Behavioral Health Referrals Team Lead

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role supports mental health programs and initiatives developed through the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, with a focus on improving the quality and accessibility of mental health care for children and adolescents across Texas. The Behavioral Health Referrals Team Lead will work as part of an interdisciplinary, team-based program that coordinates referrals for Texas Child Mental Health (TCMH) programs, including the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program, the Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN), the Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN), and similar programs. Reporting to the Supervisor, Behavioral Health Referrals and External Relations, this role serves as a working lead for the referrals team, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant referral processing while supporting staff through training, guidance, and workflow management. This position will have the ability to interact with peers, patients’ families, and other program partners. This is a state-funded position sponsored by the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC). TCMHCC was created by the 86th Texas Legislature to leverage the expertise and capacity of the health-related institutions of higher education to address urgent mental health challenges and improve the mental health care system in this state in relation to children, adolescents, and perinatal women. The University of Texas Dell Medical School is a Health Related Institution (HRI) for the TCMHCC. The Behavioral Health Referrals Team Lead will work as part of the External Relations and Education Team that supports all Dell Medical School Texas Child Mental Health programs, including the Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN) and Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN), Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT), Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), and other related mental health programs. CPAN and PeriPAN provide primary care clinic providers and OBGYNs prompt access to on-call psychiatrists to provide expertise in assessment, treatment, and referrals for pediatric and/or perinatal patients identified as having a mental health challenge. TCHATT provides telemedicine or telehealth programs to school districts to help identify and assess the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents and provide access to mental health services. YAM is a school-based program for students in eighth through 12th grades to learn about and explore the topic of mental health. This position has an end date of 8/31/2027, but may be renewable based upon availability of funding, work performance, and progress toward goals. Funding is expected to continue. A flexible working arrangement agreement can be accommodated based upon the needs of the program and with supervisor approval. This position may require occasional work on-site for some of the scheduled work week. Remote work will require reliable internet access and a suitable private workspace free from distractions.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor's Degree in Health Administration, Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field with at least 4 year(s) of experience in coordinating or administering a program, service operation, care coordination function, or referral based workflow.
Proficiency in electronic systems including, but not limited to, Google Suite, Trayt, Slack, Athena or Epic, Calendly

Nice To Haves

2 or more years of professional experience in care coordination or case management.
Proficient PC skills with emphasis on Excel.
Health plan or provider order entry experience.
Knowledge of medical and mental health terminology and/or medical coding.
Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

Acts as the primary point of contact for Referrals Associates regarding questions, workflow issues, and escalation needs.
Trains new hires and supports ongoing staff development to ensure consistent adherence to referral protocols and standards.
Delegates tasks and balances workloads across the team to meet productivity and quality expectations.
Reviews referral submissions for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with program and organizational requirements.
Identifies workflow bottlenecks and recommends process improvements.
Ensures timely resolution of escalated or complex referral issues.
Maintains accurate tracking and documentation of referral activity and outcomes.
Serves as a liaison between the referrals team and other internal teams, such as CPAN/PeriPAN, collaborating with supervisory leadership to ensure referral activities align with organizational goals and priorities.
Answers provider inquiries regarding the referral process and provides necessary information and support.
Follows up with providers, care coordinators, patients, and families to resolve issues or delays in the referral process and support successful outcomes.
Maintains accurate referral records and documentation; conducts community outreach and targeted provider research to expand and maintain referral resources, including providers serving traditionally marginalized populations and identified referral gaps.
Uses assembled information concerning a patient’s clinical background to determine appropriate referral options.
Works on the referrals team using an interprofessional model that includes pediatric psychiatrists, psychologists, other licensed mental health professionals, and administrative staff.
Manages and tracks patient referrals, ensuring all records are provided promptly and accurately.
Uses the Electronic Medical Record to communicate referral information to team members, patients, families, and school staff, ensuring accuracy of all assigned records.
Researches and identifies referral resources for traditionally marginalized or underserved populations.
Updates and maintains a list of emerging or unmet referral needs to support program planning.
Participates in special projects, pilot workflows, or initiatives as assigned.
Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
Performs related duties as required.
Other Job Duties may apply as assigned