Admissions/Intake Counselor, Youth Residential

Admissions Counselor

Department: Unit

Reports To: Admissions Supervisor

Classification: Non-Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY

Provides an effective system for the answering, screening and resolution of all inquiry calls to the facility.

Ensures that all adolescent clients and their families receive appropriate, quality services throughout the admission process. Also, provides a receptionist function - maintaining the reception area, greeting and assisting clients, families, visitors, and employees, answering all incoming calls, and conveying messages when necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in a behavioral health related field, with at least two years of full-time care experience helping adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and substance abuse problems, preferably in a residential treatment or hospital setting. A QMHA with the ability to present and relate well to others, flexibility in responding to changing work conditions, and excellent communication and organizational skills. Must have intake assessment experience and basic typing skills, and computer skills.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and APTITUDES

• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing, with clients, family members, and co-workers.
• Ability to use good judgement and to maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent customer and public relations skills.
• Knowledge of the age-specific, diagnostic-specific, and cultural-specific needs of the population served.
• Knowledge of clients’ rights, abuse reporting laws, and crisis intervention/de-escalation techniques.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, and SPECIAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental 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.

• Ability to work and to concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversation, and foot traffic
• Ability to handle interruptions often and to be able to efficiently move from one task to another
• Ability to stand, sit, or walk for up to six continuous hours
• Ability to communicate verbally, see well enough to read written materials, and to discern a variety of odors continuously
• Ability to hear/perceive the nature of sound with no less than 40 dB loss @ Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz with or without correction; ability to perceive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound
• Ability to perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers
• Ability to occasionally carry or lift program materials of up to 15 pounds. (i.e., brief case, clients’ belongings, etc.)
• Ability to see with a minimum standard of visual acuity, with or without correction, that will enable people in the role to complete administrative and clerical tasks and visually observe clients on the unit and in therapeutic activities.

MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT and OTHER WORK AIDES

• Telephone, paging, and voice mail system
• Email, cell phone, and other digital communication equipment
• Television, DVD, and other audio-visual equipment
• Computer
• Copy machine
• Fax Machine
• Shredder
• Policies, procedures, plans and program manuals
• Door locks
• First aid items
• Refrigerator
• Calculator
• Electronic Health Records

RESPONSIBILITIES

Admissions

• Always ensures consistent, quality service to all inquiry calls --- 24-hours a day.
• Ensures the provision of an effective system for the answering, screening and resolution of all inquiry calls to the facility.
• Ensures that all adolescent clients and their families receive appropriate, quality services throughout the admission process.

Pre-Admission

• Ensures that the information needed to assess clinical appropriateness for admission and care is thoughtfully and efficiently gathered by phone, by face-to-face interviews, or from recent assessment documentation.
• Ensures that all inquiry information is accurately documented on/in the appropriate forms.
• Ensures that a comprehensive listing of community resources is collaboratively maintained with the Clinical Supervisor, and individuals who are clinically or financially inappropriate for admission are properly referred.
• Ensures that diligent and compassionate effort is made to assist the prospective client/family in finding suitable community resources as needed.
• Ensures that a log of pending inquiry cases is maintained and followed up on in a timely, conscientious manner to ensure smooth coordination of admissions.
• Ensures that follow-up calls are made to individuals who may need additional assistance or encouragement to seek treatment.
• Ensures a compassionate, risk-aware system for managing a waiting list for services.
• Ensures effective coordination with the organization’s business function to determine insurance eligibility and coverage for those seeking admission. Maintains familiarity with insurance and reimbursement practices.
• Ensures effective coordination with administrator on call, the business office, treatment unit, program manager/director, and attending physician.
• Ensures that, within confidentiality guidelines and as clinically appropriate, the referent and legal guardian is involved in all phases of inquiry, assessment, admission, and/or referral.

Admission

• Ensures that new clients, families and referral sources, are graciously greeted and provided a comfortable environment. Answers all questions and alleviates concerns.
• Ensures that written, informed consent and all other admission and/or registration paperwork is properly completed in a timely manner.
• Ensures that the following information is recorded in the client’s record at the time of admission:
• client name, date of birth, gender, address, and phone number
• whom to contact in case of an emergency, including telephone number
• documents relating to guardianship or any other legal considerations
• fee arrangement based on the client’s ability to pay, when appropriate
• name of individual completing intake/assessment, or
• documentation of the client’s refusal to provide the necessary information
• Ensures that (as appropriate to the client’s and or family’s condition) the following information is provided before, at, or shortly after admission:
• a general description of and orientation to the treatment facility, the treatment program, and the treatment providers
• the philosophy, nature, and goals of care and services;
• the hours during which care and services are available;
• the costs of care and services to be borne by the individual, if any
• the individual’s rights (including confidentiality), responsibilities, and involvement in care.
• grievance process
• time/place of use restrictions on personal belongings
• the program rules
• Assists in furthering Madrona Recovery’s goals and objectives by identifying and contacting potential referral sources. Conducts follow-up activities with referral sources to assess service needs as they relate to intake, admissions, and referrals.

Reception

• Ensures provision of a receptionist function - maintaining the reception area, greeting and assisting clients, families, visitors, and employees, answering all incoming calls, and taking messages when necessary.
• Demonstrates a critical awareness that the receptionist is the first, and perhaps only, representative of the organization a newcomer to the facility hears or meets.

Evidences competency at tasks associated with job performance.

• Consistently displays articulate knowledge of the programs, services, protocols, and overall workings of the organization.
• Always follows close observation protocols.
• Documents all incidents necessary on the appropriate form and completes according to policy in a timely manner.
• Ensures that client belongings are properly inventoried and logged.
• Ensures that contraband is properly removed.

Assists in evaluation and improvement of overall program and services.

• Always ensures that work meets or exceeds state, federal, Joint Commission, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Always understands and implements performance improvement principles and initiatives.
• Assists in development of improvements in program and new treatment modalities.

Competency Metrics

• Demonstrates the ability to ensure that all adolescent clients and their families receive appropriate, quality services throughout the admission process
• Demonstrates the ability to answer, screen and resolve all types of inquiry calls to the facility.
• Demonstrates the ability to serve customers, client and the general public with effective customer service skills

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 - $23.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work Location: In person

Salary : $20 - $23