Full-time position starting at $28.16 - $31.33/hr (D.O.E) with COMPETITIVE BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
• Generous PTO, paid sick time, 15 days of paid vacations, 13 days of paid holidays, plus a personal holiday
• CCS/CHS 403(b) Employee Saving Plan
• Employee assistance program

Program Description

Catholic Community Services of King County (CCSKC) is a multi-service agency with a wide range of behavioral health, basic needs, housing, and shelter programs. The Psychiatric Care Coordinator is positioned within The CCS Counseling, Recovery and Wellness (CReW) Outreach program is focused on serving adults and families currently or at risk of being homeless while experiencing complex behavioral health needs. Additionally, the CReW Outpatient program provides Medicaid services as a licensed community mental health and substance use treatment program and provider of the King County Integrated Care Network (KCICN). 

Services provided include outreach and engagement, case management, care coordination, mental health support, substance use disorder support, and psychiatric medication monitoring. Services are provided in a variety of settings, including client’s homes, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, homeless shelters and the streets.  Our services promote a collaborative partnership with the person served, the development of opportunities for personal growth, a commitment to community integration, goal-oriented and individualized supports, and satisfaction and success in community living.

Position Description

In a behavioral health setting, a Psychiatric Care Coordinator is part of an interdisciplinary team and works in collaboration with prescribers, case managers, therapists, peers, and supervisors. The Psychiatric Care Coordinator role is to assist with the screening and monitoring of health conditions that can create barriers to goal obtainment and recovery as well as to support the treatment teams in identifying resources and connections that will help reduce those barriers and improve overall health and wellness of individuals participating in care. This work involves provision of direct client care, collaboration with teammates, education and training to staff and clients on common health care conditions and treatments, and coordination with hospitals, pharmacies, medical or psychiatric providers.

Employee Pledge

We will not tolerate attitudes, behaviors, or statements that alienate, offend, or injure any person associated with CCS because of their racial or ethnic origin.  We will enable and support all efforts to become aware of and eliminate racism and racist behaviors within CCS and the broader community.  We will take exceptional steps to identify and root out such biases, especially where there appear to be long standing, institutional patterns of unacceptable behavior or lack of performance.

Health assessment, screening and coordination

• Carry out brief patient health screenings and determine clinical needs
• Assist clinicians and medical team in screening for common medical concerns such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc.
• Manage a health registry and tracking of health issues for clients meeting with psychiatric prescribers. Track the health care needs of clients on second-generation antipsychotics.
• Assist clients on obtaining medical lab results and metabolic panels as needed.
• Assist with obtaining records from outside primary care providers to receive current medication lists and report of health concerns.
• Assess patient physical health needs, with particular attention to wounds, applying appropriate first aid as indicated within nursing assistant scope of practice and referring out to appropriate providers as needed.

Psychiatric Provider supports

• Assist with scheduling appointments for follow up with CReW psychiatric prescribers, review charts for discharge orders, outside provider medication lists, lab results.
• Communicate medication issues, recent hospitalizations, and new health conditions to the treating prescriber and clinician as needed.
• Obtain vitals (height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate) from clients prior to their appointments with psychiatric providers and track this information in the medical record.
• Facilitate or assist telemedicine appointments between the client and prescriber as needed.
• Coordinate with pharmacies to order medications, communicate medication changes, and verify prescriptions written by CReW psychiatrists that are sent directly to pharmacies.
• Review refill requests for accuracy, respond to questions on orders from pharmacy and troubleshoot challenges in any refill issue between prescriber and pharmacies.

