Behavioral Health - Entitlement Specialist

• Shift Information: Monday – Friday Day Shift 8 am – 5 pm with some flexibility, (this is an office-based position)
• Location: We currently have openings at our North County facility – 1150 Graham Road, Florissant, MO.
• Responsibilities: Assisting clients with severe mental illnesses with the process of applying for Social Security Disability, Medicaid, and other Entitlements by appointment, conducted virtually or in-person
• Identifies barriers to application processing and approval utilizing a variety of data bases and sources, provides follow up, and coordinates with other authorized entities.
• Provides guidance and advocacy to our clients for accessing and utilizing Entitlement benefits. Strong oral and written communication skills are required with the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders (clients, staff, government agencies, etc.)
• Clinical skills are necessary to develop rapport and elicit information from clients who might be experiencing cognitive or psychiatric issues

BJC Behavioral Health is a community health center that provides and coordinates behavioral health services for more than 8,000 seriously mentally ill adults and seriously emotionally disturbed children in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. François, Iron and Washington counties. As an Administrative Agent of the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH), BJC Behavioral Health serves as a major point of entry for people eligible for mental health services funded by DMH and is responsible for serving as gatekeeper to the public mental health system.

Role Purpose

Facilitates the process of applying for entitlement benefits, including Medicaid, food stamps, and Social Security for participants, adults diagnosed with serious mental illness. Meets directly with participants and assists them through the process. Utilizes excellent organization, documentation and clinical skills to complete applications and maintain active status for billing.Must complete SOAR and Presumptive Eligibility Training within 30 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Schedule and meet with participants to complete presumptive and/or full Medicaid applications, including food stamps, as well as annual Medicaid review applications. Assist participants with obtaining all required documentation for benefit enrollment.
• Schedule and meet with participants to complete Social Security applications -including utilizing clinical skills to complete SSI/SSDI Outreach Access and Recovery (SOAR) applications, a specialized disability application for individuals who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
• Coordinate with disability determinations, Family Support Division, medical records, and appropriate staff to ensure timely determination on applications submitted. Independently follow up on status of benefit applications. Notify staff, finance, and participants regarding status of applications and when approval is granted.
• Identifies system and workflow concerns and assists with process improvement to eliminate barriers of access and expedited decisions.
• BJC has determined this is a safety-sensitive position. The ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner is an essential function of this job.

Minimum Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's Degree

• Social Work/Psychology/related

Experience

• <2 years

Supervisor Experience

• No Experience

Licenses & Certifications

• Class E Driver's License in MO

Preferred Requirements

Experience

• 2-5 years

Licenses & Certifications

• SOAR Certification

BJC Total Rewards

At BJC we’re committed to providing you and your family with benefits and resources to help you manage your physical, emotional, social and financial well-being.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vison, life insurance, and legal services available first day of the month after hire date
• Disability insurance* paid for by BJC
• Annual 4% BJC Automatic Retirement Contribution
• 401(k) plan with BJC match
• Tuition Assistance available on first day
• BJC Institute for Learning and Development
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off benefit combines vacation, sick days, holidays and personal time
• Adoption assistance

To learn more, go to our Benefits Summary.

• Not all benefits apply to all jobs

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Equal Opportunity Employer