Intake and Wellness Coordinator

Position: Intake and Wellness Coordinator        

Department: Immigrant Health Center

Schedule: Full Time

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Intake and Wellness Coordinator at the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR)/Immigrant Refugee Health Center (IRHC) will be responsible for care coordination, scheduling, and conducting in-depth Needs Assessment/Intakes for new BCRHHR/IRHC patients referred for mental health, legal, medical, case management, and/or career development services. Patients referred have often experienced trauma, persecution, and/or torture in their home country or during migration, or are facing ongoing immigration-related stressors. 

The Intakes and Needs Assessments process involves reviewing medical, mental health, and social needs--- including legal and immigration concerns, language access, employment, and transportation. Responsibilities also include conducting mental health acuity assessments, obtaining pre- and peri-migration trauma and persecution histories (required by grant funder), and triaging care appropriately. The Coordinator will provide case management resources and services by working with patients to identify strengths and barriers, facilitating referrals to appropriate medical/clinical providers and social services, and collaborating with front desk/administrative staff to schedule appointments in EPIC. Additional duties include developing and updating funder-required documentation and systems, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, and fostering a warm, welcoming environment for new patients. Extensive documentation will be required by both Boston Medical Center (BMC) and the Survivor of Torture grant, funded by the Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR). 

The Intake and Wellness Coordinator will become an expert on the ORR definition of torture to support staff and trainees in providing patient care and outcomes tracking. They will work closely with clinical staff to manage and coordinate the Intake schedule, ensuring timely and efficient processing of new patient referrals. The Coordinator will also support the Intake team in completing all required documentation accurately and in compliance with BMC and ORR standards, while maintaining data integrity for both clinical care and reporting requirements. This role requires close collaboration with clinical staff, administrative staff and research personnel in the IRHC/BCRHHR; as well as partnership with the front desk staff to appropriately welcome, evaluate and triage patients. 

The Intake and Wellness Coordinator will have opportunities to participate in IRHC research and academic initiatives, hospital-wide educational programs, and training/teaching sessions for hospital staff.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to navigate, understand, and improve complex systems
• Critical thinking skills
• Experience working with vulnerable immigrant and refugee populations, particularly those with trauma histories and complex social and socioeconomic needs
• Bilingual candidates and those with connections to immigrant communities or lived experience as an immigrant to the United States are strongly preferred

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

Master's degree in social work (MSW) or public health (MPH) or counseling preferred, or bachelor's degree in social work or human services field with related patient/client facing experience (minimum 2 years).

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

None

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with mental health populations preferred; demonstrated ability to evaluate and appropriately triage mental health crisis situations
• Experience with working with Survivors of Trauma and/or Torture
• Experience with diverse immigrant and refugee populations preferred, including lived experience as immigrant to the United States.
• Experience and comfort with risk assessment and appropriate triaging required
• Comfortable innovating in information technology systems; experience using/documenting in electronic medical record systems
• Experience in motivational interviewing is a plus
• Preference for candidates who are bilingual in English and Haitian Creole, Spanish, Portuguese, Somali, Arabic, or French

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSA):

Competencies, Skills and Attributes

• Ability to multitask, flexible, adaptable
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively
• Self-management skills, including ability to prioritize and set patient-centered goals
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Able to maintain professional boundaries
• Ability to work with diverse, safety-net population
• Skilled at engaging difficult to engage patients—build rapport, trust
• Creative problem solver
• Ability to adapt to changes in healthcare delivery at local and systems level
• Extensive knowledge of healthcare systems and community resources
• Ability to leverage systems and resources for improved patient outcomes
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Willingness/ability to function in mobile role (walking around BMC campus)
• Familiarity with trauma-informed approaches
• Knowledge of resources available to immigrant and refugee populations

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Conducts IRHC/BCRHHR Needs Assessment/Intake for new clients. Includes:

• Mental health acuity/crisis assessment, and facilitate appropriate triaging, including administration of mental health screening measures
• Comprehensive assessment of clients’ medical, mental health, and social needs
• Collect ORR-required data points Obtain trauma history for client and family, assessing if eligible for services under the ORR definition of Survivor of Torture Collaborate with front desk/administrative staff to schedule client for medical, mental health, and social service appointments, as indicated by Needs Assessment
• Appropriate documentation of needs assessment data in EPIC and internal databases; completion and tracking of consent to treatment and eligibility forms
• Ongoing completion of Well Being Indicators and development of an initial wellness plan for patients

Provide case management and case coordination

• Create a safe, warm, welcoming environment and encourage engagement in care
• Connect patients to a broad range of services including but not limited to mental health services, primary care services, medical specialty services, immigration legal services, financial assistance, food, transportation, housing, clothing, health literacy, and interpreter service needs
• Provide client education regarding available services and resources both within the IRHC, throughout BMC and in community, and provide tools and facilitate connections to these resources
• Facilitate interdisciplinary consultation on patient’s behalf through participation in rounds, team meetings and clinical reviews
• Maintain HIPAA standards and confidentiality of protected health information.
• Perform and maintain all documentation in the electronic chart of patient encounters; resource development efforts; and other patient interventions and interactions
• Is chiefly responsible for monitoring and updating wellness plans collaboratively with patients

Program development and administrative responsibilities include:

• (Co)-facilitate meetings with staff and trainees to educate around SOT (Survivor of Torture) definitions and case review to determine SOT eligibility
• Participates in multidisciplinary/staff/team meetings and activities;
• Participates in team-based Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives
• Participates in local site operations, including team operational meetings; and is actively engaged in developing, implementing and refining operational protocols and processes as Intake process and infrastructure may get updated as needed
• Encouraged to engage in learning and growth opportunities including attending weekly Grand Rounds, and pursuing training opportunities with the approval of supervisor Adheres to departmental/organizational policies and procedures.
• Adaptable to changing programmatic needs Performs other administrative functions as assigned by Manager/Supervisor IND123

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans