Care Coordination Specialist

The Care Coordination Specialist assists clients who access SMA's Central Receiving System of Care by providing referrals and direct linkages for continued care after acute stabilization, and then monitoring those referrals and linkages to ensure client follow through. The Care Coordination Specialist also interacts with community partners and other behavioral healthcare organizations to help support clients. The goals of care coordination are to help to ensure that clients receive timely and appropriate services and to monitor the success of referrals/linkages. The Care Coordinator will also assess on an ongoing basis the client's level of suicidal risk, stressors, needs, and adequacy of safety measures/supports.

Top reasons to work for SMA Healthcare:

  • Career growth and advancement potential
  • Great benefits such as: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, & Disability Insurance
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Paid Personal Leave and Paid Holidays
  • 403b Retirement Plan (matches one to one of employee contribution for the first 3%, then a 50% match on the next 6% of employee contribution)

Essential Job Functions: 

  • Engage clients who are admitted to the Central Receiving System to discuss the benefit of care coordination services with the intent to promote said services and obtain the client's consent for care coordination services post-discharge from acute care.
  • Review Safety Plan/Wellness Toolkit upon discharge with client and their support system.
  • Coordinate client treatment services.
  • Arrange for appointments within 7 days of the discharge from acute care with verification within 1 business day post appointment.
  • Provide follow-up phone call within 24 hours and 72 hours upon discharge.
  • Provide ?care transfer check-ins? over a 90-day period to make additional referrals/linkages to both mental health and substance abuse services.
  • Track all contact with client for the duration of the client's participation in the care coordination program.
  • Assess client's risk of suicide during ?care transfer check-ins? and ensure client is linked with acute stabilization if necessary.
  • Performs other related tasks as assigned.

Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Minimum Education and/or Experience:   Possession of a High School Diploma or equivalent.  Advanced degree with a concentration in psychology, social work, mental health counseling, or human service degree preferred.  An understanding of basic principles of care coordination preferred.

Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities: 

  • Provides care coordination services to participants in selected programs or populations.
  • Develops tracking instruments for the purpose of data collection and evaluation.
  • Implements suicide risk tools.
  • Prepares reports as required for care coordination.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with suicidal, mentally, emotionally, and/or psychologically disturbed clients in person and over the telephone.
  • Ability to defuse potentially dangerous situations, and remain calm in an emergency.

Necessary Special Requirements: Possession of a valid Florida driver's license, acceptable driving record, and proof of personal automobile insurance if required to drive an SMA vehicle and/or use a personal vehicle for SMA business. Complete State of Florida mandatory background screening prior to start of employment.  Complete SMA required training during the first six (6) months of employment and updated if required.