Care Navigator Level 1: Community Based

DEFINITION:

Provide outpatient care navigation services to adults, children, and families at NorthCare. The position is responsible for ensuring that a continuum of health and behavioral healthcare is provided along with increasing client/family involvement as partners in their own health. This position is expected to meet productivity guidelines, as outlined by the outpatient management team.

SUPERVISION: Position is supervised by program leadership.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Provides integrated services that are welcoming, engaging, and accessible. These services address physical health care, behavioral healthcare and social needs that are recovery focused, strength based, culturally competent, patient centered, trauma informed, and co-occurring capable.
• Promotes a warm and engaging organizational culture in line with Northcare values, trauma informed care, and health and wellness.
• Works as part of a multi-disciplinary team to support health behavior change in persons with behavioral health challenges. Interact and collaborate in a genuine and professional manner with the clients, their families, support system and community partners to assist with obtainment of treatment goals.
• Conducts assessments to include gathering of information about the client’s symptoms, behavior, functioning, history, needs, goals, and preferences and develop a care management plan to integrate physical and behavioral healthcare needs and establish goals.
• Works with clients to obtain and maintain eligibility for health and disability benefits, obtain and maintain affordable housing in a community of choice, arrange reliable transportation, locate and enroll in education or vocational programs, find and keep a job, locate needed services/resources and build a natural support system, and follow up to ensure services are received.
• Provides preventive interventions, linkage and advocacy for services and health information related to smoking cessation, nutrition, exercise, weight management, stress management, and chronic disease management.
• Works within and outside the agency to coordinate care across various treatment milieus. Help prepare people for primary care appointments and increase self-management and goal planning.
• Provides crisis management services, this may include face-to-face or telephone interviewing of the client; assessment of lethality to self or others; assessment of available support systems; and assistance in arranging for appropriate intervention, including hospitalization. In the cases where a potential for harm exists, will consult with management staff or an available therapist to develop a safety plan with the client.
• Transports clients to various locations in the community and provides services in the home.
• Monitors and tracks outcome measures for client caseload.
• Maintains clinical records in a timely manner, as required by agency policy, funding sources and accreditation authorities. Completes all required forms and maintains same in a manner consistent with requirements.
• Maintains professional competency in the area under one’s responsibility through appropriate readings, attendance at workshops and trainings. Complies with all requirements to maintain professional certification(s). Knowledgeable regarding: NorthCare’s electronic record system and public folders; CCBHC requirements, ODMHSAS Services manual, contract requirements, and benchmarks; National Outcome Measures (NOMS); Medicaid rules and regulations.
• Returns phone calls and cell text pages promptly. Checks and responds to emails daily.
• Maintains consistent work attendance and contacts supervisor on timely basis for needed late arrivals or absences. Meets dress code expectations.
• Completes all NorthCare required courses and training and complies with all agency policies and procedures, including but not limited to confidentiality requirements, documentation deadlines and productivity expectations.
• Performs any reasonable work requested that falls within the qualifications but not specifically described in work performed.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Candidate/employee must meet the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (ODMHSAS) criteria for Behavioral Health Case Management II (CM II) which requires:

• a high school diploma or GED AND have a minimum 36 months of direct consumer care in the mental health and/or substance use field OR
• completion of 60 college credit hours AND have a minimum 12 months of direct consumer care in the mental health and/or substance use field OR
• a bachelor’s or master’s degree in any field AND have a minimum 6 months of direct consumer care in the mental health and/or substance use field OR

• a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a behavioral health related field OR
• a current license as a registered nurse in the State of Oklahoma with documented experience in behavioral health care.

Must obtain ODMHSAS Case Management certification within 60 days of hire, if not currently certified and complete annual continuing education requirements to maintain certification. Prefer a minimum of one (1) year experience in a mental health related field or experience working in a healthcare setting.

This position provides community based for 20 or more hours of a 40-hour work week or over 50% of the designated work week. A community setting is defined as any non-designated Northcare Office. Community-based staff may be expected to provide services in a multitude of community settings, including but not limited to, a client’s home, in the community at a local venue or agency, outside in a confidential space, via telehealth or in the office. Staff who are considered community based may have limited access to onsite supervision and are expected to use critical thinking skills to ensure appropriate staffing of situations as they present. Staff who are community based are expected to travel to and from appointments and are required to have “business purposes” added to their auto insurance. Community based staff should have access to an internet hotspot to access technology while in the field. They are eligible for a phone and hotspot stipend. Community-based staff are considered essential workers and may be expected to work holidays/weekends/or during closures if required by their program.

This position requires a high degree of flexibility and efficiency. Must display proficiency in the MS Word processing software and intermediate general computer skills. Must demonstrate good interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate verbally with English-speaking clients. Employee must have excellent written and oral communication skills. Must be able to move about facilities freely. Casual professional dress is required with adherence to dress code requirements.

Must have access to reliable transportation. Local travel is required. Must possess and provide verification of valid Oklahoma driver’s license during employment with NorthCare. Must maintain and provide verification of current automobile liability insurance including uninsured motorist coverage.

Must possess and maintain CPR, First Aid and Therapeutic Options certifications; or obtain within 30 days of employment with NorthCare. Must have and/or complete Co-Occurring Training and Trauma Informed Training within 60 days of employment with NorthCare. Must have TB test within 12 months prior to employment with NorthCare or obtain within 30 days of employment with NorthCare.

Every NorthCare employee is responsible for adhering to any and all laws, professional standards and ethical codes that apply to his/her/their job responsibilities.