Intake Counselor

Responsibilities

• Conducts initial intake assessments for determination of Behavioral Health patient level of care placement, collaborating with emergency departments, psychiatry, and acute care units, and recommends appropriate level of care to attending physicians and community-based referral sources.
• Assists with crisis intervention and intervenes in emergencies using proper procedures, therapeutic counseling, and de‑escalation skills; maintains patient safety by collaborating with loss prevention, hospital physicians, caregivers, local police departments, and rescue services; contributes to development of emergency department communication information; secures appropriate releases of information and facilitates collaboration with community agencies to promote continuity of care.
• Triages requests for services by phone, in person, or through telepsychiatry; answers incoming calls regarding admissions, referrals, community resources, or general information related to clinical programming and ABHS inpatient or outpatient services; schedules, transfers, and refers patients for clinical assessment as needed or requested; refers to resources available throughout ABHS or community-based resources.
• Verifies patient’s insurance to ensure accurate benefits and appropriate referral to providers for services; completes pre‑authorization requirements and documents authorizations received in the electronic medical record; records name of authorizing person at the insurance company, date, and time; explains and assists the patient in understanding insurance benefits when available; collaborates with Case Management to ensure authorizations are complete and accurate.
• Documents in the electronic medical records detailed and thorough information; completes accurate and timely assessments of patients with emphasis on patient safety and risk factors; documentation responsibilities include assessment, crisis treatment plans, and discharge recommendations; identifies discharge planning by documenting aftercare needs; accurately completes all documentation responsibilities as outlined in department/service area procedures within established timelines; communicates needs to case management, social work caregivers via phone, electronically, and in chart documentation while adhering to department protocols and policies.
• Provides consultation/assessment services to acute care units or other areas as assigned, providing consultation on complex patient needs and safety issues upon request; assesses urgent care needs of patients, provides crisis counseling, individual assessments, and obtains appropriate authorizations; acts as a liaison to referral sources, therapists, physicians, other caregivers, or the community and informs them of the services recommended to their patients.
• Assists in providing support to all intake staff throughout the system for triage and assessment functions—via on‑site, telephonic, or telepsychiatry service; assists in distributing and informing staff about changes in policies, procedures, processes, and implementation of new programs and policies; informs manager of operational issues, problems, and concerns in a timely manner.
• Assists in orientation of new staff; responsible for maintaining intake statistics, maintaining current community resource information, and monitoring service activities.
• Provides clinical therapeutic services to diverse populations; accepts clients for assessment and treats all patients willingly and with professionalism.
• Documents requests for psychiatric consultation service, notifies consultants, and verifies completion of consultations on appropriate forms electronically.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served; possesses knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the lifespan; uses data reflective of the patient’s status to interpret appropriate information and identify each patient’s requirements relative to their age‑specific needs; provides care as described in the department’s policies and procedures.

None Required.

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