Patient and Family Navigator

University of Virginia•Charlottesville, VA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP) is a statewide initiative aimed at improving mental, behavioral, and emotional health for infants, children, adolescents, young adults, and pregnant/postpartum individuals by providing education, consultation, and care navigation to medical providers. VMAP focuses on increasing the capacity of medical providers to address common pediatric mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and neurobehavioral conditions like autism. The program operates through five regional hubs, a statewide early childhood hub, and a statewide Moms+ hub, each offering localized mental health consultations and care navigation for primary care providers serving patients aged 0-21 and pregnant/postpartum parents. This specific role is for an Early Childhood Care Navigator with expertise in resources for children aged 0-5 with developmental disabilities. The navigator will collaborate with VMAP’s early childhood consulting physicians and Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) to support primary care providers (PCPs) and their patients. Responsibilities include providing call line support, identifying appropriate resources for families, offering direct family support for youth with mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) health diagnoses needing services beyond primary care, and referring/engaging families with external MEB health services. This specialist will support the entire state and assist regional navigators with early childhood cases as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
3 years relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a human services field.
Extensive knowledge of Virginia’s early childhood resources and referrals.
Peer support provider experience and/or certification.
Proficient writing skills and ability to thoroughly document work.
Proficient in Word, Excel, data entry, and editing.
Native or bilingual proficiency in English preferred; Spanish fluency highly preferred.
Willingness to complete Medical Spanish Language Fluency Certification within a year of hire and take Medical Fluency Exam.
Lived experience navigating healthcare systems, developmental services, and/or mental health services.
Strong organizational and time management skills.
Ability to handle multiple tasks and respond promptly to requests.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Exceptional customer service, particularly in phone interactions.
Willingness to learn and flexibility.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain relationships with intake coordinators in Virginia’s Ready Regions and other organizations serving children under 5.
Participate in community meetings to stay updated on resources for children aged 0-5.
Research and maintain accurate lists of local mental health and developmental resources, including providers, family support services, community resources, peer support programs, and CSA-related programs, verifying each resource annually.
Provide early childhood care navigation for the entire VMAP program and support regional care navigators on early childhood cases.
Answer VMAP PCP calls/emails during business hours and direct to appropriate resources.
Respond to PCP requests with appropriate regional resources within two business days, including insurance participation and appointment wait times.
Facilitate and coordinate referrals to needed services for families when possible.
Provide follow-up calls to referred families to ensure continuity of care.
Offer warm handoffs to service coordination, parent education, and psychosocial support.
Provide feedback to PCPs on the status of family engagement and services.
Record and log information from daily calls into the VMAP database.
Conduct post-navigation surveys for PCPs and families.
Adhere to HIPAA privacy policies and hospital/health center regulations.
Report to the VMAP early childhood Licensed Mental Health Professional and the VMAP Call Line Manager.