Job DescriptionAdministrative Assistant – Behavioral Health Operations (Client Services & Community Engagement)
Department: Administrative Services Reports To: Managing Director/Owner Employment Status: Part-Time, up to 30 hrs per week Work Setting: In-Person
Pay Range: $19.00–$24.00 per hour (based on experience)
Position Summary
The Administrative Assistant – Behavioral Health Operations provides administrative support across behavioral health operations, patient access, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, utilization management, and community engagement.
This is an excellent opportunity for a college student or early-career professional interested in gaining practical experience in healthcare administration, behavioral health operations, Medicaid services, quality improvement, community health, and healthcare business development.
The position supports the administrative processes that help ensure patients maintain access to medically necessary behavioral health services. Core responsibilities include insurance authorization support, medical records processing, clinical documentation tracking, compliance monitoring, scheduling support, utilization reporting, and coordination with clinical and billing teams.
The position also supports FamilyCare's community engagement and business development efforts by helping maintain strong relationships with schools, community organizations, referral partners, and other stakeholders.
This role provides exposure to multiple areas of healthcare administration and is designed for an individual who is organized, professional, analytical, comfortable communicating with different stakeholders, and interested in learning how a behavioral healthcare organization operates.
Primary Areas of ResponsibilityBehavioral Health Administration
- Insurance authorizations
- Clinical documentation tracking
- Medical records processing
- Medicaid compliance support
- Scheduling support
- Patient access
- Utilization management
- Quality improvement
- Billing coordination
Community Engagement
- Community partner relationships
- Referral source engagement
- Outreach activities
- Partner communication
- Community education
- Business development support
Essential Job Functions1. Insurance Authorization & Utilization Support
Assist with insurance and Medicaid authorization processes for behavioral health services.
Responsibilities include:
- Submit and track authorization requests.
- Monitor authorization effective dates and expiration dates.
- Maintain accurate authorization records.
- Follow up on outstanding authorization requests.
- Identify upcoming authorization expirations.
- Communicate authorization concerns to appropriate clinical and administrative staff.
- Assist with gathering documentation required by insurance companies and Medicaid.
- Maintain authorization tracking systems.
- Assist with identifying gaps that could affect patient access to services.
- Support leadership in reviewing authorization and utilization trends.
The position may assist with analyzing authorization and utilization information to identify patterns affecting access to behavioral health services.
2. Clinical Documentation & Compliance Tracking
Monitor required clinical documentation to help ensure services remain compliant with organizational, payer, and Medicaid requirements.
Track documentation including:
- Therapy treatment/care plans
- Behavioral health assessments
- Targeted Case Management assessments
- TCM care plans
- Treatment plan reviews
- Required signatures
- Documentation due dates
- Service-related compliance documentation
Responsibilities include:
- Maintain documentation tracking systems.
- Identify missing or overdue documentation.
- Communicate documentation needs to appropriate clinical staff.
- Follow up on approaching deadlines.
- Assist with routine documentation audits.
- Maintain accurate and audit-ready tracking records.
- Escalate recurring compliance concerns to leadership.
The position does not evaluate clinical treatment or make clinical decisions.
3. Medical Records Administration
Assist with processing medical record requests in accordance with HIPAA and organizational procedures.
Responsibilities include:
- Receive and track medical records requests.
- Verify required Release of Information documentation.
- Review requests for completeness.
- Gather authorized records.
- Ensure required signatures and documentation are present.
- Maintain medical records request logs.
- Track request turnaround times.
- Communicate with patients, providers, attorneys, and requesting organizations as appropriate.
- Escalate questions regarding releases to leadership.
Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
4. Scheduling & Patient Access Support
Serve as backup support to the Administrative Assistant responsible for scheduling and patient access.
Responsibilities may include:
- Assist with appointment scheduling.
- Help resolve scheduling conflicts.
- Assist with schedule updates.
- Support rescheduling activities.
- Monitor appointment availability when requested.
- Help identify scheduling gaps.
- Assist with patient access initiatives.
- Provide scheduling coverage during absences or high-volume periods.
Scheduling is a supporting responsibility of this position rather than its primary function.
5. Quality Improvement & Healthcare Operations
Assist leadership with healthcare administration and quality improvement projects.
Responsibilities may include:
- Assist with quality improvement initiatives focused on behavioral health outcomes and service utilization.
- Analyze authorization and utilization data to identify trends affecting healthcare access.
- Assist with operational reports and tracking tools.
- Participate in workflow development related to behavioral health service delivery.
- Support quality assurance activities.
- Assist with compliance projects involving Medicaid regulations and behavioral health standards.
- Identify recurring administrative or operational issues.
- Assist leadership with process improvement projects.
- Compile information for administrative and quality reports.
This component of the position provides students with practical exposure to healthcare quality, operations management, utilization management, and process improvement.
6. Billing & Revenue Cycle Collaboration
Participate in administrative coordination between clinical operations and the billing department.
Responsibilities include:
- Attend the weekly billing meeting.
- Assist with identifying missing clinical documentation affecting billing.
- Communicate authorization issues affecting claims.
- Assist with resolving documentation-related billing concerns.
- Support follow-up between billing, clinical, and administrative teams.
- Help identify recurring authorization or documentation issues affecting reimbursement.
The position does not serve as the primary biller.
7. Administrative & Front Office Collaboration
Participate in weekly administrative/front office meetings.
