Psychiatric -Medical Assistant

Principal Responsibilities

• Prepare patients for psychiatric visits, including required screenings, consents, and documentation.
• Room patients and obtain vital signs in accordance with scope of practice.
• Administer and document standardized behavioral health screening tools (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7) per protocol.
• Support medication management workflows, including refill requests, prior authorizations, and pharmacy coordination.
• Document patient information accurately in the electronic medical record (NextGen).
• Assist with telehealth visit setup and patient readiness.
• Maintain stocked, organized, and prepared clinical areas.

Behavioral Health Coordination

• Manage appointments and scheduling for Behavioral Health and Psychiatric providers.
• Carry out triage and assess urgency of referrals, supporting crisis intervention workflows as needed.
• Provide warm hand-offs between administrative and clinical teams to ensure continuity of care.
• Oversee provider panels and optimize scheduling, including waitlist management.
• Follow up on no-shows and reschedule patients promptly; document all outreach attempts.
• Process and coordinate behavioral health referrals within the EMR system.

Front Office & Administrative Support

• Perform patient registration, check-in, and check-out processes.
• Verify insurance, payer selection, and sliding fee scale eligibility.
• Conduct pre-visit planning and pre-check-in 24 hours prior to appointments.
• Respond to patient calls and messages regarding appointments, medication requests, and urgent needs.
• Absorb medical records requests and care coordination.
• Utilize the AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, Thank You) communication framework.
• Promote a welcoming, respectful, and supportive clinic environment.
• Adhere to all organizational policies, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain infection control and workplace safety practices.
• Participate in required training, meetings, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with medical, dental, and behavioral health teams to improve patient flow and reduce waiting times.
• Perform other duties as assigned within scope of practice.

Requirements

• Completion of an accredited Medical Assistant program required.
• Active Medical Assistant certification (CMA, RMA, or equivalent) required.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in behavioral health or psychiatric setting.
• At least 1 year of clinical Medical Assistant experience (vitals, patient care, documentation).
• Experience supporting Psychiatrists or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners preferred.
• Strong understanding of behavioral health workflows and patient populations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Able to multitask and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with electronic medical records (NextGen preferred) and Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of scheduling, referrals, and insurance processes.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.