Admissions Counselor

Capitol Park Mental Health Hospital•Saint Paul, MN

4d•$30 - $35

About The Position

Capitol Park Mental Health Hospital is seeking a compassionate, detail-oriented Admissions Counselor to support admissions and clinical assessment processes on a part-time basis. The role helps ensure people seeking care receive timely, clinically appropriate access to services by conducting intake assessments, coordinating admissions, and assisting with utilization review so patients are placed at the appropriate level of care. The Admissions Counselor responds to inquiries, completes pre-admission assessments and admission paperwork, coordinates referrals and transfers, supports benefit eligibility and treatment pre-authorization, and collaborates with medical and psychiatric personnel. The position also helps coordinate follow-up care for people who are not admitted and supports patient safety through required supervision and safety checks. Capitol Park Mental Health Hospital is a 144-bed behavioral health facility on the former Bethesda Hospital campus. Opened in September 2025, it provides inpatient psychiatric treatment, Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP). It is part of Acadia Healthcare, a behavioral health provider focused on patient-centered mental health treatment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a social services field is required if permitted by the state.
Current licensure as preferred for the clinical specialty and designated by the state where the facility operates.
CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification are required; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.
Ability to develop therapeutic relationships and demonstrate strong clinical assessment and diagnostic skills.
Excellent communication, organization, and interpersonal abilities.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, patient-centered environment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field.
Master’s degree in a social services field, including psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, or nursing, or RN.
Current licensure or eligibility for licensure as an RN, LMSW, LCSW, LPC, LPCC, LMFT, LCPC, LPA, or LCP.
One or more years of experience in mental or behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity.
Experience in behavioral health, crisis assessment, or admissions.
First aid, depending on state or facility requirements.

Responsibilities

Respond to facility inquiries within established policy timeframes.
Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
Verify benefit eligibility and communicate the results 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 facility levels of care.
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 to support authorization for the requested level of care.
Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission before admission when possible and within payor timeframes.
Register admitted patients in the registration and accounting system and complete admission and consent forms with them.
Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude; acknowledge and work to resolve complaints when patient needs are not met.
Coordinate appropriate follow-up care and referrals for patients who are not admitted.
Respond urgently to patient safety needs and provide excellent customer service.
Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, as specified in special precautions, or according to individualized supervision guidelines.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.