills, medical terminology, problem management strategies, organized, detail-oriented, and knowledgeable of the scope of services available within the CHC system throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, policy and procedure manuals. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquires or complaints. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of patients or employees of organization. Bilingual – ability to read, speak, and write in English and another language is preferred, not required.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide into all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply sound judgment in understanding to carry out instructions in written or oral form. Ability to make appropriate job decisions following standard office policies and past precedents.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Experience with word processing, spreadsheets, email, and keyboarding required. Microsoft Office and Google Suite skills required. Working knowledge of EHR preferred. 

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS 

Possession of current, valid, unrestricted California Driver's License (Class C) required. Current CPR (BLS) card required. If employee does not have a current CPR card at time of hire, then employee has 60 days to become certified.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Required to pass a criminal history background check and drug screen upon hire. Annual health examination; annual Tuberculosis skin test clearance or chest x-ray; proof of immunity to MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis B; proof of Tdap vaccine; during current flu season, must provide proof of influenza vaccine or a signed declination form. If declined, a flu mask is mandatory during flu season.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job is mostly sedentary. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to sit.  The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is moderate (i.e. office setting with computers, phones, and printers). Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment.

Must be willing to have a flexible work schedule that may include evenings/weekends, and travel as needed.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.