Assistant Director of Intake

UHS•Shreveport, LA

About The Position

Brentwood Hospital is seeking a master’s-prepared mental health clinician or Licensed RN for an admissions leadership role in its busy 24/7 Admissions Department. The Assistant Director of Intake assists the Director of Admissions with administrative oversight and direction of the department and supervises specialists providing patient access and behavioral health assessment services, including call management, clinical evaluations for level of care, crisis intervention, admissions, and referrals. The role works closely with medical and nursing staff, department leaders, administration, external referral agencies, and payers. It supports compliance with department policies and procedures and regulatory requirements, service excellence, and data entry and management. The Assistant Director also helps develop and manage processes for efficient admissions and assists with staff hiring, supervision, clinical case consultation, and organization of daily department activities. This position reports directly to the Director of Admissions. Brentwood Hospital is a 260-bed psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment facility in Shreveport, Louisiana. It serves children, adolescents, adults, and seniors from Louisiana, East Texas, and South Arkansas.

Requirements

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to prioritize, multitask, think critically, and work effectively under high stress and pressure.
Understanding of funding entities and thorough knowledge of the psychiatric services provided by the hospital.
Ability to work flexible hours.
Basic computer skills and accurate data entry skills; ability to use computers, analysis programs, and the internet for measurement and reporting of key indicators and trends.
Knowledge of insurance contracts, payers, and precertification for inpatient hospitalization.
Experience gathering and documenting medical and clinical information and presenting it to physicians for appropriate staffing.
Ability to triage medical and psychiatric needs.
Working knowledge of DSM-V diagnostic criteria, mental status examinations, and the addiction and recovery field.
Excellent customer service and supportive, constructive communication with coworkers, patients, visitors, families, and referral sources.
Ability to prioritize and assign tasks and hold staff accountable for completion.
Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or a related field, or RN licensure.
Complete knowledge of crisis intervention techniques.
Training in Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) or Handle With Care, and CPR.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred for RN candidates.
One to three years of direct clinical experience in a psychiatric or mental health setting is desirable.
RN, LCSW, LPC, Ph.D., or applicable license under state regulations preferred.

Responsibilities

Direct screening of potential patients for admission and initiate the integrated assessment process.
Assist administration, physicians, and clinical staff in assessing pending admissions to determine appropriate level of care, and communicate pending admissions to the Nursing Department.
With psychiatrist assistance, apply approved admission criteria to determine the appropriate, least restrictive level of care and initiate the plan for the episode of care at admission.
Monitor intake and appointment information calls 24 hours a day and prepare appropriate forms.
Assist the Director of Admissions with interviewing, hiring, and training staff.
Develop and maintain a system for continuity of care and communication with families and appropriate referral sources, and ensure that the system is regularly evaluated and reviewed.
Assist with administrative oversight and direction of the Admissions Department.
Supervise staff providing patient access and behavioral health assessment services, including call management, clinical evaluations, crisis intervention, admissions, and referrals.
Support adherence to policies and procedures, regulatory compliance, service excellence, and data entry and management.
Assist in developing and managing processes for efficient admissions and coordinate day-to-day department activities.
Provide clinical case consultation and help ensure admissions processing is smooth for referral sources, families, staff, and patients.