Healthcare Navigator

CLASSIFICATION

DEPARTMENT

Behavioral Health Services

REPORTS TO

Clinical Director/Designee

SERVICE AREA

Community-Based Behavioral Health Services

POSITION SUMMARY

The Behavioral Health Medical Navigator / PP-Case Management Contractor provides targeted behavioral health case management and healthcare navigation services to individuals with mental health and co-occurring healthcare needs who require additional assistance accessing, coordinating, and navigating services.

The Medical Navigator works collaboratively with the clinical team to identify individuals who may benefit from enhanced healthcare navigation and case management support. This role supplements, but does not replace, the responsibilities of the client's assigned Paraprofessional (PP)/Case Manager.

The primary purpose of the position is to reduce barriers to healthcare access, strengthen coordination between behavioral health and medical providers, improve follow-through with recommended services, and promote continuity of care.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Review applicable assessments, treatment plans, referrals, and other clinical information to identify healthcare navigation and case management needs.
• Collaborate with the client's assigned PP/Case Manager and treatment team to establish appropriate navigation and coordination priorities.
• Assist clients in navigating hospitals, medical practices, behavioral health providers, and other healthcare systems.
• Coordinate and support access to medical, psychiatric, behavioral health, and specialty-care appointments.
• Facilitate referrals and linkages to specialized mental health providers, medical providers, and community resources.
• Provide follow-up and care coordination after hospitalization, emergency-department care, psychiatric stabilization, or other significant healthcare encounters.
• Identify and address barriers that interfere with clients' ability to access or follow through with recommended care.
• Assist clients with telehealth access, patient portals, appointment scheduling, transportation coordination, and other healthcare-access needs.
• Support clients in understanding and following through with referrals and recommended services within the contractor's appropriate scope.
• Communicate relevant information to the assigned PP/Case Manager and treatment team to promote continuity and avoid duplication of services.
• Participate in treatment-team and care-coordination activities as required.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and protect confidential client information.

COORDINATION WITH PRIMARY PP/CASE MANAGER

The Medical Navigator serves as an enhanced and specialized support resource and does not replace the client's assigned PP/Case Manager.

The contractor is expected to coordinate with the primary PP/Case Manager to:

• Prevent unnecessary duplication of case-management activities.
• Clearly define responsibility for identified client needs and follow-up activities.
• Share relevant information necessary for continuity of care.
• Communicate completed referrals, appointments, barriers, and outstanding follow-up needs.
• Escalate significant clinical, medical, access, or continuity-of-care concerns to the appropriate treatment-team member.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, health education, or related helping field or equivalent experience.
• Experience in behavioral health, case management, healthcare navigation, social services, or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of community-based resources and healthcare systems.
• Experience coordinating referrals and services for individuals with behavioral health needs.
• Strong organizational, communication, documentation, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to independently manage assigned referrals and coordination responsibilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary treatment teams.
• Ability to maintain appropriate confidentiality and handle protected health information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience with community behavioral health, Georgia Medicaid populations, individuals with co-occurring behavioral and physical healthcare needs, hospital/community transitions, and electronic health record documentation.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

Performance will be evaluated based on timely response to assigned referrals, successful coordination and linkage to needed services, follow-through on outstanding client needs, communication with the assigned PP and treatment team, timely and compliant BIRP documentation, avoidance of unnecessary service…