Care Coordinator - Behavioral Health

Behavioral Health Coordinator

Job Description

Job title

Behavioral Health Coordinator

Reports to: Behavioral Health Director

Status: Full time

The Organization

Operation Samahan (OpSam Health) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the San Diego County community.

Founded in 1973 in a barber shop in Downtown San Diego by Filipino health professionals offering services to immigrants who did not have the finances, linguistic skills, or ability to navigate the health care system.

Today, Operation Samahan has evolved into a diverse community health center with services available in National City, Mira Mesa, City Heights, and Rancho Penasquitos.

We provide primary care, dental, behavioral health, family planning, integrative health and wellness, healthy eating, civic engagement, and other health related services to the uninsured, underinsured, and underserved families of all income levels regardless of their ability to pay.

Job Purpose

The Behavioral Health Coordinator reports to the Behavioral Health (BH) Director and coordinates daily psychiatry and therapy operations.

The role ensures schedules follow approved protocols and templates, supports timely access and continuity of care, and provides direct Medical Assistant (MA) support and coverage for psychiatrists as needed.

The coordinator works closely with the BH Director, psychiatrists, therapists, and clinic teams to resolve operational barriers and support patient care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Psychiatry and Therapy Scheduling

• Build, maintain, and review psychiatry and therapy schedules in the electronic health record using BH Director approved templates, provider availability, and scheduling protocols.
• Ensure correct visit types, appointment lengths, intake and follow-up slots, telehealth designations, and approved supervision and administrative blocks. Obtain BH Director approval before changing templates or adding exceptions.
• Review upcoming schedules daily to identify incorrect bookings, missing follow-ups, gaps, cancellations, and capacity concerns; coordinate corrections with scheduling staff and the BH Director.
• Coordinate provider leave, schedule changes, and patient rescheduling with the BH Director. Maintain an organized process for reminders, waitlists, no-show outreach, and filling available appointments under approved protocols.
• Ensure psychiatry and therapy follow-up appointments are scheduled according to the treating clinician’s plan. Track unresolved scheduling needs and escalate access delays or repeated missed visits to the BH Director.

Medical Assistant Support and Psychiatrist Coverage

• Serve as an MA and provide hands-on psychiatrist support coverage during assigned sessions and when the regular MA is absent or unavailable, as directed by the BH Director in coordination with clinic leadership.
• Prepare patients for psychiatry visits, including rooming, vital signs, height and weight as indicated, medication and allergy list updates, and completion of approved screening questionnaires for clinician review.
• Support in-person and telehealth visits by preparing rooms and records, confirming required forms, assisting with connections, arranging interpreters, and communicating patient readiness to the psychiatrist.
• Coordinate ordered laboratory work, referrals, and follow-up needs; track completion and route results or outstanding items to the responsible clinician for review.
• Process refill and prior authorization requests through approved workflows, obtain needed information, and route requests to the authorized clinician. Communicate clinician approved instructions and document actions in the health record.
• Perform MA duties within verified training, demonstrated competency, and required supervision. Refer clinical assessment, interpretation, treatment decisions, and medication changes to licensed clinicians; promptly escalate urgent concerns under established protocols.

Patient Coordination and Quality Support

• Orient patients and families to behavioral health services, scheduling expectations, and follow-up requirements. Use respectful, culturally responsive communication and help address language, transportation, and other access barriers.
• Track behavioral health referrals from receipt through appointment completion, communicate status to referring teams, and coordinate outside services or higher levels of care when directed by the treating clinician.
• Coordinate post-hospital and emergency department follow-up and transitions between psychiatry, therapy, and primary care according to clinician instructions and approved workflows.
• Participate in daily huddles and regular coordination with the BH Director. Report scheduling problems, staffing coverage needs, referral backlogs, patient concerns, and unresolved tasks promptly.
• Maintain accurate and timely EHR documentation and task tracking. Assist the BH Director with monitoring access, schedule utilization, no-show rates, referral completion, screening follow-up, and quality improvement activities.
• Support implementation of approved behavioral health policies, templates, and workflows; identify recurring problems and recommend improvements to the BH Director.

Nonessential Duties and Responsibilities

Performs other related duties as assigned by the Behavioral Health Director.

Competencies

• Strong organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities in a busy clinical setting.
• Clear telephone, written, and interpersonal communication with patients, providers, and staff.
• Ability to work independently, recognize limits of responsibility, and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Ability to work with diverse populations, protect sensitive information, and support a respectful, trauma-informed environment.

General Expectations

• Demonstrate commitment to OpSam Health’s mission and treat patients, families, and colleagues with respect, honesty, and dignity.
• Support teamwork and continuous improvement through the Patient Centered Medical Home model.
• Maintain punctual attendance, a professional appearance, and accurate, timely completion of assigned work.
• Protect patient, employee, and organizational confidentiality and follow applicable privacy requirements and OpSam Health policies.
• Comply with OpSam Health’s Standards of Conduct, Compliance Program, and policies and procedures. Compliance is considered in the Behavioral Health Coordinator’s performance evaluation.

Experience and Skills Required

• Medical Assistant qualification required: completion of a Medical Assistant training program and demonstrated competency in assigned clinical MA duties.[OH4]
• Minimum of three years of professional Medical Assistant experience required, including the ability to independently carry out assigned MA support workflows under appropriate clinical supervision.
• Experience using an electronic health record and managing provider schedules, appointment types, and templates required; eClinicalWorks experience preferred.
• Ability to provide psychiatrist MA coverage, coordinate patient follow-up, and communicate effectively with psychiatrists, therapists, and other clinical staff.
• Computer literacy, accurate documentation, effective problem solving, and strong written and oral communication required.
• Experience in behavioral health, psychiatry, care coordination, or an FQHC preferred. Medical Assistant certification and bilingual skills preferred.

Working Relationships

Reports directly to the Behavioral Health Director. Works closely with psychiatrists, therapists, MAs, clinic leadership, scheduling staff, referral teams, and primary care providers. Clinical MA tasks are performed under appropriate licensed clinical supervision.

FLSA status: Non-exempt

Salary Range

$22.00–$28.00 per hour