Job Description

What does PHCA do?

At Phoenix House California, we are dedicated to helping young people, women and men overcome substance and alcohol use disorder to live extraordinary lives in recovery. Since 1979, we have been a leader in the field of substance use disorder treatment, providing addiction, behavioral health and family services to anyone who needs our help, often offering the only chance of recovery to the underserved and uninsured in our community. Annually, over 44,000 individuals — including family members, parents, teachers and students in California — receive our life-saving services: residential and outpatient treatment, continuing care, recovery support, school-based prevention and mental health services, and in-custody substance use disorder treatment and mental health services for male adolescents and adults.

What’s it like to work at PHCA?

At Phoenix House California, we take a holistic approach to drug addiction and mental health disorders that focuses on the power of being both proactive and reactive: prevention, early intervention, and recovery services. Understanding the health and safety risks of alcohol and drug misuse is the first step to reducing the risk of addiction. It starts with knowing the facts. We reach almost 32,000 students, parents, and teachers annually, through our school-based prevention and early intervention programs.

PHCA Benefits

• 15 Paid Holidays for eligible employees
• Pet, Life, Travel, Legal Coverage
• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement and Continued Education Assistance

Position Details

Reporting to the Admissions Supervisor, the Admissions Specialist is responsible for the management of the administrative functions for the Admissions Department and provide support with conducting assessments/intakes.

A Day as an Admission Specialist might look like the following:

• Performs clinical assessments for admissions to Phoenix House programs; performs assessments and evaluations in keeping with Phoenix House policies and procedures. This includes but is not limited to interviewing prospective patients and relatives to obtain necessary and pertinent personal and financial data to determine eligibility and appropriateness of treatment and admission.
• Completes progress notes, and documents provisional diagnosis and medical necessity for treatment in client’s Electronic Health Record and County systems, as applicable.
• Performs crisis intervention sessions for families who are seeking treatment.
• Completes the admissions process (which may include transportation) for assigned intakes with approval by their authorized representatives.
• Creates the patient’s Electronic Health Record, as part of the admission process and responsible for data management related to assigned county, in-network insurance provider, and/or private pay patient individual charts.
• Maintains and provides a list of referrals for patients who do not meet the admissions criteria.
• Participates in both daily admission meetings and bi-weekly individual supervision meetings with Program Director.

To be successful as an Admission Specialist, you will want to have:

• The Registered Admissions Specialist shall possess a
  • High school diploma or its equivalent; and be registered as an Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Counselor recognized by The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), or
• The Certified Admissions Specialist shall possess a
  • Minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalent; and be Certified as an Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Counselor recognized by The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
• Minimum of one-year prior experience in a related field.
• Experience in Substance Abuse or Mental Health preferred
• Experience with SAPC, DMH, Community Care Licensing, and other governing bodies preferred.