Medication Management

• Manage all aspects of CREW medication monitoring program in collaboration with CREW RN.
• Manage an ongoing caseload of 30-40 medication monitoring clients: Provide direct service to caseload through outreach and engagement, case management, care coordination, mental health support, substance use disorder support, and psychiatric medication monitoring (vitals, psychoeducation).
• Monitor for medication side effects and provide feedback to psychiatric prescribers and clinicians on appropriate follow-up.
• Assist with enrolling clients in new pharmacies that support weekly mediset or bubble packaging.
• Verify that medications delivered to program on behalf of clients are accurate, up-to-date, and are distributed appropriately

Health education for clients and staff

• Facilitate groups, trainings and workshops in collaboration with RN on common health concerns experienced frequently by people who are currently or formerly homeless, people who are taking psychotropic medication or using substances that may have side effects or negative effects on health.
• Provide interventions that enhance patients’ strengths and increase their involvement in valuable activities in the community.
• Collaborate with CREW RN to provide education to clients and team on medications: common side effects, counter-indications, drug interactions

Care Coordination

• Identify clients in need of a PCP and assist with referrals, scheduling appointments, and even attending appointments with clients.
• Assist clients and treatment team with identifying need for access to specialty care, and completing lab work routinely.
• Communicate with outside medical providers to update on psychiatric medications prescribed by CReW providers and obtain medical records from the medical providers for treatment team to review.
• Collaborate with outside agency nursing staff located in CHS housing projects to identify additional barriers to treatment for residents in permanent supportive housing programs.

Emergency Department Utilization Management

• Manages all Emergency Department Alerts received from Collective Medical secure database. Tracks all 7 and 30 day follow up contacts to ensure compliance with HEDIS measures.
• Receives alerts regarding psychiatric inpatient admissions and jail bookings within King County. Maintains data on a spreadsheet to provide staff with information on trends and frequency of access of expensive health care system utilization.
• Provides monthly updates to leadership and team on ED utilization including primary reasons for admit, high utilizers of services, and overall trends.
• Acts as the primary program liaison with medical and psychiatric hospitals, inpatient facilities, and jails for admit and discharge planning.
• Informs teammates of clients’ utilization and access of inpatient systems and reasons why, to allow clinicians to conduct timely follow up for care coordination.
• Facilitates communication between outpatient clinical team and inpatient facilities to ensure that clients receive ongoing support in the community following discharge.

Data Entry

• Responsible for the quick and accurate entry of clinical and administrative data into the management information system(s), to include: client demographics, diagnosis, authorizations, clinical services, medication lists, allergies, contact information, and patient relationships
• Maintains up-to-date tracking list of clients actively meeting with psychiatric prescriber team.

Job Conditions
This position requires the employee to work in an environment where there may be exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and other potentially infectious material. Other exposures could include cleaning supplies, chemicals involved in pest control, paint and other materials used in building maintenance. Working conditions may include interruptions, interactions with angry persons, and exposure to computer CRTs.

Physical And Mental Acuity Requirements
The requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Able to hear telephone rings, phone conversation, doorbells, emergency alarms and face-to-face conversation.
• Able to speak clearly in person and on the telephone.
• Able to hand write legibly.
• Vision that enables person to read normal size print and handwritten notes; and distance and peripheral vision than enables person to monitor large space and identify concerns that require staff response.
• Mobility/dexterity of hands/arms to enable keying into locked areas as well as using a computer and other office equipment.
• Able to sit for sustained periods of time.
• Able to walk the entire building and ascend and descend stairs quickly to move from one floor to another in order to respond to emergency situations.
• Able to lift, move and/or carry up to 40 pounds.
• Regularly able to perform duties as assigned.
• Able to make independent decisions and apply sound judgment in performing job duties.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services or relevant field(Sociology, Psychology)
• Registration as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Agency Affiliated Counselor with WA Department of Health, OR, ability to obtain both within 60 days from hire
• Pass background check through Washington State Patrol.
• This position is a full time, M-F, first shift position, although occasional flexibility in schedule may be required for program needs
• Proof of negative TB test within past 12 months.
• 1 year experience working with vulnerable populations (either people living with homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorders).
• Ability to outreach and engage individuals who are ambivalent about health care and treatment
• Advanced knowledge or ability to quickly learn Electronic Medical Records, tracking systems, and Excel spreadsheets.
• Excellent TIC informed communication skills.

Note to Internal Candidates: HR reviews internal compensation and determines any increase based on their experience and also agency internal equity factors.

Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please let us know if you need special accommodations to apply or interview for this position.