Clinical Screener

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as an initial point of contact for individuals seeking behavioral health or related support services.
• Conducts preliminary screenings to gather information regarding presenting concerns, current needs, service history, referral source, and potential barriers to care.
• Uses established agency procedures, screening questions, and triage guidelines to help identify urgency, risk acuity, and appropriate next steps.
• Recognizes indicators of elevated risk, including suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, acute distress, withdrawal concerns, safety concerns, psychosis, severe impairment, or other urgent needs.
• Promptly connects individuals with elevated risk, crisis concerns, or complex clinical needs to an appropriate clinical team member, supervisor, crisis service, or emergency resource in accordance with agency procedures.
• Differentiates between routine access needs, urgent access needs, and situations requiring immediate clinical or crisis response.
• Supports timely connection to services, including same-day or next-available access when clinically or operationally indicated.
• Escalates barriers, concerns, or unusual circumstances to a supervisor or clinical team member in a timely manner.
• Communicates relevant screening and referral information to appropriate clinical, access, or administrative staff to support timely follow-up and continuity of care.

Engagement, Orientation, and Service Navigation

• Provides a welcoming, respectful, and trauma-informed access experience for individuals, families, referral sources, and community partners.
• Orients individuals to Spectrum's available services and helps to explain the access process, appointment expectations, and next steps.
• Helps match individuals with the most appropriate available service pathway based on identified needs, eligibility, urgency, location, and program availability.
• Uses engagement strategies to reduce barriers to care, promote follow-through, and support successful connection to services.
• Responds calmly and professionally to individuals who may be distressed or ambivalent about seeking services.
• Collaborates with clinic, access center, and program staff to support coordinated entry into services.
• Serves as a point of contact for referral sources, including community providers, hospitals, schools, courts, county partners, family members, and other entities seeking access to services.

Documentation, Confidentiality, and Compliance

• Accurately documents screening information, presenting concerns, referral needs, triage actions, follow-up steps, and outcomes in accordance with agency procedures.
• Collections demographic, insurance, referral, contact, and other required information from individuals seeking services, as appropriate.
• Maintains confidentiality and handles sensitive information in accordance with agency policies, HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 when applicable, and other privacy requirements.
• Ensures documentation is completed timely and supports appropriate communication between access, clinical, and program teams.

Customer Service and Professional Conduct

• Demonstrates agency core values in all daily activities and interactions.
• Maintains a professional, compassionate, and nonjudgmental approach when interacting with individuals served, families, staff, referral sources, and community partners.
• Uses trauma-informed and person-centered communication to support dignity, choice, safety, and engagement.
• Works effectively in a fast-paced access environment with multiple calls, referrals, tasks, and competing priorities.
• Represents the agency positively and professionally in all communications.