Engagement Care Specialist - COMCARE

Department:  COMCARE 

Pay:  $23.46 per hour |This position may also be eligible for a sign on bonus of $2,500 after 60 days of employment if selected applicant meets all policy conditions.  

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week; Monday - Friday 8:00a-5:00p  

Sedgwick County offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes health coverages, paid leave, regular compensation reviews, retirement plans, and professional development opportunities.  For more detailed information, please visit our benefits page at SCBenefits.

This is a highly visible position requiring advanced communication and planning skills. The Engagement Care Specialist is focused on improving the whole health of persons with severe persistent mental illness (SPMI), severe emotional disturbance (SED), co-occurring disorders (COD), or with a mental health or substance abuse need. This position focuses on engagement with patients to collaborate with primary care providers, hospitals, specialty providers, mental health providers, and community resources in a team-based approach to care that is intended to optimize the overall health of those served. Engagement Care Specialists work to increase utilization of preventive care, reduce emergency room utilization and hospital readmissions, and positively impact social determinants of health which could result in reducing health care costs. The employee in this position must be able to complete complex tasks by applying standard office policies, authorized instructions, and past precedents to achieve a desired outcome.

Patient engagement and education

• Provide outreach to individuals who have a severe mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, those with a mental health or substance abuse need
• Serve as a linchpin for the CCBHC program to include access, referral, follow through, and follow up for services
• Engage patients and families to better understand mental and physical health conditions
• Provide whole person health screening and assessments
• Utilize motivational interviewing techniques to facilitate change
• Utilize positive reinforcement and encouragement to promote patient engagement
• Provide transportation to support client attendance in medical appointments and other therapeutic goal-related activities

Care Collaboration

• Be a system navigator and point of contact
• Serve as an extension to service providers through activities geared towards collaboration of care
• Identify and foster strong working relationships with other community providers
• Address barriers for success
• Assist patients in understanding relevant details from medical appointments
• Facilitate care transitions to behavioral health services
• Make collateral contact with doctors, family members, designated team members, etc.
• Collaboration and follow through on access to preventive and health promotion services

Complete documentation and track progress

• Complete documentation in an accurate and timely manner and in compliance with agency, CCBHC, state, and federal requirements for coding and content
• Collect and enter patient vitals
• Ensure confidential communication of patient health information
• Monitor and follow up to ensure that needed care is not only offered but accessed
• Monitor adherence to treatment plans and evaluate effectiveness
• Enter data accurately in electronic health record and program spreadsheets
• Understand and work toward achieving CCBHC program outcomes

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university or be equivalently qualified by work experience or a combination of work experience and training in the field of behavioral or physical health care. Must have a valid Kansas Driver’s license and current proof of automobile insurance. Must be able to safely operate a motor vehicle and meet driver qualification standards as set forth in Sedgwick County’s Fleet Vehicle Operation and Usage policy.  Meet the specifications as outlined in the CMHC/CCBHC licensing standards and pass KBI, DCF child abuse check, adult abuse registry, and motor vehicle screens.  Must complete orientations provided by Sedgwick County and COMCARE.

Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university in the field of behavioral or physical health care.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws. Please find more information under the following link.  Apply for a Job | Sedgwick County, Kansas