About Job

Admissions Counselor

Department: Unit
Reports To: Admissions Supervisor
Classification: Non-Exempt

About Us

Madrona Recovery is a leading treatment and recovery organization committed to compassionately serving youth struggling with mental health and substance use. With a focus on healing relationships, comprehensive care, and support for caregivers, Madrona Recovery empowers individuals and their families to navigate the path from crisis to opportunity.

Our program focuses on stabilizing mental health and substance use symptoms, while providing education and support to families, preparing youth to engage in aftercare to address longer term therapeutic goals.

We are the only residential program in the Northwest region that provides integrated co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder care, including opioid withdrawal management (detox), for adolescents in our secure residential facility, located in Brush Prairie, WA. This new facility will need 2 Admissions Counselors.

Our programming is centered around skill building in emotional regulation, resiliency, conflict resolution, and communication with a framework of intentional healing relationships to cultivate the process of long-term recovery. Madrona Recovery prides itself on its commitment to trauma-informed care and our staff are highly trained in nonviolent crisis intervention, trauma and resiliency informed practices, and cultural competencies.

POSITION SUMMARY

RESPONSIBILITIES

Admissions and Discharges

Ensures proper hiring, training, development, and supervision of all admission personnel
Oversees scheduling and proper shift coverage for the admissions department.
Always ensures consistent, quality service to all inquiry communication --- 24 hours a day.
Ensures the provision of an effective system for the answering, screening and resolution of all inquiries to Madrona Recovery programs.
Ensures that all adolescent clients and their families receive appropriate, quality services throughout the admission process.

Pre-Admission

Ensures that the information needed to assess clinical appropriateness for admission and care is thoughtfully and efficiently gathered by phone, by face-to-face interviews, or from recent assessment documentation.
Ensures that all inquiry information is accurately documented on/in the appropriate forms.
Ensures that a comprehensive listing of community resources is collaboratively maintained with the Clinical Director, and individuals who are clinically or financially inappropriate for admission are properly referred.
Ensures that diligent and compassionate effort is made to assist the prospective client/family in finding suitable community resources as needed.
Ensures that a log of pending inquiry cases is maintained and followed up on in a timely, conscientious manner to ensure smooth coordination of admissions.
Ensures that follow-up calls are made to individuals who may need additional assistance or encouragement to seek treatment.
Ensures a compassionate, risk-aware system for managing a waiting list for services.
Ensures effective coordination with the organization’s business function to determine insurance eligibility and coverage for those seeking admission. Maintains familiarity with insurance and reimbursement practices.
Ensures effective coordination with administrator on call, the business office, treatment unit, program manager/director, and attending physician.
Ensures that, within confidentiality guidelines and as clinically appropriate, the referent and legal guardian is involved in all phases of inquiry, assessment, admission, and/or referral.

Admission

Ensures that new clients, families and referral sources, are graciously greeted and provided a comfortable environment. Answers all questions and alleviates concerns.
Ensures that written, informed consent and all other admission and/or registration paperwork is properly completed in a timely manner.
Ensures that all required information is recorded in the client’s record at the time of admission.
Develops and maintains a competent, back-up system/team to provide inquiry call and admission processes in the absence of designated admissions staff. Cross trains staff as needed. Monitors performance.
Assists in furthering Madrona Recovery’s goals and objectives by identifying and contacting potential referral sources and maintaining relationships with them. Conducts follow-up activities with referral sources to assess service needs as they relate to intake, admissions, and referrals.

Discharge

Partners with key team members to facilitate the discharge process, including documentation, workflows, staffing, and quality assurance.

Utilization Management

Ensures that pre-admission approval has been obtained from the payor
Ensures timely and effective requests for extension of stay with insurance payor and facilitates ongoing communication with the clinical team.
Ensures that evaluations, examinations, tests, and procedures are completed within the organization’s prescribed time frame and protocol.
Always participates in the development of multidisciplinary treatment plans and coordinates admissions and discharge planning in weekly treatment teams.
Ensures that there is active discharge planning
Continually monitors the length of stay and the documentation in the client’s record.
Coordinates corrective action when necessary and/or communicates possible financial concerns to the Business Office.
Obtains/manages continued stay approvals from the payor or its representative.
Coordinates with admissions, physician and nursing staff regarding pending discharges, and updates the discharge calendar regularly.

Facilitates continuity of care

Contacts the referring professional or other outpatient contact in a timely manner. Obtains background information on client as needed. Makes preliminary disposition plans and coordinates effectively with Clinical Therapist, family, youth, payee, and helps to facilitate effective hand-offs for discharge.
With proper consents for release of information in place, includes referring professional in final discharge planning.

Medical Records

Ensures releases of information are prepared and executed in a compliant and timely manner, whether upon request from outside agencies or requested from outside agencies from Madrona Recovery.
Applies all HIPAA guidelines appropriately and partners with other staff to keep abreast of changes in guidelines or law.

Program Growth

Partners with key stakeholders to determine the best steps for growth in additional facilities, programs, and levels of care with regard to Admissions, Discharges, Utilization Management, Continuity of Care, Community Partnerships, and Records.

Assists in evaluation and improvement of overall program and services.

Assists in orientation of new personnel, assists in monitoring practicum students, assists in program and company promotion, assists in planning in-service education, and is responsible for professional self-development.
Provides leadership in areas of expertise.

Competency Metrics

Demonstrates ability to ensure that all adolescent clients and their families receive appropriate, quality services throughout the admission and discharge process.
Demonstrates ability to effectively manage admissions counselors, provide leadership and training on admissions screening criteria, time sensitive nature of responding to inquiry calls, records requests and referents to improve rapid access to care.
Demonstrates ability to manage overall admissions and discharge planning processes including communication with youth, families, and referral sources.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for their job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without advance notice.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 - $23.00 per hour

Benefits: