Client Access Specialist I

Central City Concern is an innovative nonprofit agency providing comprehensive services to single adults and families in the Portland metro area who are impacted by homelessness, poverty and addictions. We hire people that are skilled and passionate to meet our mission to end homelessness through outcome-based strategies which support personal and community transformation.

This position will work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team to deliver comprehensive, person-centered, integrated services. The Client Access Specialist is considered a critical link between the patient and the care delivered by the clinical and service staff of our integrated services clinic. The Client Access Specialist must exemplify the core values and mission of the organization, always exercising the utmost discretion, diplomacy and tact in patient, visitor and staff interactions. The responsible for welcoming and greeting all patients and visitors into the clinic and providing complete and meaningful information. They will be responsible for complex scheduling and checking patients/clients in for a wide range of providers and services. They are responsible for obtaining and updating detailed patient demographic information, verifying insurance coverage, updating fee agreements and collecting payments. This position has access to mental health billing and service records.

Our Client Access team supports the following locations Blackburn, Evergreen Crossing, Imani, Old Town Clinic, Old Town Recovery Center, and River Haven. This role can float between locations to help maintain staffing levels.

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:30pm (Saturday & Sunday Off)

Location: Blackburn Center (12121 E Burnside St. Portland, OR 97216)

Compensation: $25.08 - $33.27/hr

• Final comp will be determined based on relevant experience, education, credentials/licensure, and internal equity. External candidates: Offer max is $29.11/hr per our Union contract.
  
  
  

AFSCME Union

This role is a Union Represented position through; American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). You can find more information about your

representation here www.afscme.org

This position could be subject to Recall Rights: This applies to employees who were previously laid off from a CCC union-represented position. The previous employee may have recall rights to be considered for rehire before internal or external candidates are considered.

Seniority Bid Window Opens: 6/22/2026

Seniority Bid Window Closes: 6/30/2026

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalent and 1 year of experience in a medical office setting or administrative support role; OR 2 years of experience in a high-volume public contact position that utilized customer service.
• Experience in a clinical setting is preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast paced environment.
• Ability to work calmly with patients/clients that are often in distress or agitated.
• Must have current CPR certification prior to start.
• Must generally have the ability to walk, bend, stoop, kneel, squat, twist, reach, pull and lift heavy objects, and climb stairs with reasonable or no accommodation.
• Ability to adhere to Central City Concern’s drug-free workplace which encourages a safe, healthy and productive work environment and strictly complies with the Drug-Free Work Place Ace of 1988. An employee shall not, in the workplace, unlawfully manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess or use a controlled substance or alcohol.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screen, TB test, and background check. This includes clearance by the DHS Background Check Unit.
• Must adhere to agency’s non-discrimination policies.
• Ability to effectively interact with co-workers and clients with diverse ethnic backgrounds, religious views, political affiliations, cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, and sexual orientations, treating each individual with respect and dignity.
  
  
  

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive, client centered, and trauma informed integrated services.
• Identify new opportunities to improve collaboration between and within service and care teams while carefully following information-sharing guidelines.
• Proactively identify opportunities for improvement within workflows and logistics. Participate in review of Key Performance Indicators; review and contribute to continuous improvement opportunities and plans.
• Build understanding of and appreciation for diversity among clients and support their connection to culturally responsive and culturally specific services as requested.
• Greet all patients/clients and visitors in person and over the phone in a welcoming and inclusive manner.
• Enter initial demographics for new clients seeking services at and schedule an appointment with Registration Specialist.
• Review patient alerts (at scheduling and check-in) and takes needed action to resolve.
• Schedule appointments for established patients/clients for multiple providers and services.
• Arrange interpretation services for appointments.
• Check patients/clients in for scheduled appointments and groups or walk-ins.
• Work with patients in a trauma informed way to gather patient profile updates.
• Thoroughly reviews patient profile and other paperwork to ensure the completeness and quality of data.
• Scan and/or distribute paperwork timely and appropriately as per protocol.
• Update registration data in Centricity as per policy and training.
• Verify insurance coverage and copies new insurance cards, directing patients to work with OHP assistors when needed.
• Collect and record payments and co-pays.
• Make confirmation calls for scheduled appointments.
• Clear the schedule of no showed appointments each day.
• Make outreach calls for appointments no showed and documents in patient/client chart as per protocol.
• Make calls to arrange medical transportation for patients/clients.
• Distribute bus tickets to patients and records transaction.
• Facilitate patient flow and manages the waiting areas to provide comfort & safety in a welcoming and inclusion environment.
• Participate in crisis response protocols.
• Manage patient/client mail.
• Issue and collects patient/client surveys.
• Keep public literature/brochures/handouts/suggestion boxes supplied.
• Keep office supplies, appointment cards and forms adequately stocked by anticipating needs and informing purchasing agent.
• Provide backup for contact center representative.
• Provide information inquiries and outside resource materials in a polite and courteous manner.
• Participate in compliance, quality assurance and quality improvement activities as directed.
• Adhere to all state and federal privacy regulations, including HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, and to CCC policies and agreements regarding confidentiality, privacy, and security. Support compliance with all privacy and security requirements pursuant to community partners’ and outside providers’ patient confidentiality agreements, including privacy and security requirements for EMR access. This includes immediately reporting any breach of protected health information or personal identification information of any person receiving CCC services by CCC or an outside provider to the CCC Compliance Department, as well as to your supervisor or their designee.
• Attend all mandatory CCC trainings in a timely manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  
  

Skills And Abilities

• Ability to consider the impacts and outcomes for underserved communities during decision-making processes.
• Ability to consider impacts of systems of oppression, structural racism, and individual bias on client outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written.
• Excellent customer service skills a must.
• Familiarity with electronic medical records and medical scheduling systems.
• Ability to follow complex scheduling guidelines.
• Ability to navigate electronic systems applicable to job functions.
• Experience with general office machines
• Extremely detailed oriented.
• Organized with an ability to multi-task .
• Ability to problem solve independently and with a team.
• De-escalation skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products.
• Excellent data entry skills.
• Knowledge of insurances and verifications.
• Must have a high tolerance for ambiguity and change.
• Working knowledge of Centricity preferred.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology preferred.
• Bi-Lingual preferred.
• Experience in both medical and behavioral clinic setting preferred.
  
  
  

BENEFITS: Central City Concern offers an incredible benefits package to our Regular/FT employees

• Generous paid time off plan which provides up to 4 weeks of PTO accrual in the first year. Accrual increases with longevity.
• Amazing 403(b) Retirement Savings plan with competitive employer match with 4.25% in the first year, 6% in the second year, and 8% in the 3rd year.
• Up to 11 recognized Holidays 2 Personal Holidays (dependent on work schedule)
• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental insurance coverage.
• Employer Paid Life, Short Term Disability, AND Long Term Disability Insurance!
• Sabbatical Program offering extended time off at years 7, 14, and 21.
  
  
  

This description is intended to provide a snapshot of the work performed and is not designed to contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of the position.

As an agency deeply rooted in recovery, part of our policy and commitment to a drug and alcohol-free workplace includes post-offer, pre-employment drug screens. Please note we follow Federal Guidelines regarding prohibited substances, even for those legal at the state level.

Central City Concern is a second chance employer and complies with applicable laws regarding consideration of criminal background for employment purposes. Government regulations, contractual requirements, or the duties of this job may require CCC to conduct a background check and take appropriate action to address prior criminal convictions.