Admissions Counselor

Lakeview Behavioral Health•Norcross, GA

About The Position

The Admissions Counselor at Lakeview Behavioral Health supports patients and families through the admissions process with empathy, professionalism, and urgency. The role involves insurance benefit verification, care coordination, pre-admission assessments, and communication with clinical teams to support appropriate placement, continuity of care, and positive patient outcomes. The counselor coordinates admissions and transfers, completes required documentation and admission processes, and helps ensure patient safety and follow-up care.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a social services field required if permitted by the state.
Current licensure, as preferred for the area of clinical specialty, as designated by the state in which the facility operates.
CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a social services field, such as psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, or nursing, or an RN credential.
One or more years of experience in mental or behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity.
First aid, depending on state or facility requirements.

Responsibilities

Respond to facility inquiries within facility policy timeframes.
Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
Verify that patient benefits are active at admission and communicate eligibility to the business office and the patient or significant other.
Collaborate with medical and psychiatric personnel on recommendations for pending referrals.
Coordinate admissions and transfers from referral sources and between levels of care within the facility.
Maintain knowledge of milieu management.
Promptly communicate projected admissions to designated internal representatives.
Obtain clinical information from referral sources or patients, including medical comorbidity information, before admission when possible.
Schedule and complete pre-admission assessments when applicable, consult with the admitting physician, and communicate disposition recommendations to patients or families.
Prepare and maintain medical record documentation appropriate to obtaining payor authorization for the requested level of care.
Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission before admission when possible and within payor timeframe guidelines.
Register patients in the registration and accounting system and complete admission and consent forms with them.
Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers; acknowledge and work to resolve unmet patient needs and complaints.
Prioritize patient safety and provide excellent customer service with a sense of urgency.
Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, as noted in special precautions, or according to individualized supervision guidelines.
Coordinate care and appropriate follow-up and referrals for patients who are not admitted.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.