Patient and Family Navigator

The Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP) is a statewide initiative that increases access and improves mental, behavioral and emotional health and development by providing education, consultation, and care navigation to medical providers of infants, children, adolescents, young adults, and pregnant & postpartum people. VMAP is designed to increase capacity for medical providers to treat and respond to common pediatric mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other neuro‑behavioral conditions including autism. VMAP consists of five regional hubs, a statewide early childhood hub, and a statewide Moms+ hub. Each hub provides localized mental health consultations and care navigation for primary care providers treating patients ages 0-21 as well as pregnant and postpartum parents. VMAP is seeking a Care Navigator with expertise in early childhood and developmental disability resources and needs for patients in the 0-5 age range. The early childhood care navigator will work closely with VMAP’s early childhood consulting physicians and Licensed Mental Health Professional to provide resource support to PCPs and their patients. Responsibilities Develop and maintain relationships with intake coordinators in Virginia’s Ready Regions as well as other programs and organizations serving children under the age of 5. Participate regularly in community‑based meetings to stay current on new and evolving resources for children ages 0‑5. Research and maintain accurate and up‑to‑date lists of local mental health and developmental resources and their availability, including mental health providers, family support services, community resources, peer support programs, and Children Services Act (CSA) related programs in the VMAP database. Each resource should be verified at least annually; availability of resources may vary by region. Provide early childhood care navigation for the entire VMAP program and support regional care navigators on early childhood cases when required. Answer VMAP PCP calls/emails during normal business hours and direct to appropriate resources. Respond to PCP requests with appropriate regional resources within two business days, including practice information such as participation with insurance and wait time for appointments. When possible, work directly with families to help facilitate and coordinate referrals to needed services. Provide follow‑up calls to referred families within designated timeframes in order to ensure continuity of care. This may include warm handoffs to appropriate service coordination, parent education, and psychosocial support. Provide feedback as requested to PCPs on status of family engagement and services. Record and log information from daily calls into VMAP database. Conduct post‑navigation surveys to gather data from PCPs and families regarding satisfaction of process. Adhere to HIPAA privacy policies and hospital/health center regulations. Will report to the VMAP early childhood Licensed Mental Health Professional and the VMAP Call Line Manager. Minimum Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of degree. Experience: 3 years relevant experience. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in a human services field preferred. Extensive knowledge of Virginia’s early childhood resources and referrals. Peer support provider experience and/or certification preferred. Proficient writing skills and ability to thoroughly document work on an ongoing basis. Proficient in Word, Excel, data entry, and editing. Native or bilingual proficiency in English preferred; Spanish fluency highly preferred. Willingness to complete Medical Spanish Language Fluency Certification within a year of hire and take Medical Fluency Exam (can be supported by UVA tuition benefit). Lived experience navigating healthcare systems, developmental services, and/or mental health services strongly preferred. Physical Demands This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings and programs. Anticipated Starting Salary $53,506 annually, commensurate with education and experience. Position Type & Work Location This is an Exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits. This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability. The position requires a combination of remote and in‑person work. Candidates should be able to easily travel on‑site to UVA Children’s Hospital at least once a quarter. Occasional overnight travel is required to attend VMAP statewide events. Candidates must have access to a private working remote space, secure internet connection and cell service during work hours. Additional Requirements Background checks, pre‑employment health screenings, and drug screening will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment. This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future. For questions about the position, please contact Mary Beth Murray at View email address on click.appcast.io. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non‑discrimination and equal opportunity employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr