Clinical Admissions Coordinator (LCSW or LMHC)

Compassion Behavioral Health•Fort Lauderdale, FL

About The Position

The Clinical Admissions Coordinator is a clinical and operational leader in the Admissions Department and the primary contact for designated referral partners and priority referral sources. The role reviews prospective admissions, makes timely admission determinations, and ensures pre-admission documentation meets clinical, regulatory, and organizational standards. The coordinator supports census management, referral relationships, admissions quality assurance, and staff development, ensuring decisions align with the organization’s clinical capabilities, safety standards, and treatment philosophy. As a licensed clinician, the coordinator reviews, approves, and signs off on pre-admission assessments. The role also provides clinical oversight to Admissions staff, coordinates incoming admissions with clinical and operational teams, audits documentation, supports compliance and quality improvement, trains staff, and analyzes admissions performance data. Success is evaluated using KPIs such as referral response time, conversion and admission rates, census stability, documentation quality, referral source satisfaction, process efficiency, clinical review accuracy, and staff development contributions.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited institution.
Active and unrestricted Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential.
At least three years of behavioral health admissions experience.
Experience reviewing referrals and making admission determinations in both inpatient and outpatient behavioral healthcare settings.
Extensive knowledge of behavioral health levels of care and placement criteria.
Strong clinical assessment and decision-making skills.
Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements related to admissions and documentation.
Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Strong organizational and time management abilities.
Ability to prioritize and make sound clinical decisions in a fast-paced environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to analyze operational and admissions data to identify trends and opportunities.
Proficiency with electronic health records and admissions management systems.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with mental health and substance use disorder populations.
Experience collaborating with hospitals, treatment centers, healthcare providers, and referral partners.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary clinical reviewer for referrals from designated priority referral sources.
Evaluate referral packets and clinical documentation to determine appropriateness for admission.
Make timely accept, deny, or request-for-additional-information decisions based on admission criteria.
Review and approve pre-admission assessments and sign off on admission recommendations in the EMR as required by organizational policies.
Provide clinical oversight and consultation to Admissions staff on referral evaluations and placement decisions.
Ensure admission determinations are clinically appropriate and support client safety and treatment success.
Assist the clinical team with chart reviews and chart signatures when needed.
Serve as a clinical liaison to referral sources, hospitals, treatment providers, healthcare organizations, and community partners.
Maintain professional, responsive communication with referral partners.
Collaborate with Business Development to identify and cultivate high-quality referral sources and strengthen the referral network.
Help manage referral flow and maintain appropriate program census levels.
Coordinate incoming admissions with Clinical Directors, Nursing Leadership, Medical Providers, and Operations teams.
Ensure programs are prepared for client arrivals and specialized clinical needs.
Escalate clinical concerns and unusual cases to appropriate leadership.
Ensure pre-admission and admissions documentation is accurate, timely, and compliant with applicable regulations, payer requirements, and organizational policies.
Audit referral documentation and admissions records for quality and compliance.
Identify documentation deficiencies and implement corrective actions when necessary.
Participate in admissions-related quality improvement initiatives.
Provide ongoing clinical education and training to Admissions staff.
Assist with onboarding and developing new admissions personnel.
Educate staff on admission criteria, levels of care, risk factors, documentation requirements, and clinical best practices.
Support consistent admission decision-making across the department.
Monitor and analyze referral and admissions data to identify trends, opportunities, and barriers.
Track performance metrics related to referral conversion, response times, denial rates, census stability, and referral source performance.
Recommend process improvements and operational efficiencies to leadership.
Participate in regular performance review meetings and reporting.