Patient Health Advocate - Community Based

Zepf Center has been serving the Lucas County community for over 50 years. We are the leading provider of behavioral health and substance use disorder services in Northwest Ohio. Services include adult and child psychiatric, substance abuse, case management, residential, Crisis Care, and therapy programs, as well as career development and wellness services. Zepf Center also offers primary care medical services to our patients to contribute to their continuum of care. Zepf Center is a trauma-informed agency and environment for both patients and staff.

We are currently seeking a full-time Health Navigator for the CCBHC grant to provide direct services to help achieve better health and wellness. Advocates for consumers to obtain healthcare and other treatment services. The purpose of this position is to provide a wide range of community support and coordination of services to people experiencing serious mental illness and to ensure their needs are addressed. They assist clients with the development of short and long-term goals and acquisition of community resources. Services will be provided with respect and in accordance with client’s rights. The person in this position participates in development and coordination of the comprehensive care coordination and treatment plan, advocates for persons on their caseload, provides for assessment, linkage and referral, coordinates crisis intervention services and assists in the management of psychiatric and physical health symptoms. Levels of support required by people on caseload may vary greatly.

Essential Duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• Provide direct services for consumers to help them achieve healthcare goals and improve health and wellness.
• Maintains clinical responsibility for those assigned clients who have either mental health diagnoses or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• In conjunction with the client, family and/or supportive others, and care team of assigned providers, develops and updates a strength-based Individualized Action Plan (IAP) for each client based on the completion of a case management assessment/IAP review as needed based on individual needs.
• Provides strength-based assessment of patients for care coordination needs, abilities, preferences, and goals, identifies objectives and interventions, and facilitates IAP updates, referrals and linkage to appropriate internal and external resources based on assessed needs. Facilitates as primary driving force of carrying out the treatment plan and facilitating warm hand offs wherever clinically appropriate.
• Provides therapeutic client-centered evidence-based interventions including, but not limited to, treatment planning, discharge planning, service coordination, individual/group/family counseling, transition planning, wellness programming, resource access, advocacy, recovery planning, healthcare management, and participation in/facilitation of care coordination/team meetings/trainings.
• Monitors clients to identify potential relapse, changes in treatment needs/goals, change in level of care, barriers to achieving goals, increase or decrease of progress, and effectiveness of the IAP.
• Completes required paperwork in accordance with timelines and standards required by the agency, regulatory bodies and payors.
• Provides assistance to patients in gaining access to essential community resources via transportation using Zepf fleet vehicles and documenting accordingly per policies and protocols.
• Advocate on behalf of patients to obtain appropriate treatment and services.
• Work with healthcare, wellness, and mental health professional staff on-site and in the community to achieve treatment goals.
• Keep records on care management and collects data to maintain outcome measures.
• Attend all required training to ensure individual and professional growth.
• Commitment to health equity and National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards and evaluation of program cultural competency performance

Position Competencies:

• Professional approach to all functions and relationships with all levels of staff, clients, other agencies, and community members.
• Proficient computer skills to manage and document case records effectively.
• Knowledge of community resources and levels of care
• Ability to coordinate service delivery for the clients on their caseload.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Organizational Competencies: 

• Demonstrate knowledge of the agency mission, vision, goals, and philosophy as well as the policies and procedures.
• Strives for high client satisfaction by providing leadership and/or assistance to coworkers and clients through the integrated care process. 
• Demonstrate consistent professionalism.
• Demonstrate teamwork.
• Abide by the agencies and/or professional code of ethics. 
• Strives to improve own and agency operations
• Commit to cultivating a non-violent and trauma-informed environment for all employees and clients, through our pursuit of Sanctuary; a trauma-informed model. Commit to a deeper exploration of Sanctuary Values.
• Incorporates sanctuary techniques into daily work activities. 
• Participates on sanctuary process teams and/or supports sanctuary initiatives

• High School Diploma, GED, or Associates degree plus at least three years’ experience with care coordination in behavioral health required - OR -
• Bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, public administration, nursing, or related field required 
• LPN or LSW preferred.

Those eligible to drive company vehicles must have a valid driver's license and be eligible for coverage as defined by the agency commercial insurance carrier. Those who drive personal vehicles in the course of business must be able to provide proof of insurance.