Admissions Counselor PRN

Acadia Healthcare • New Castle, DE

4d

About The Position

The Admissions Counselor facilitates admissions, clinical intake assessments, and utilization review to support continuity of care, selection of the most appropriate level of care, and patient benefit and resource utilization. This is an overnight weekend PRN role, with shifts on Saturday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and Sunday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The role responds to facility inquiries, coordinates referral and admission processes, completes pre-admission and intake assessments, and works with patients, families, facility personnel, and referral sources. It also includes benefit eligibility and pre-authorization tasks, admission documentation and registration, coordination of follow-up for patients not admitted, and patient safety monitoring.

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.
• Current 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 qualification.
• One or more years of experience in mental or behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity.
• First aid qualification may be preferred depending on the state or facility.

Responsibilities

• Respond to inquiries about the facility within facility policy timeframes.
• Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
• Check benefit eligibility and communicate eligibility information to the business office and the patient or significant other.
• Collaborate with facility 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 their 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 timeframe guidelines.
• Admit patients to the registration and accounting system.
• Complete admission and consent forms with patients.
• Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers; acknowledge and work to resolve unmet patient needs and complaints.
• Prioritize patient safety and provide responsive, high-quality customer service.
• Coordinate care and appropriate follow-up referrals for patients who are not admitted.
• Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, as indicated by special precautions, or according to individualized supervision guidelines.
• Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

What This Job Offers