Bilingual Mental Health Panel Navigator - Limited Term

Clackamas County employees work to serve the public and enrich our community. Clackamas County is committed to building a community where people thrive, have a sense of safety, connection, and belonging, so that everyone is honored and celebrated for the richness in diversity they bring. Located on the southern edge of the City of Portland and extending to the top of Mt. Hood, Clackamas County is part of a thriving region in the Northwest with a population of about 420,000 residents.

About the role

Clackamas County Health Centers is seeking a bilingual English/Spanish Mental Health Services Coordinator (Panel Navigator) to support behavioral health services for children, youth, and families. This position plays an important role in helping youth and families navigate behavioral health services, particularly when they are experiencing complex needs or multiple barriers to accessing care. The Panel Navigator coordinates services, connects families with appropriate resources and supports, maintains continuity of care, and ensures clinical teams have accurate and timely information to support client and family needs.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, the Panel Navigator serves as a connection between children and youth, parents and caregivers, clinical staff, service providers, community partners, and other agencies. The position coordinates client intake, referrals, scheduling, care transitions, and treatment-related activities while helping families navigate services and systems. The Panel Navigator also maintains accurate electronic health records and confidential client information and supports program documentation, insurance verification, billing, and other activities necessary for coordinated care.

The ideal candidate will bring strong experience working with children, youth, and families in behavioral health, mental health services, healthcare, care coordination, or case management. We are looking for someone who can build positive and effective relationships with clients and their caregivers; communicate information in an accessible and culturally responsive manner; and help families navigate multiple systems and resources. This position requires Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA) designation and bilingual English/Spanish skills.

This position is limited term with a duration of two (2) years beginning at the time of hire.

Responsibilities

• Track and schedule specialty intake appointments for children and teens, including confirming client and legal guardian signatures on paperwork, reaching out to clients, caregivers, and legal guardians to obtain necessary paperwork, facilitating rapid scheduling of intake appointments, doing outreach and rescheduling appointments as needed, coordinating with partner agencies to ensure they have access to current intake paperwork, and ensuring appropriate documentation is maintained in the electronic medical record.
• Provide outreach to support treatment engagement and follow up with clients who require additional contact.
• Coordinate new-client intake appointments for Child and Family Team, including scheduling appointments, establishing and verifying guarantor and insurance information, and ensuring client demographic information is complete and current.
• Coordinate with CAF Intake and Access teams regarding new clients and facilitate medical-only and other client transfers as needed.
• Coordinate drug-testing services for teen and young adult clients participating in outpatient substance use disorder treatment, including scheduling testing, establishing client profiles, maintaining information used by clinical staff to monitor client participation, overseeing UA coordination, and ensuring accuracy of information maintained in Sentry.
• Support accurate billing, client records, and program compliance by reviewing billing error reports, researching missing or inaccurate diagnosis and insurance information, and updating records to facilitate proper billing.
• Support compliance activities by auditing required documentation, including assessments, service plans, service conclusions, and SI/25 flags, and coordinate with compliance staff and program supervisors regarding team audits.
• Verify client insurance coverage using multiple eligibility systems and portals to support accurate and timely billing for Child and Family Team services.
• Maintain confidential records and filing systems, respond to authorized records requests, and ensure information is organized, retained, and accessible in accordance with program requirements.
• Manage assigned Epic in-basket messaging and assist with completion and tracking of client-related correspondence and feedback letters.
• Manage referrals for specialty services and higher levels of care, including psychological evaluations, medical services, case management, substance use disorder treatment, peer services, housing, primary care, and other internal and external services.
• Generate, track, and follow referrals through completion using Epic, CareOregon, and other applicable systems; coordinate with clinical staff and case managers regarding referral status and outside-provider services.
• Coordinate client care across providers, programs, and service systems, serving as a point of connection between clients, caregivers, clinical staff, primary care, hospitals, and community partners.
• Coordinate with hospitals and emergency departments regarding client step-down and follow-up care, including PointClickCare management, and notify therapists of relevant crisis-line contacts.
• Support continuity of care and care-team operations by coordinating with supervisors, team leads, and clinicians regarding urgent client needs and provider absences, including arranging appropriate coverage for individual and group services.
• Support team coordination and caseload management by leading or facilitating huddles related to caseload distribution and working with supervisors and team leads to coordinate urgent client care, intake assignments, and other service needs.

Requirements

• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in behavioral health, mental health services, healthcare, care coordination, or case management that includes coordinating services for children, youth, and families, including working with clinical providers, community partners, or other service agencies.
• Experience coordinating services for teens and transition-aged youth with complex substance use and mental health treatment needs, including collaboration with clinical providers, community partners, and other agencies.
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary or integrated care team in a behavioral health or healthcare setting.
• Experience coordinating referrals, client and family services, scheduling, and care transitions while maintaining accurate electronic health records and documentation.
• Experience interpreting and applying policies, procedures, and confidentiality requirements related to healthcare services.
• Experience using electronic health record (EHR) systems and other technology to manage client information, coordinate care, and monitor workflow.
• Designation as a Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA) as established by the Mental Health and Addiction Counseling Board of Oregon (MHACBO).
• Bilingual English/Spanish required, with the ability to communicate effectively with children, parents, caregivers, and families in both languages.
• Possess and maintain a Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with children, youth, and families receiving both mental health and substance use disorder treatment services.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Must pass post-offer, pre-employment drug test.
• Must pass a criminal history check which may include national or state fingerprint records check.

Pay

Hourly Pay Range: $36.389318 - $46.205988

Annual Pay Range: $75,689.78 - $96,108.46

Bilingual Spanish/English skills are required for this position. An additional 5% compensation is added to pay. Salary offers will be made within the posted pay range and will be based on a candidate's experience (paid or unpaid) that is directly relevant to the position.

Schedule

This position will initially work a standard Monday through Friday schedule, eight (8) hours per day, 40 hours per week, during the onboarding and training period. Following successful completion of onboarding and training, there may be the opportunity to transition to an alternate 4/10 work schedule, working Monday through Thursday or Tuesday through Friday, ten (10) hours per day, with Fridays off, based on Department business and operational needs.

Hybrid Work: This position is eligible for a hybrid on-site/telework schedule, based on Department business and operational needs. Following successful completion of onboarding and training, the amount of on-site and telework may be adjusted based on the position's responsibilities and Department needs.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off Package, including 12 hours of vacation accrued per month. Eligible newly hired employees will have the one-time option to frontload their first year of vacation accruals.
• 8 hours of sick accrued per month.
• 10 paid holidays and 1 personal day per year.
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP): Employer paid 6% PERS retirement contribution (The county currently pays the employee’s share of the retirement contribution).
• Health and wellness classes and events, and alternative care benefits.