Admissions Counselor

CenterPointe Hospital of Columbia is a psychiatric hospital providing life-changing care for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Located in Columbia, Missouri, our state-of-the-art facility offers a wide range of mental health and addiction programming designed to meet diverse patient needs.

About the role

We are seeking a compassionate and detail-oriented healthcare professional with expertise in patient admissions, intake coordination, insurance verification, and behavioral health services. The ideal candidate will build therapeutic relationships with patients and families, facilitate seamless transitions of care, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe, efficient, and patient-centered outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Respond to facility inquiries within policy timeframes.
• Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
• Perform benefit eligibility checks to ensure active patient benefits at admission and communicate findings to the business office and patient or significant other.
• Collaborate with medical and psychiatric personnel to ensure appropriate recommendations for pending referrals.
• Coordinate admissions and transfers from referral sources and between levels of care within the facility.
• Maintain knowledge of milieu management and communicate projected admissions to designated internal representatives promptly.
• Ensure all clinical information from referral sources or patients (including medical comorbidity information) is received prior to patient admission.
• Schedule and complete pre-admission assessments, consult with the admitting physician, and communicate disposition recommendations to the patient or family.
• Prepare and maintain medical record documentation to secure authorization for the requested level of care.
• Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission prior to admission, when possible, and within payor timeframe guidelines.
• Admit the patient to the registration and accounting system and complete all admission and consent forms.
• Demonstrate a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers at all times.
• Acknowledge and work to resolve complaints when patient needs are not met.
• Prioritize patient safety and coordinate care for patients who are not admitted, ensuring appropriate follow-up and referrals.
• Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, or as noted in special precautions or individualized supervision guidelines.
• Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a social services field required (if state allows). Master's degree in a social services field (psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, nursing) or RN preferred.
• One or more years’ experience in mental/behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity preferred.
• Current licensure, as preferred for the area of clinical specialty, as designated by the state in which the facility operates.
• CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).
• First aid certification may be preferred based on state or facility requirements.

Schedule

• Full-time, Thursday–Saturday, 7:00 PM–7:00 AM
• Full-time, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, 11:00 AM–11:00 PM
• Full-time, Monday–Thursday–Friday, 7:00 AM–7:00 PM

Benefits

• Competitive compensation with industry-leading annual performance-based bonus opportunity.
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match to support your financial future.
• Stock-based awards, giving you a stake in Acadia’s success.
• Generous paid time off for vacation, sick days, and holidays.
• Professional development and leadership training to sharpen your skills.
• Career mobility within Acadia’s nationwide network of 250+ facilities.