Hospital Navigator

Join Buckelew and you will play a pivotal role in making a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges.

Buckelew Programs is the largest provider of behavioral healthcare services in the North Bay for those who would otherwise not have access. Our mission is to promote recovery, resilience and hope by providing behavioral health and support services that enhance quality of life.

We are hiring a new Hospital Navigator to join our inRESPONSE Mental Health Support team. In this role, you will provide support and system navigation to individuals and their families who have accessed care at an Emergency Department and/or is hospitalized due to a mental health or behavioral health crisis. You will act as a liaison between individuals who have been psychiatrically hospitalized and their connection to community supports and the continuum of care. You will work with hospital staff, mental health care systems, multidisciplinary teams, community providers, and family members or loved ones.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Provide system navigation and support to individuals who have experienced an acute mental health or behavioral health challenge.
• Act as a bridge between hospital discharge and access to post-discharge care, including various medical, mental health, and psychiatric care appointments. Encourage and facilitate connections to community supports and peer-based supports.
• Work amongst a multi-disciplinary team, building relationships with clinicians, hospital staff, law enforcement, and community-based organizations.
• Promote a recovery-oriented approach, utilizing harm reduction strategies to support individuals and their loved ones.
• Provide transportation in personal and agency vehicles as directed.
• Monitor for safety and wellbeing; utilize emergency services and mandated reporting as required.
• Investigate concerns and/or grievances as a designated representative of inRESPONSE clients and family members or identified support persons.
• Facilitate connections to community-based supports, mental health care, substance use treatment, physical health care, and other identified protective factors, including family and loved ones.
• Care coordinate with other individuals, organizations and systems providing support.
• Represent individuals and families within the behavioral health system to assure that services are delivered with cultural sensitivity and in the preferred language of the individual/family receiving support services.
• Enter, track, and manage client and family services data in our electronic health records.
• Maintain written records of client and identified support persons’ requests for assistance, including describing problems, actions taken, and results.
• Communicate effectively with the client, family or identified support persons, hospital staff, supervisors, managers, administrators, and other involved entities, about concerns or pertinent issues.
• Maintain client confidentiality; obtain all appropriate and agreed upon releases of information.
• Assist Program Manager in planning, implementing and monitoring of services to meet the needs of the client and their families.
• Provide input to the Program Manager and other members of the inRESPONSE Team in the development of peer and family member policies.
• Attend team meetings for inRESPONSE, Buckelew, and other meetings as directed.
• Act as a representative of inRESPONSE/Buckelew Programs at events, community committees, task forces and in all community settings.
• Perform community outreach and engage in public speaking to increase public awareness of the impact of mental illness on clients and families, and the importance of stigma reduction.
• Help organize and participate in community events to promote inRESPONSE and Buckelew Programs, provide resources, and decrease stigma.
• Develop and maintain community resources in order to provide clients and families with appropriate and up-to-date resources and support.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with community providers, hospital staff, law enforcement partners, and across the inRESPONSE multi-disciplinary team.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:

Education and Experience: BA/BS degree in Social Science discipline; OR Peer Support Specialist Certification; OR Patient Navigation Certification; OR Certification in Community Health, Advocacy, Drug and Alcohol or similar discipline. A minimum of one-year experience working with adults with serious and persistent mental illness or children diagnosed with serious emotional disturbance as a Peer Support Specialist or Family Advocate, or significant involvement and work in the mental health family advocate movement. Strong understanding of mental health systems, community services and supports identified through experience.

Professional: Computer and office skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs, email, fax, cloud-based programs, and electronic health records (EHR) are needed, accompanied by excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must be fluent in English (written and verbal); Spanish language skills a plus. Must understand and be sensitive and responsive to serving culturally diverse populations. Ability to work autonomously with focused direction, advocate for team approach, utilize strong organizational skills, project appropriate confidence, listen well, problem solve in on-the-spot situations, remain calm and reassuring in unexpected situations while maintaining confidentiality. Must have an interest in working with persons with mental and/or behavioral health disabilities. Able to identify areas needing improvement and to take initiative to suggest viable alternatives. Ability to work flexible hours required (generally normal business hours, with occasional flexibility needed for evening availability). Must be able to work within with all the rules, regulations, and policies that govern agency compliance. Applicants must have valid California driver’s license with an insurable driving record, use of own vehicle (mileage will be reimbursed). Ability to meet contract requirements. A lived family or consumer experience with mental health and/or addiction desired.

Physical requirements: Capable of the following intermittent activities: stretching, bending, kneeling, twisting, squatting, reaching above or below the shoulder, pushing, pulling, grasping, and lifting to 25 pounds. Job frequently requires sitting, handling objects with hands and the use of fine motor skills. Often operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer. Job occasionally requires standing, walking, reaching, talking, and hearing. The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically.

BENEFITS OFFERED: Health, dental, vision, life and LTD insurance, 403(b) with match, Flexible Spending Accounts for health, dependent and transit costs, Employee Assistance Program, 6 weeks of paid time off, paid meal breaks, eligibility for loan forgiveness and continuing education credits available through our learning management system.

DEI STATEMENT: Buckelew Programs values transparency, equity, accountability and inclusion. As a behavioral health organization, we firmly believe that feeling understood, accepted, and supported is essential to mental well-being and promoting recovery; we welcome all people regardless of identities and circumstances. As a thought leader in mental health, substance misuse, suicide prevention, housing equity and community building, we recognize the need to stay current and responsive to diverse communities by bringing different people together to be their authentic selves.

AA/EOE