Behavioral Health Intake Nurse
About The Position
The RN Intake Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and managing the referral, intake, and admission process for Behavioral Health inpatient units and the Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit (YCSU). This role serves as the central point of contact for internal and external referral sources, facilitates timely admission decisions in collaboration with psychiatrists and interdisciplinary teams, and ensures accurate, real-time awareness of bed availability. The Intake Coordinator also works closely with community agencies to support authorization and funding arrangements for YCSU room and board expenses. This position is essential to improving access, throughput, patient experience, and operational efficiency while allowing frontline staff to focus on direct patient care.
Requirements
- Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of Ohio
- Minimum of two (2) years of nursing experience, preferably in behavioral health, inpatient psychiatry, or crisis services.
- Demonstrated knowledge of behavioral health admission criteria and levels of care.
- Strong clinical judgment, communication, and organizational skills.
- CPR/First Aid or must obtain certification within thirty (30) days of hire.
- Trauma-informed care principles and youth development training or be completed within thirty (30) days of hire.
- Crisis intervention training or be completed within six (6) months of hire.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all Behavioral Health inpatient and YCSU referrals from emergency departments, medical units, community agencies, and external facilities
- Receive, review, and triage referral information to determine next steps and ensure completeness
- Coordinate timely admission decisions with on-call psychiatrists and clinical leadership
- Maintain real-time awareness of bed availability and unit capacity across Behavioral Health services
- Communicate admission decisions clearly and consistently to referring entities
- Coordinate intake and admission processes specific to the YCSU model of care
- Collaborate with community partners such as Children’s Services, the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, and the Juvenile Court system to support authorization and funding for room and board services
- Ensure required documentation is obtained prior to or concurrent with admission to reduce financial risk
- Support timely placement of youth in crisis while ensuring appropriate level of care
- Work collaboratively with nursing staff, social services, providers, and leadership to support efficient patient flow
- Assist with coordination of patients boarding on medical units awaiting psychiatric placement
- Identify barriers to timely admission and escalate concerns to leadership as appropriate
- Promote consistent intake processes and reduce variability across units
- Accurately document referral, intake, and admission activities in the electronic health record
- Track referral volumes, admission decision timelines, and access-to-care metrics
- Ensure compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and organizational standards
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives related to access, throughput, and patient experience
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
