Intake Specialist Behavioral Health
Department: Behavioral Health
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Barrington - OCR
Reporting To: Director Outpatient / Emergency Services
Description
Join a team that connects people to the care they need, when they need it most.
We''re looking for an experienced Intake Specialist to serve as a vital first point of contact for individuals seeking behavioral health services. In this role, you''ll conduct clinical screenings, coordinate access to care across the lifespan, and help ensure that every person who reaches out is met with professionalism, compassion, and a clear path forward.
This position sits at the intersection of clinical judgment and operational excellence. You''ll triage complex calls, guide colleagues through urgent situations, and work to keep our access systems running smoothly-all while upholding the standards that make high-quality behavioral health care possible.
Key Responsibilities
Lead daily access operations - Manage scheduling, referral processing, and waitlist coordination to ensure timely service delivery. Monitor workflows, implement updates, and adjust processes to improve efficiency and the client experience.
Conduct clinical screenings - Assess callers'' presenting needs and risk levels to determine the appropriate level of care, whether that''s a diagnostic intake, crisis services, outpatient therapy, or a specialty program.
Support your team in real time - Serve as a resource for other Intake Specialists during escalated, complex, or emotionally charged calls. Provide guidance and decision support when it matters most.
Ensure compliance and quality - Verify insurance eligibility, maintain accurate documentation, and apply payer, licensing, and accreditation standards (including BHDDH, DCYF, and Joint Commission requirements).
Collaborate across the organization - Act as the primary contact for internal and external stakeholders on access-related questions. Participate in quality improvement efforts and recommend process enhancements.
Qualifications
Required:
Core strengths we''re looking for:
Preferred:
Work Environment:
This is an on-site role involving extended computer-based work and telephone communication. You''ll interact regularly with clients and staff across the facility. The position requires the ability to sit, stand, bend, and move within the building, and to lift up to 25 pounds.
Why This Role Matters:
Access is where care begins. When someone reaches out for behavioral health services, the person who answers that call shapes their experience-and often, their willingness to follow through. As an Intake Specialist, you''ll play a direct role in reducing barriers, speeding access to treatment, and supporting a system designed to meet people where they are.
If you''re ready to bring your clinical instincts, operational skills, and genuine care for others to a role where they''ll make a real difference, we''d like to hear from you.
Benefits
For Full-Time Employees Working 40 hours per week, EBCAP offers: