Description

Are you looking for a purpose-driven career? At Metrocare, we serve our neighbors with developmental or mental health challenges by helping them find lives that are meaningful and satisfying.

Metrocare is the largest provider of mental health services in North Texas, serving over 55,000 adults and children annually. For over 55 years, Metrocare has provided a broad array of services to people with mental health challenges and developmental disabilities. In addition to behavioral health care, Metrocare provides primary care centers for adults and children, services for veterans and their families, accessible pharmacies, housing, and supportive social services. Alongside the clinical care, researchers and teachers from Metrocare’sAltshuler Center for Education & Researchare advancing mental health beyond Dallas County while providing critical workforce to the state.

The mission of Metrocare Services is to serve our neighbors with developmental or mental health challenges by helping them find lives that are meaningful and satisfying. Our Center values integrity, quality, diversity, and perseverance. We are an agency committed to quality, accountability and culturally/gender-responsive and trauma-informed care to individuals experiencing serious mental illness, substance misuse, development disabilities, and/or co-occurring disorders. Metrocare programs focus on the issues that matter most in the lives of the children, families and adults we serve.

The Metrocare Services Mental Health and Primary Care Division includes a Care Coordination Program that monitors, manages and coordinates the care and services an individual receives. Care Coordination is the deliberate organization of an individual’s care activities and the sharing of information to everyone critical to the individual’s treatment and overall quality of life. Successful care coordination relies on knowing everyone’s needs before services are conducted and communicating to the appropriate people at the right time to ensure safe and proper care.

Successful care coordination is dependent upon collaboration with external providers and partners, especially when individuals are discharging from a hospital, jail and/or residential treatment facility. To ensure a seamless transition from an inpatient setting to Metrocare occurs, each Care Coordination Team will include a Community Engagement Navigator staff member, solely responsible for ensuring a smooth transition for individuals coming into services from an inpatient facility utilizing an organized, person-centered approach that promotes engagement, support, and understanding. The Community Engagement Navigator works with the discharging entity to identify the date of discharge and works with the clinic care coordination team and clinical providers to ensure the individual receives the right care at the right time.

Community Engagement Navigator is a member of the Care Coordination Team. They will be responsible for engaging with members to remove barriers to Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and acting as the communication liaison between Parkland, Metrocare and the community. They are responsible for working with adults and families in treatment in a manner that is trauma-informed and responsive to needs, culture, gender, and military status. Community Engagement Navigator position is responsible for applying a holistic approach in service delivery. The Community Engagement Navigator will link individuals served to comprehensive treatment services to address identified needs. The Community Engagement Navigator will provide outreach and promote access to services to those who are participating in mental health and substance use services. The Community Engagement Navigator uses knowledge of diagnostic characteristics, symptomology of primary mental illness and knowledge of medications, side effects and benefits to provide services in a person-centered, supportive, community-based environment.

The Parkland Community Engagement Navigator will receive referrals from the Parkland Liaisons who will notify the Parkland Community Engagement Navigator to engage the individual at the discharging hospital and coordinate referrals with RN Manager and Center’s Clinical Manager to ensure continuity of care.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assessing consumer needs in the preliminary screening process
• Outreach and engagement for individuals stepping down from a higher level of care
• Transporting individuals to appointments as needed
• Transporting individuals to their discharge address as needed
• Assistance with scheduling and completing all internal provider appointments
• Assistance to meet needs impacting social drivers of health including housing, food, clothing, transportation, employment and academic needs
• Interacting with other team members to provide comprehensive and timely assistance in resolving issues that are barriers to the consumer receiving services
• Coordination with internal and external providers to ensure a holistic approach to care that considers all areas of an individual’s life, the individual’s wants and goals and all treatment interventions
• Documenting services in the electronic health record within 24 hours after services have occurred
• Assists with completing financials while out in the community.
• Monitors consumer needs until a warm handoff can be made between the Community Engagement Navigator and the assigned Care Coordinator.
• Assists inpatient facilities, including emergency departments, behavioral health hospitals, state hospitals, residential treatment facilities and the criminal justice system, in continuity of care arrangements for consumer referred to Metrocare
• Coordinates with inpatient treatment team, setting up, and ensuring a consumer receives his/her psychiatric assessment, intake and/or hospital follow up appointment(s).
• Be accessible for referrals and communication through our electronic health applications, by phone and email to provide a timely and comprehensive response.
• Serves as a liaison between hospitals and Dallas Metrocare Services
• Interacting with other team members to provide comprehensive and timely assistance in resolving issues that are barriers to the consumer receiving services
• Provide assistance to consumers in making appointments and obtaining supports necessary to keep appointments
• Facilitate communication between providers within a schedule that meets outlined timeframes
• Develop close working relationships with internal and external community referral resources
• Maintain confidentiality of information concerning consumers and family members
• Attends and participates in all scheduled team meetings.

• Contribute to team knowledge and understanding of each consumer. Assists the business, clinical, medical and nursing staff by reporting consumer needs, services and any potential barriers to care.
• Assist clients in linking with resources and a system of natural supports.
• Assists individuals in adjusting to new environments.
• Completes paperwork requirements and maintains quality, up-to-date clinical records. Documents any clinical or support services within 24 business hours of providing the service. Documentation requirements will include Release of Information and Consents to expedite the transition of care.
• Works with family members/support system to gain support in everyone’s success.
• Is knowledgeable about and remains in compliance with internal and external policies, procedures, regulations, and standards, including, for example, all Metrocare policies and procedures and Quality Assurance Plan, all applicable regulatory standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES:

The competencies listed here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Analytical skills, professional acumen, business ethics, mental health ethics, thorough understanding of continuous improvement processes, problem solving, respect for confidentiality, excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Competencies as outlined by Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) of Texas for Texas Resiliency and Recovery (TRR) requirements.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed theories, principles, and practices.
• Knowledge of racial equity and racial justice in the context of behavioral health services.
• Knowledge and/or experience with change management as it relates to positive organizational change.
• Strong sense of urgency and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must be computer savvy and proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook; experience with an EMR system a plus
• Strong interpersonal and engagement skills
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to problem solve, exercise good judgment, and make sound decisions
• Ability to support the agency’s mission and demonstrate sensitivity to cultural diversity and workplace
• Ability to juggle multiple projects with accuracy
• Strong administrative skills
• Exceptional customer service skills, over the phone and in person, with individuals in service and internal/external partners
• Clinical skill for evaluating accuracy of clinical screening and providing appropriate clinical intervention

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field, and prefer a minimum of one (1) year clinical experience in a mental health, substance use treatment, or social services setting;
• Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred
• Experience with trauma-informed services preferred, Seeking Safety, Illness Management and Recovery, and Motivational Interviewing.
• Personal recovery experience not required, however, knowledge of recovery support systems and 12-Step programs preferred

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Basic math skills required.
• Ability to work with reports and numbers.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one or two-step instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.

COMPUTER SKILLS:

• Use computer, printer, and software programs necessary to the position (i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
• Ability to utilize Internet for resources.

Metrocare couldn’t have a great employee-first culture without great benefits. That’s why we offer a competitive salary, exceptional training and an outstanding benefits package:

• Medical/Dental/Vision

• Paid Leave

• Paid Holidays

• Employee Assistance Program

• Retirement Plan, including employer matching

• Health Savings Account, including employer matching

• Professional Development Allowance up to $1500 per year

• Bilingual Stipend up to 6% of the base salary

• Many other benefits

Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

Tobacco-Free Facilities - Metrocare is committed to promoting, the health, well-being, and safety of Metrocare team members, guests, and individuals and families we serves while on the facility campuses. Therefore, Metrocare facilities and grounds are tobacco-free.

No Recruitment Agencies Please

Qualifications