Front Desk Specialist & Behavioral Health Milieu Coordinator

The Front Desk Specialist & Behavioral Health Milieu Coordinator plays a dual role in supporting both Behavioral Health (BH) and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program operations. This position provides trauma-informed, patient-centered customer service at the front desk, coordinates clinic flow, supports crisis response, and maintains a safe, therapeutic milieu for clients accessing behavioral health services. The role serves as a central communication hub among clinical staff, ACT team members, and clients, ensuring smooth access to care, efficient scheduling, and real-time support for individuals with complex behavioral health needs. This is a union-represented position.

This position interacts daily with individuals experiencing mental health crises, substance use disorders, houselessness, and high social complexity, requiring strong de-escalation skills, a calm presence, empathy, and firm boundary-setting.

Essential Duties

Milieu coordination and Client Support

• Maintain a safe, welcoming, and therapeutic environment in the Behavioral Health waiting and common areas.

• Provide supportive engagement, rapport-building, and basic needs assistance (e.g., water, orientation to space).

• Monitor client behavior for safety concerns; promptly notify clinical staff of escalations or risk indicators.

• Use trauma-informed de-escalation techniques and follow crisis response protocols in collaboration with licensed providers and ACT clinicians.

• Assist clients in navigating services, including Behavioral Health, Medical, SUD services, ACT, and social services.

• Support ACT clients with drop-in needs such as appointment reminders, care coordination, and communication with ACT team members.

• Assist with transitions between services, escort clients when necessary, and support mobility or accessibility needs.

Front Desk and Administrative Support

• Serve as the first point of contact for BH and ACT patients via phone, walk-ins, and scheduled appointments.

• Check in clients using the electronic health record scheduling system; confirm demographics, insurance, consents, and required documentation.

• Answer the phone.

• Coordinate with staff to ensure accurate scheduling of appointments.

Other Duties

• Support organizational initiatives, emergency-response efforts, and quality-improvement projects.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge

• Knowledge of community-health-center and FQHC operations, including HRSA, OHA, PCMH, PCPCH, and CARF standards.

• Understanding of integrated medical, behavioral-health, and social-service systems.

• Knowledge of billing, coding, and compliance workflows in primary-care and behavioral-health settings.

• Familiarity with electronic health-record systems (Epic, Athena, or similar).

• Knowledge of infection-control, quality-improvement, and safety practices.

• Understanding of healthcare administration, budgeting, and process improvement.

• Proficient use of Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.

• Proficient in Health Information Technology systems, including running and analyzing reports.

• Familiarity with Epic and Tableau is preferred.

Skills

• Ability to establish rapport and gain the confidence of team members, patients, peers, administrators, and staff.

• Ability to support the team concept, including through program design and development.

• Openness to change and willingness to lead change within the organization.

• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time-management abilities.

• Effective communicator with strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills.

• Proficiency in analyzing operational data and implementing process improvements.

• Skilled in problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration across disciplines.

• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and trauma-informed care.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in healthcare administration, public health, business administration, or a related field preferred.

• Experience working in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or integrated community-health setting.

• Familiarity with OCHIN Epic, Athena, or comparable EHR systems.

• Lean Six Sigma or PDSA process-improvement experience.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Working Conditions

This job is based in a standard office environment. There is some exposure to outdoor weather while walking to surrounding sites.

Physical Requirements

This job requires standing, sitting, and walking short distances between sites on a regular basis. Some stooping and lifting up to 10 pounds may be required on occasion. Regular use of hands and fingers to type. Talking and hearing are required on a regular basis.

Salary : $25 - $28