Outpatient Therapist - Navigator Services

Acadia Healthcare•Tucson, AZ

About The Position

Sonora is a behavioral health provider in Tucson, Arizona, with inpatient, ECT, and outpatient therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults. The Therapist assesses and diagnoses behavioral health disorders and provides clinical services, including individual, group, or family sessions, as appropriate to each patient’s treatment plan. The role may provide services in inpatient or outpatient settings and may include case management, discharge planning, or aftercare planning. The Outpatient Navigator supports continuity of care for eligible patients moving from inpatient or residential behavioral health treatment to Partial Hospitalization (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP), or other community-based services. The role connects patients with outpatient programs and coordinates transitions with clinical, administrative, utilization management, business development, and outpatient services teams.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or a Human Services field.
At least one year of experience working with a comparable patient population.
Requisite state or national licensure for professional therapy providers, or eligibility for state licensure as a professional therapy provider.
CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.
First aid may be required depending on state or facility.

Responsibilities

Apply psychotherapeutic techniques and interventions to treat diagnosed emotional and behavioral disorders in individuals and families.
Conduct psychosocial assessments and develop initial discharge plans.
Conduct individual, group, or family sessions according to patient treatment plans.
Provide initial treatment planning based on assessment, coordinate additional services, and revise plans as necessary.
Maintain documentation of therapy services according to facility and professional standards.
Maintain an assigned caseload.
Participate in treatment team meetings and collaborate with staff to facilitate services appropriate to patient treatment plans.
Provide case management, discharge planning, or aftercare planning as needed.
Demonstrate a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers; acknowledge and work to resolve complaints when patient needs are not met.
Prioritize patient safety.
Conduct multiple in-person check-ins during inpatient stays, including one-to-one discussions, facilitating inpatient transition or discharge groups, and participating in treatment teams.
Orient patients to outpatient services and programs, complete required admission documentation and consent forms, and introduce patients to PHP/IOP leaders and therapists.
Coordinate step-down transitions with clinical services, the business office, Utilization Review/Management, business development and marketing, and outpatient services.
Support ongoing utilization management as needed, including precertifications, renewal authorizations, denial appeals, and tracking remaining authorized days.
Track step-down admissions, conversion rates, and trends over time.
Identify barriers and opportunities to improve patient engagement and reduce readmissions.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.