Care Coordinator - Behavioral Health

OPSAM HEALTH•Chula Vista, CA

17h•$22 - $28

About The Position

Operation Samahan (OpSam Health) is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving San Diego County, with locations in National City, Mira Mesa, City Heights, and Rancho Penasquitos. It provides primary care, dental, behavioral health, family planning, integrative health and wellness, healthy eating, civic engagement, and other health-related services to uninsured, underinsured, and underserved families. The Behavioral Health Coordinator reports to the Behavioral Health Director and coordinates daily psychiatry and therapy operations. The role maintains schedules according to approved protocols and templates, supports timely access and continuity of care, and provides direct Medical Assistant support and psychiatrist coverage as needed. The coordinator works with the Behavioral Health Director, psychiatrists, therapists, and clinic teams to address operational barriers and support patient care. The position also supports patient coordination, referrals, transitions of care, accurate EHR documentation, and quality improvement activities. Medical Assistant tasks are performed within verified training and competency and under appropriate licensed clinical supervision. The role is full-time, non-exempt, and pays $22.00–$28.00 per hour.

Requirements

Completion of a Medical Assistant training program and demonstrated competency in assigned clinical MA duties.
At least three years of professional Medical Assistant experience, including the ability to independently carry out assigned MA support workflows under appropriate clinical supervision.
Experience using an electronic health record and managing provider schedules, appointment types, and templates.
Ability to provide psychiatrist MA coverage, coordinate patient follow-up, and communicate effectively with psychiatrists, therapists, and other clinical staff.
Computer literacy, accurate documentation, effective problem solving, and strong written and oral communication.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a busy clinical setting with strong organization and attention to detail.
Ability to work independently, recognize limits of responsibility, and escalate concerns appropriately.
Ability to work with diverse populations, protect sensitive information, and support a respectful, trauma-informed environment.

Nice To Haves

eClinicalWorks experience.
Experience in behavioral health, psychiatry, care coordination, or an FQHC.
Medical Assistant certification.
Bilingual skills.

Responsibilities

Build, maintain, and review psychiatry and therapy schedules in the electronic health record using approved templates, provider availability, and scheduling protocols.
Ensure schedules use correct visit types, appointment lengths, intake and follow-up slots, telehealth designations, and approved supervision and administrative blocks; obtain approval before changing templates or adding exceptions.
Review upcoming schedules daily, identify booking errors, missing follow-ups, gaps, cancellations, and capacity concerns, and coordinate corrections.
Coordinate provider leave, schedule changes, patient rescheduling, reminders, waitlists, no-show outreach, and filling available appointments under approved protocols.
Ensure follow-up appointments are scheduled according to the treating clinician’s plan, track unresolved scheduling needs, and escalate access delays or repeated missed visits.
Provide Medical Assistant support and psychiatrist coverage during assigned sessions or when the regular MA is unavailable, as directed.
Prepare patients for psychiatry visits, including rooming, vital signs, height and weight as indicated, medication and allergy list updates, and approved screening questionnaires for clinician review.
Support in-person and telehealth visits by preparing rooms and records, confirming forms, assisting with connections, arranging interpreters, and communicating patient readiness.
Coordinate ordered laboratory work, referrals, and follow-up needs; track completion and route results or outstanding items to the responsible clinician.
Process refill and prior authorization requests through approved workflows, route requests to authorized clinicians, communicate clinician-approved instructions, and document actions in the health record.
Perform MA duties within verified training, demonstrated competency, and required supervision; refer clinical assessment, interpretation, treatment decisions, and medication changes to licensed clinicians and escalate urgent concerns under established protocols.
Orient patients and families to behavioral health services, scheduling expectations, and follow-up requirements; help address language, transportation, and other access barriers using respectful, culturally responsive communication.
Track behavioral health referrals through appointment completion, communicate status to referring teams, and coordinate outside services or higher levels of care when directed by the treating clinician.
Coordinate post-hospital and emergency department follow-up and transitions between psychiatry, therapy, and primary care according to clinician instructions and approved workflows.
Participate in daily huddles and regular coordination with the Behavioral Health Director; promptly report scheduling problems, coverage needs, referral backlogs, patient concerns, and unresolved tasks.
Maintain accurate and timely EHR documentation and task tracking; assist with monitoring access, schedule utilization, no-show rates, referral completion, screening follow-up, and quality improvement activities.
Support implementation of approved behavioral health policies, templates, and workflows; identify recurring problems and recommend improvements to the Behavioral Health Director.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Behavioral Health Director.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s mission, respect and dignity toward patients, families, and colleagues, teamwork, punctual attendance, professional conduct, confidentiality, and compliance with organizational policies and applicable privacy requirements.