Manager Behavioral Health Access Transfer Center

Job Summary 

The Behavioral Health Manager ensures the Behavioral Health Access Center functions are consistently maintained during all hours of operation; provides oversight and direction over all staff and processes related to Behavioral Health Access functions at all times. The position reports directly to the National Director of Behavioral Health Access and works in collaboration with the Access Command Center Director and Manager of Access Command Center , Staff, hospital department representatives, physicians and leadership teams to foster relationships with referring facilities, physicians, and hospital staff around the concept of patient transfers. The position works closely with staff at all levels within organizations served to identify, trend, report, and overcome barriers to patient throughput or transfer processes. 

Essential Functions

• Demonstrates knowledge of behavioral health disorders, human growth and development, assessment, range of treatment, and care of patients appropriate to the ages of patients served.
• Assumes shared responsibility for clinical and resource management of the department (24 hrs/day, 7 days/wk).
• Assumes shared responsibility for employee, physician, customer, and patient satisfaction related to Behavioral Health Access Center processes.
• Promotes each hospital’s customer service initiatives and protects the integrity of such programs.
• Coordinates and integrates human and material resources to efficiently provide customer service delivery to support the transfer center functions.
• Coordinates facility capacity flow and appropriate bed placement services, as indicated.
• Coordinates and manages all processes related to the Behavioral Health Access Center to include but not limited to ED & Inpatient Transfers, MD office admissions, Behavioral Health Admissions, Patient Transport, and Capacity Management for each facility served.
• Promotes and ensures overall ease of entry to any CHS facility.
• Maintains/ensures EMTALA compliance within all operations of the Behavioral Health Access Center.
• Manages staffing and scheduling of staff within productivity and budgetary guidelines.
• Assists in ensuring that quality and performance metrics within the department are maintained at all times.
• Ensures Quality Reviews to include documentation, telephone call recordings, and general staff interactions with customers are conducted and maintained.
• Designs and operationalizes quality assurance and process improvement initiatives to improve overall functions within the Behavioral Health Access Center.
• Shared responsibility for reporting department performance and for identifying trends/patterns that require intervention.
• Concurrently investigates and trouble shoots service gaps and process issues, and brings issues to resolution in a timely manner.
• Conducts employee evaluations and feedback both concurrently and annually.
• Assists and performs all Behavioral Health Access Center functions to ensure efficient processes are maintained at all times.
• May perform patient assessments as needed.
• Serves as a personal and professional role model and mentor for staff.
• Assists with community education around clinical issues and participates with community events such as meetings related to access.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling or related field and holds a professional licensure as an independent mental health professional required
• 1-3 years experience in a behavioral healthcare setting performing clinical assessments or in a clinical treatment setting required
• 2-4 years experience managing and developing staff required
• 2-4 years experience managing and developing staff in a clinical behavioral health setting preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills in problem solving, analytical and critical thinking, prioritization, negotiation, conflict resolution, proactive decision making.
• Demonstrates ability to set priorities and helps the department prioritize workload.
• Demonstrates good judgment in handling situations not covered by verbal or written instructions.
• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative and effective working relationships within the department as well as with defined customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral, written and electronic formats with personnel at all levels within an organization.

Licenses and Certifications

• Must hold and maintain current licensure as a mental health professional required and