Admissions Counselor

Acadia•Muhlenberg Township, PA

27d•Onsite

About The Position

Tower Behavioral Health is seeking a temporary Admissions Counselor at its behavioral healthcare facility in Reading, Pennsylvania. The facility serves adults, adolescents, and seniors and provides inpatient and outpatient programs, counseling, substance use disorder treatment, and other services. This is a 24-week, full-time assignment paying $30 per hour. The schedule is 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., three 12-hour shifts per week, with an every-other-weekend rotation. The position is not benefit-eligible. It is not an agency contract, and travel stipends or travel reimbursements are not provided. Current Acadia Healthcare or Tower Behavioral Health employees, and those who have worked for either company within the past 12 months, are not eligible. The Admissions Counselor responds to inquiries, supports the referral and admission process, coordinates care and transfers, and works with patients, families, facility clinicians, and business office staff. The role includes reviewing benefit eligibility, arranging and completing pre-admission assessments, consulting with the admitting physician, preparing documentation for payer authorization, completing admission paperwork, and ensuring appropriate follow-up for people who are not admitted. The counselor also helps maintain patient safety, including conducting safety checks and ensuring supervision at required intervals. A bachelor’s degree in a social services field is required if permitted by state regulations. A master’s degree in a related social services field or an RN is preferred. Relevant behavioral health experience, applicable clinical licensure, CPR certification, and de-escalation/restraint certification are specified; training for the required certifications is available upon hire through the facility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a social services field, if allowed by the state.
Current licensure as preferred for the area of clinical specialty, as designated by the state in which the facility operates.
CPR certification and de-escalation/restraint certification; 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.
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.
Check benefit eligibility and communicate eligibility information to the business office and 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 supporting authorization for the requested level of care.
Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission before admission when possible and within payer timeframes.
Register 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.
Demonstrate urgency regarding patient safety and provide excellent customer service.
Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, as noted in special precautions, or according to individualized supervision guidelines.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.