Responsibilities include:
- Provide updates regarding authorizations, records, documentation, and partner activities.
- Communicate outstanding administrative issues.
- Participate in workflow discussions.
- Collaborate with receptionists and Administrative Assistants.
- Assist with office operations when needed.
Community Engagement & Business Development8. Community Relationship Management
Assist FamilyCare in developing and maintaining positive relationships with community partners.
Build and maintain relationships with:
- Schools
- School districts
- Community organizations
- Referral sources
- Healthcare providers
- Social service agencies
- Partner agencies
- Other community stakeholders
Responsibilities include:
- Serve as an administrative point of contact for assigned community partners.
- Conduct routine partner check-ins.
- Maintain professional communication with referral sources.
- Follow up on partner needs and concerns.
- Maintain accurate contact and relationship information.
9. Community Engagement & Outreach
Assist with FamilyCare's visibility and engagement throughout the community.
Activities may include:
- Attending community meetings.
- Participating in networking events.
- Accompanying leadership on partner visits.
- Participating in school and agency meetings.
- Coordinating appreciation visits.
- Coordinating gift or treat drop-offs.
- Assisting with community events.
- Supporting outreach campaigns.
- Helping organize educational presentations.
Represent FamilyCare professionally during all community interactions.
10. Community Education & Outreach Materials
Assist with developing community behavioral health outreach and educational materials.
Projects may include:
- Service information sheets
- Referral materials
- Community resource information
- Behavioral health educational materials
- School-based program materials
- Partner updates
- Outreach packets
- Presentation materials
Assist with ensuring community partners understand available FamilyCare programs, referral processes, and service updates.
11. Partner Communication & Updates
Maintain regular communication with referral partners and community stakeholders.
Responsibilities include:
- Develop and distribute monthly partner updates or newsletters.
- Communicate service availability.
- Share program updates.
- Provide referral process information.
- Coordinate follow-up communication.
- Maintain professional partner correspondence.
12. Business Development Support
Assist leadership with administrative components of partnership development.
Responsibilities include:
- Help identify potential community partnerships.
- Research community organizations and referral opportunities.
- Assist with outreach to potential partners.
- Maintain partnership contact information.
- Assist with logistics and communication related to Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and other agreements.
- Track partnership development activities.
- Support implementation of new partnerships.
This position may assist with coordination and documentation but does not independently negotiate or execute legal agreements.
13. Partner Issue Resolution
Assist with maintaining strong partner relationships by helping address routine concerns.
Responsibilities include:
- Receive partner questions and concerns.
- Help resolve routine communication issues.
- Coordinate follow-up with appropriate FamilyCare staff.
- Ensure partner concerns receive timely responses.
- Document significant concerns.
- Escalate unresolved issues to leadership.
- Track follow-up until resolution.
14. Outreach Tracking & Reporting
Maintain accurate records of community engagement activities.
Track:
- Partner meetings
- Outreach contacts
- Referral source interactions
- Follow-up activities
- Community events
- Partner visits
- Outreach materials distributed
- Potential partnership opportunities
Provide periodic updates to leadership regarding:
- Partner engagement
- Relationship status
- New opportunities
- Referral trends
- Areas of concern
- Follow-up needs
15. Brand Representation
Serve as a positive ambassador for FamilyCare Counseling Solutions.
The employee is expected to:
- Communicate professionally.
- Represent FamilyCare's mission and services accurately.
- Develop positive relationships with community members.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
- Demonstrate reliability and follow-through.
- Protect confidential information.
- Promote a positive image of the organization.
Meetings
The Healthcare Administration Assistant is expected to participate in:
- Weekly Billing Meeting
- Weekly Front Office/Administrative Meeting
- Other operational, quality improvement, or community partnership meetings as assigned
The employee should be prepared to provide concise updates regarding assigned areas of responsibility.
Student Learning & Professional Development
One thing I would definitely add to the posting is this section because it will make the position much more attractive to healthcare administration students.
This position provides practical experience in:
- Healthcare administration
- Behavioral health operations
- Medicaid administration
- Managed care authorization processes
- Utilization management
- Healthcare compliance
- HIPAA
- Quality assurance
- Quality improvement
- Patient access
- Revenue cycle operations
- Healthcare data tracking
- Healthcare workflow development
- Community health
- Stakeholder engagement
- Business development
- Referral network development
Students will gain exposure to the interaction between clinical care, insurance requirements, healthcare operations, compliance, patient access, revenue cycle management, and community partnerships.
Required Skills
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
- Strong organizational skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Attention to detail
- Professional customer service
- Ability to manage multiple deadlines
- Strong computer skills
- Comfort working with spreadsheets and tracking systems
- Ability to analyze basic operational information
- Ability to communicate with clinical professionals
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Professional judgment
- Reliability and follow-through
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively
Minimum Qualifications
Required:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Strong computer and administrative skills
- Ability to maintain confidential information
Preferred:
Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a college program in:
- Healthcare Administration
- Health Services Administration
- Public Health
- Health Information Management
- Business Administration
- Healthcare Management
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Human Services
- Communications
- Marketing
- Other related field
Previous healthcare experience is helpful but not required for the right candidate.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is someone who is:
Organized enough to track details.
Curious enough to understand why processes matter.
Professional enough to interact with healthcare and community partners.
Analytical enough to recognize trends.
Personable enough to build relationships.
Interested in learning how a behavioral healthcare organization operates.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $19.00 - $24.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
