Director of Assessment
About The Position
The Director of Assessment and Referrals provides clinical and operational leadership for all intake, assessment, referral, and admissions functions within our psychiatric hospital. This role is responsible for ensuring timely access to care, clinically appropriate admissions, regulatory compliance, and strong relationships with referral sources — all while supporting census growth and high-quality patient outcomes in a behavioral health environment. This position serves as a critical clinical gatekeeper, balancing patient safety, medical necessity, and capacity management.
Requirements
- Active clinical license required (LSW / LMHC / LCSW)
- Minimum of 2+ years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health intake, admissions, or assessment
- Strong knowledge of psychiatric evaluations and risk assessments
- Strong knowledge of levels of care and placement criteria
- Strong knowledge of medical necessity and utilization review standards
- Demonstrated ability to balance clinical judgment, access to care, and operational performance
- Must be 21 years of age or older
Nice To Haves
- Experience in inpatient psychiatric hospital settings
- Familiarity with EMR systems and payer authorization processes
Responsibilities
- Oversee all psychiatric intake, assessment, referral, and admission processes for inpatient and outpatient services
- Ensure clinical appropriateness, medical necessity, and regulatory compliance for all admissions
- Lead, mentor, and develop licensed admissions clinicians and intake staff
- Establish and maintain standardized assessment protocols and documentation
- Collaborate with Medical Staff, Nursing, Utilization Review, and Business Office teams
- Monitor key performance indicators including response times, conversion rates, and census
- Drive census development strategies while maintaining ethical admission practices
- Maintain strong relationships with referral sources, hospitals, payers, and community partners
- Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, EMTALA, and state behavioral health regulations
- Participate in on-call coverage for high-acuity or complex admission decisions
Benefits
- Multiple medical plan options, Vista Wellness (physician/pharmacy), Dental, Vision
- Generous PTO and paid holidays
- 401(k) with company contribution
- Life and disability coverage
- Tuition reimbursement up to $15,000
- Student loan forgiveness programs
- Opportunity to lead access to care for patients in need of psychiatric services
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
