Behavioral Health Pediatric Patient Navigator

Fair Haven Community Health Care•New Haven, CT

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Fair Haven Community Health Care (FHCHC) has been an innovative and vibrant community health center for over 54 years, serving multiple generations with over 165,000 office visits across 21 locations. Guided by a patient-majority Board of Directors, FHCHC is a healthcare leader committed to delivering high-quality, affordable medical and dental care to all, irrespective of insurance status or ability to pay. The organization offers a wide array of primary and specialty care services, alongside evidence-based programs, to empower patients in their health decisions. As FHCHC expands its services to underserved areas, its dedication to prioritizing patient needs remains paramount. The mission of FHCHC is to enhance the health and social well-being of the communities it serves through equitable, high-quality, and culturally responsive patient-centered care. The purpose of this role is to assist child and adolescent primary care and behavioral health (BH) clinicians and patients in navigating the BH care system. This includes managing child and adolescent referrals to BH services at FHCHC, scheduling appointments within FHCHC, or referring patients to community resources.

Requirements

Associate’s degree is required.
Oral and written proficiency in English and Spanish is required.
Experience in Word and Excel is required.
Knowledge and ability to independently carry out the responsibilities above.
Ability to work in a high energy, quickly paced environment and maintain a professional attitude.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
The ability to work well in a team and regularly communicate/coordinate with clinicians and staff at FHCHC.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree is preferred.
Knowledge of BH and medical terminology, including mental health/DSM diagnoses, is desirable.
Prior experience in the role of care coordinator, case manager, or patient navigator is highly desirable.
Interest in working in a medical/BH setting and with medical and BH illnesses.
Previous experience in a health care setting, ideally in an outpatient setting.
Prior experience working with children and their families in a social services setting.
Knowledge of the New Haven area BH resources for children and adolescents is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Provide administrative support to child and adolescent BH clinicians at FHCHC.
Work with child and adolescent primary care and BH clinicians to manage internal/external referrals.
Document all aspects of the intake and referrals process in the electronic health record (EHR).
Assist with initial triages for urgent BH crises arising on the primary care pediatric teams to determine the necessary intervention and arrange for it.
Conduct patient screenings using standardized tools when requested.
Follow up on BH screenings done in primary care to confirm if referrals were placed and appointments were made/kept.
Educate patients/families on the requirements of referrals and appointment specifics.
Collaborate with child and adolescent primary care and BH clinicians to clarify access issues and barriers to care.
Schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments for patients/families as needed.
Make reminder phone calls to patients/families and help reduce barriers to appointment attendance; refer to care coordination if necessary for patients/families with significant barriers to care.
Provide clerical and administrative support to child and adolescent BH clinicians.
Complete all required documentation to fulfill job functions in a timely manner.
Perform other necessary administrative duties as required by the Director of Behavioral Health Operations.