Back Office - Medical Assistant I

Job Summary

The Medical Assistant I provides administrative and clinical support in mental health or behavioral health settings. This role involves assisting healthcare providers in delivering patient care, managing records, and ensuring a supportive environment for patients.

Duties/Responsibilities:

The following reflects management's definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time with reasonable accommodation.

• Provide back-up support for the medical assistant team, which includes all functions of a medical assistant.
• Assist with intake process, including collecting patient histories, conducting assessments and documenting vital signs.
• Conduct financial screening, and set-up for patient visits.
• Provide interpretation services for patients and medical staff, ensuring clear communication for behavioral health discussions, particularly for non-English-speaking patients.
• Assist with translating health-related documents, when necessary, especially behavioral health intake forms, informed consents, and treatment plans.
• Administer standardized mental health screening tools (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7) under the supervision of providers to assess mood, anxiety, and other behavioral health concerns.
• Document and track behavioral health referrals, ensuring timely follow-up and coordination with behavioral health professionals.
• Assist patients in completing mental health intake questionnaires, supporting the behavioral health assessment process.
• Assist in monitoring patients undergoing behavioral health treatments, tracking progress and assisting with follow-up appointments as needed.
• Provide guidance to patients on managing stress, coping strategies, and improving mental wellness as directed by the healthcare provider.
• Be prepared to assist with crisis situations by offering initial support and coordinating rapid access to behavioral health professionals.
• Assist in identifying potential high-risk patients and collaborate with providers for immediate intervention or crisis management.
• Manage scheduling, maintain patient records, and handle billing and insurance processing.
• Assist as needed including medication refill requests, specialty and procedure referrals, pre and post clinic chart review.
• Review charts, lab test results, and encounter forms for completeness and to assess follow-up as needed.
• Work with Manager to oversee dispensary logs and storage to maintain quality assurance.
• Coordinate the inventory, ordering and supply stock maintenance of medical supplies.
• Provide sick/vacation leave backup for other Behavioral Health Coordinators.
• Assist with the training of behavioral coordinators, volunteer staff on health education, and laboratory.
• Maintain electronics health records and ensuring accuracy in documentation
• Assists with daily and monthly quality assurance reviews including emergency kit check off.
• Record and maintain the refrigerator and freezer temperature logs.
• Order VFC vaccines.

Non-Essential Functions

• As directed by the Clinic Manager, performs other related and/or necessary tasks to achieve organizational and programmatic goals and objectives.

Professional Requirements

Adhere to dress code, appearance is neat and clean.Maintain current license, registrations and/or certifications.Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.Report to work on time and as scheduled as attendance and punctuality is necessary.Ability to work well with a multidisciplinary team. Ability to problem solve and be self-motivated. Maintain regulatory requirements, including all state, federal and local regulations.Represent the organization in a positive and professional manner at all times. Comply with all organizational policies and standards regarding ethical business practices. Communicate the mission, ethics and goals of the organization.Must have excellent written and oral skills, strong organizational, problem-solving and analytical skills. Expected to have strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to understand and follow written/verbal instructions. Able to work independently with little or no supervision. Ability to conduct behavioral health screenings and understand mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress.Competence in identifying behavioral health crises and understanding crisis management protocols.

• Familiarity with mental health resources and community support programs.

Must have reliable transportation.


Qualifications

• High school diploma, or GED required.
• Completion of medical assistant training program required.
• Phlebotomy certification a plus.
• Previous experience in a healthcare setting in mental or behavioral health.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish required.
• One (1) to three (3) years Behavioral Health Experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.
• Possess personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to corporate mission.
• Flexible and able to multitask; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities.
• Maintain current knowledge of policies and procedures as they relate to safe work practices.
• Follow all safety procedures and report unsafe conditions.
• Ability to work with a diverse population.
• Willing to work flexible hours, including evenings.
• Must be self-directed and work productively with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, Access, Outlook.
• Knowledge of Electronic Health Records.
• Perform phlebotomy and basic laboratory duties.
• Demonstrate the skills to provide age-appropriate care to the clients of the clinic.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principals of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to interpret information relative to the patients age related needs.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Conditions

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working on a computer.
• Pushing and pulling objects up to 25 lbs.
• Frequent wrist, hand, and finger dexterity to perform fine motor function.
• Position requires light to moderate work with 25 lb. maximum weight to lift and carry.
• Full range of body motion requires twisting body, pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, stooping, and handling objects with hands and/or fingers, listening, talking, and/or hearing, and seeing.
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Working Conditions

• Non-Ionizing Radiation (microwaves)
• Hazardous Exposure (chemical [E.G. Latex] and infectious)
• Interaction with patients who may present challenging behaviors or emotional distress.

Work Schedule

You will generally be scheduled to work each day Monday through Friday, with starting times each day varying between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and ending time between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., as required to meet the operational needs of the company. There will be occasional Saturdays as needed.

• You will need to travel to other clinic locations as needed for cross coverage support.

Our Mission

The mission of Unicare is to be a community health care organization that treats everyone with dignity, respect and cultural sensitivity to help create an environment in which all can prosper.