Manager Intake Operations

South Coast Children's Society•Mission Viejo, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of Intake Operations oversees all intake and referral conversion activity for SCCS, directly supervising the Behavioral Health Intake Specialist team. This is a working manager role that combines hands-on quality oversight with operational leadership across two distinct intake systems: county Medi-Cal (behavioral health contracts with San Bernardino and Orange Counties) and managed care/commercial insurance. SCCS receives inbound calls, plus additional faxed and emailed referrals from county departments, probation officers, DHS, and other community partners referring individuals and families for services. Intake Specialists are responsible for outbound contact on all faxed and emailed referrals with the goal of converting each referral to a scheduled assessment. The Manager is accountable for team performance, call quality, conversion metrics, documentation accuracy, and the integrity of the intake process from first contact through scheduled assessment. The manager is also accountable for the scheduling team. Provides oversight of the scheduling team, ensuring timely management of reschedules, current client appointment needs, and no-show follow-up across all programs. Establish and monitor scheduling protocols that maintain access standards and minimize gaps in care. This position reports to the Chief Marketing and Development Officer and works in close coordination with clinical, contracting, and data teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, healthcare administration, public health, or a related field required. Equivalent supervisory experience in behavioral health intake or healthcare operations will be considered.
Minimum three years of experience in behavioral health, healthcare, or social services, with at least one year in a supervisory or lead role overseeing intake, patient access, or call center operations.
Demonstrated experience managing staff performance, implementing quality improvement processes, and driving measurable operational outcomes in a behavioral health or healthcare setting.
Working knowledge of Medi-Cal, including county behavioral health plan coverage (San Bernardino and Orange Counties) and managed care plan coverage, and how CalAIM has affected the routing of callers and documentation requirements between these two systems.
Working knowledge of insurance benefit verification, prior authorization (PA), and commercial insurance workflows, including EAP plan structures.
Able to identify errors in staff-level payer interactions and provide targeted corrective coaching.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and EHR systems (MyEvolve preferred); experience with call tracking platforms (CallRail or equivalent) and payer verification portals (Availity, Navinet, or equivalent).
Strong data literacy; ability to track, interpret, and present call volume, conversion rate, and quality metrics to leadership.
Working knowledge of HIPAA confidentiality requirements and awareness of 42 CFR Part 2 privacy protections applicable to behavioral health settings.
Completion of organizational HIPAA training required within 30 days of hire.
Clear, professional communication style; demonstrated ability to coach staff, deliver performance feedback, and build team accountability in a constructive, supportive environment.
Must have strong writing and communication skills.
Ability to drive a personal or company car on freeways as required for meetings.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a behavioral health intake or patient access management role, with exposure to both county Medi-Cal and commercial insurance environments.
Familiarity with county-funded behavioral health service categories, including SATS (School-Aged Treatment Services), SAP (Student Assistance Program), GMH (General Mental Health), Success First, and TBS (Therapeutic Behavioral Services) and others.
English and Spanish bilingual fluency strongly preferred given SCCS’s service population in San Bernardino and Orange Counties.
Valid California driver’s license, proof of automobile insurance, and CPR/First Aid certification within 30 days of hire.

Responsibilities

Directly supervise all Behavioral Health Intake Specialists, including hiring, onboarding, scheduling, performance management, and corrective action in partnership with HR.
Design and deliver ongoing training for the Intake Specialist team, including payer workflow updates, call quality skill-building, and program knowledge refreshers.
Identify individual and team-wide training needs through call monitoring and performance data and respond with targeted instruction.
Conduct regular one-on-ones with each Intake Specialist, deliver timely and specific performance feedback, and maintain documentation of coaching conversations and development plans.
Manage staffing coverage across all intake hours, including planning for leaves of absence, vacancies, and fluctuations in call volume to maintain service continuity and contractual access obligations.
Own the team’s referral-to-conversion rate, with a target of 65–80% dependent on program.
Monitor conversion performance weekly and intervene when trends indicate systemic or individual issues.
Conduct monthly call review sessions using the call tracking system (CallRail or equivalent), evaluate call quality against SCCS standards, and deliver specific, actionable feedback to each Specialist within an established review cycle.
Monitor accuracy of program representation, payer routing, and insurance verification across the team.
Ensure zero tolerance for false or unverified information communicated to callers or referral partners.
Oversee intake coverage across all contact channels.
For inbound calls, ensure consistent first-call resolution and scheduling.
For faxed and emailed referrals received from county departments, probation officers, DHS, and other community partners, ensure Specialists complete outbound contact attempts within established timeframes.
Own the intake workflow documentation for both county Medi-Cal and managed/commercial intake processes, keeping desk procedures, eligibility reference materials, and payer routing guides current and accessible to all Specialists.
Lead ongoing process improvement efforts, including the evaluation and implementation of technology solutions that support intake efficiency, call monitoring, and quality scoring.
Coordinate with relevant internal stakeholders on system integrations and rollout.
Maintain knowledge of contractual access and availability obligations with county behavioral health departments, including San Bernardino County DBH, and ensure intake operations meet those requirements at all times.
Coordinate with the clinical, contracting, and data teams on episode opening processes, fee-for-service documentation requirements, and payer-specific updates that affect intake workflows.
Oversee the scheduling team, ensuring timely management of reschedules, current client appointment needs, and no-show follow-up across all programs.
Establish and monitor scheduling protocols that maintain access standards and minimize gaps in care.
Produce regular performance reports for the Chief Marketing and Development Officer covering call volume, conversion rates, call quality scores, and documentation compliance.
Identify trends and recommend corrective actions.
Ensure team-wide compliance with HIPAA and SCCS documentation standards across all contact channels.
Support data integrity for payer audits and DHCS reporting.
Performs other related duties as required and assigned.