Medical Assistant - SAGE

Description

Shift: Office Day 

Days Off: Saturday, Sunday 

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage) 

Other  Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account  (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement  Plan 

About DESC: 

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service  Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the  complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious  mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being  through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a  community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing  homelessness. 

As the region's leading provider of  services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic  homelessness, DESC serves almost 2,000 people each day. Our integrated  service model is designed to help people secure and maintain  appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally  and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness. 

JOB DEFINITION: 

The SAGE Treatment Navigator-Medical Assistant is a member of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of nurses, psychiatric providers, Mental Health Professionals (MHP), case managers, substance use counselors, employment specialists and peer specialists responsible for providing the full range of case management services to homeless and formerly homeless, mentally ill adults. The team is responsible for providing integrated behavioral health services (Mental Health, Substance Use, Physical Health) to individuals enrolled in Medicaid. This position works specifically within the newly formed treatment navigation team and works to reengage clients that are having difficulties maintaining services because of hospitalization, medical conditions, incarceration, or experiences changes or crisis.

The medial assistant (MA) will assist the Treatment Navigation Team, in conjunction with mental health care team, in coordinating and evaluating client medical needs. This position will function to support the treatment team and client in navigating the health care system. Work is done under the supervision of the SAGE nurse supervisor and will be conducted within the clinic, or out in the community for both housed and homeless individuals. The MA is based out of the 515 3rd Ave, 216 James Street, and/or Wall Street (Hobson Clinic) outpatient behavioral health centers. Interested individuals should possess a high degree of coordination and collaboration skills, interest in social justice, advocacy, and health integration. Ideal candidates have experience in community health, behavioral health, case management, resource referral, and work well with individuals that are the most vulnerable within the community.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Medication, Medical Services, and Clinical Skills: 

• Perform  initial history and physical of client; documenting any client  identified concerns, vital signs, and mental health status exams or  other structured measurement tools. 
• Reconcile medication and  medical record with hospitals, other outpatient mental health clinics,  and primary care facilities, including care collecting appropriate  Release of Information requests (ROIs). 
•  Ensure that client spaces and clinical spaces are clean, stocked, and appropriate medical equipment is in working order. 
• Perform client walk in triage and as-needed client observations and  actions based on pre-established guidelines and guidance of nursing  supervisor. 
• Administer pre-dosed oral medication, injections  (both anti-psychotic injections and insulin), and wound care within  scope of practice and plan of care. 
• Coordinate communication  between navigation care team, outpatient case management, outpatient  nursing care team, and providers regarding client medical needs and  condition. 
• Schedule appointments for clients, assist clients in  getting to medical and/or psych appointments, attend appointments with  client, organize follow up care for clients. 
• Perform medication  refill requests, medication organization, and medication follow up  needs as directed by provider and/or registered nurse. 
• Complete client history, client encounter, and plan of care documentation as appropriate. 

Case Management & Social Support: 

• Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team providing some  components of on-going case management services to homeless and formerly  homeless adults. 
• Advocate for clients’ access to community  resources and services, especially primary health care services,  ensuring that clients’ needs are met, and rights maintained; consult and  collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care. 
• Assist clients that are Medicaid eligible to get connected to benefits,  connect to community services, and/or re-engage clients who are  Medicaid benefit eligible but have not maintained active status. 
• Participate in the planning, organizing and facilitating of group  psycho-educational treatment services for consumers served by the mental  health program, under the direction of a mental health professional  (MHP). 
• Provide outreach to clients at various community sites providing homelessness services. 
• Provide individualized medication management services and instructions  as needed, and ongoing documentation of treatment plan, impacts, and  side effects. 
• Determining client needs and providing care  coordination when clients are hospitalized, incarcerated, and/or moving  into or out of housing facilities. 

Other duties & responsibilities: 

• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings  and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case  conferences for clients on caseload. 
• Comply with the agency's  clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain timely and  complete documentation; participate in quality assurance reviews when  assigned. 
• Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Medical Assistant-Certified (MA-C) licensed in the State of  Washington, ideally 1-year clinic experience in adult medicine,  addiction medicine, wound care, internal medicine, and/or infectious  disease. 
• Experience with phlebotomy 
• Interest or experience in working with people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and/or substance use disorders 
• Knowledge of psychiatric medications, side effects and methods of administration, or willingness to learn. 
• Interest or experience in working with clients who are difficult to  engage and maintain in traditional mental health programs. 
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior. 
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from diverse backgrounds. 
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands  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. While performing the  duties of this job, the employee will be required sit for extended  periods of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing,  required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate  computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the  job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral  vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC  is committed  to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal  employment  opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The  Agency will not  discriminate against any employee or applicant for  employment on the  basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual  orientation, age,  national origin, caste, marital status, or the  presence of any sensory,  mental or physical disability in any  employment practice, unless based  on a bona fide occupational  qualification. Minorities and veterans are  encouraged to apply.