Intake Manager

Intake Manager

The Intake Manager is responsible for assisting the Director in managing all the different aspects of the patient assessment, referral, and admission process. Responsibilities include intake screenings for incoming patients, providing clinical direction in psychiatric and chemical dependency assessment services including evaluation, crisis intervention and referrals, staff supervision, communicating with all other facility staff members to have a smooth admission outcome, developing and nurturing professional relationships with payers, physicians and other clinicians in acute care hospitals, community mental health centers and other organizations. Ensures appropriate and accurate billing information is available for all admissions.

Roles and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Manages the intake, admissions, and prior authorization process for incoming patients. Provides clinical evaluations of prospective patients determining patients' appropriateness for the program and coordinates the psychiatric assessment process with the medical staff.
• Identifies and prioritizes issues of importance, including those priority issues as set by leadership. Collaborates with department leaders and corporate leaders, as needed.
• Communicates instructions, expectations and timelines clearly and concisely.
• Manages a team of highly engaged members through hiring, orienting, performance assessment and management, motivating, training, scheduling, and coaching to meet department goals and ensure effective and efficient department operation.
• Maintains productivity levels that are aligned with patient census, curtailing unnecessary overtime and/or excessive staff work hours.
• Manages staff scheduling and maintains an updated plan for contingency staffing.
• Maintains accountability expectations for self and staff in all areas of job performance.
• Engages staff in quality and safety basics to ensure sustained, measurable compliance.
• Identifies staff educational needs and ensures they are addressed with education programs that are attended by staff.
• Holds staff accountable for non-compliance and patient safety concerns, as well as attendance, following policies, behavior, and adherence to code of conduct.
• Continually assesses processes and workflows involved with pre-admission performance and maintains an intake continuous improvement plan for the department.
• Monitors call volumes and service requests to ensure proper staffing during peak call times.
• Establishes results-producing relationships with the referral community including physicians, social workers, state officials, and payers.
• Educates team members and referral sources about company services as related to industry changes, specific clinical programs and capabilities, clinical outcomes, and appropriate patient referrals/admissions.
• Ensures that appropriate and accurate billing information is available for all admissions and coordinates with Business Office and Utilization Management. Provides insurance verification training to staff.
• Serves as liaisons between hospitals and facilities in the event of transfer. When appropriate, refers the patient to an alternate level of care based on their needs and wishes.
• Ensures that all related admission documentation is complete and entered timely.
• Serves as a link between Admissions and other departments to ensure the efficient transfer of information essential to operations. Works with Department Heads and Medical Staff to assure admissions services are effectively integrated into hospital operations.
• Provides the patient, family members, referral sources, significant others with assessment and voluntary/involuntary admission information.
• Provides additional coverage for the Admissions team and Call Center – e.g. answers phones, processes admission requests, completes clinical screenings and Intake Assessments, verifies insurance, and assists with insurance pre-certifications during times of high volume

Education/Experience/Skill Requirements

• Registered Nurse or Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in social work, counseling, psychology, mental health, or a related clinical field required.
• One or more years' healthcare admissions experience required. Behavioral health field preferred.
• Working knowledge of psychiatric diagnosis, of the Addiction & Recovery field and experience in clinical interviewing, patient assessment, referral, treatment planning, communicating with external review organizations or comparable entities.

Licenses/Designations/Certifications

• RN License or LCSW, LMHC or LPC, or other behavioral health license as required by the state for this position.
• CPR and de-escalation and restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).
• First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

This position is onsite and is not a remote position.

One or more years proven supervisory/management experience required, preferably in Admissions.

Why Palms Behavioral Health? Palms Behavioral Health offers a comprehensive benefit plan and a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Qualified candidates should apply by submitting a resume. Palms Behavioral Health is an EOE.

Veterans and military spouses are highly encouraged to apply. Summit BHC is dedicated to serving Veterans with specialized programming at our treatment centers across the country. We recognize and value the unique strengths of the military community in supporting our mission to serve those who have served.