INTAKE COUNSELOR, MASTERS

Intake Clinician

The Intake Clinician is responsible for completing psychiatric assessments and utilizing admission criteria to determine the most appropriate level of care for individuals seeking services at Inland Northwest Behavioral Health Hospital. All employees are expected to be pleasant, respectful, and courteous in all interactions with patients, families, staff, and visitors of the Hospital, as well as being a positive representative of INBH at all times.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in social work, mental health or a related field.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience in social work or a mental health setting.
• Agency Affiliated licensure Mental Health Professional designation
• BLS, First Aid, Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR), Handle with Care, and Verbal De-Escalation certifications (provided by INBH).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Washington State Associate Social Work or Associate Mental Health Counselor license, or higher Qualifications

Specific Performance Responsibilities:

• Receive referral calls, obtain and document demographic and presenting problem information, and schedule assessment appointments in a timely manner.
• Complete psychiatric assessments as required.
• Process all requests for information and external referrals.
• Provide customary and requested information to referral sources.
• Assist with arranging for the admission of patients, including notifying the business office, verifying benefit coverage, initiating calls to physicians/licensed practitioners as required, entering necessary information into computer tracking system, notifying program staff, distributing records to all necessary staff and initiating the prior authorization process.
• Assist in determining what releases of information are required and process releases according to policy.
• Assist in obtaining the appropriate patient documents and records.
• Maintain assessment and referral statistics and other data as assigned, including EMTALA log, pending admissions file, Midas/MS4 statistics and reports.
• Maintain good communication and relations with the UR, Clinical Services, Social Services, and other staff.
• Establish an effective relationship with customers, ensuring that appropriate customer service is provided.

Physical & Sensory Requirements, Work Environment & Conditions:

• Ability to stand, or walk up to six hours, sit for up to two hours.
• Ability to occasionally push/pull wheeled carts up to 200 lbs. (i.e. Crash carts, patients on stretchers or in wheel chairs).
• Ability to frequently lift and carry up to 10 pounds; (charts, records)
• Ability to see well enough to read written materials.
• Ability to discern a variety of odors.
• Ability to handle hazardous/infectious waste on an occasional basis.
• Ability to work in an environment where the noise level is frequently high; where chemicals are frequently used in cleaning; where mechanical and electrical hazards may occasionally be present; and where dust, mist and steam are frequently generated in housekeeping tasks.
• Ability and knowledge of how to respond when exposed to blood and body fluids.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.