POSITION SUMMARY

The Discharge Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and facilitating all aspects of the discharge planning process for patients admitted to Polara’s inpatient facility.

The Discharge Coordinator is a critical member of the multidisciplinary team and plays a vital role in ensuring safe, timely, and effective transitions of adult psychiatric patients from inpatient care to appropriate aftercare settings.  This position involves comprehensive care coordination, planning, and collaboration to reduce readmission risk and support long-term recovery.

The Discharge Coordinator role ensures that patients transition safely and effectively from inpatient care to the appropriate level of community-based care, support services, or home settings. This role works closely with other members of the Social Work team and the patient’s care team to coordinate individualized discharge plans to meet patient’s needs.  The Coordinator collaborates with the multidisciplinary team, patients, families, internal programs and external agencies to develop comprehensive discharge plans that support continuity of care, stability, and recovery.            

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

•      Initiate discharge planning upon admission for adult patients with acute psychiatric conditions.

•      Assess psychosocial, medical, housing, and support service needs to create individualized discharge plans.

•      Collaborate with psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare team members to assess discharge needs upon admission and throughout the patient's stay

•      Coordinate referrals to outpatient behavioral health providers, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), substance use treatment, housing services, vocational rehab, and other community resources.

•      Schedule follow-up appointments with psychiatrists, primary care physicians, therapists, and case managers.

•      Communicate with external agencies (e.g., community mental health centers, shelters, group homes, halfway houses) to ensure smooth transitions.

•      Collaborate with insurance companies or utilization review staff to obtain authorizations for post-discharge services.

•      Conduct family and support system meetings to prepare for discharge and educate support persons when appropriate.

•      Document all discharge planning activities in the electronic health record (EHR) in compliance with facility and regulatory standards.

•      Participate in daily treatment team meetings to communicate discharge progress and coordinate care plans.

•      Develop individualized discharge plans that consider the patient’s mental health status, housing, medication needs, outpatient services, and social support systems.

•      Facilitate family meetings or care planning conferences to support discharge goals.

•      Ensure patients and families understand discharge instructions and aftercare plans, including follow up appointments, warning signs of relapse, and crisis resources.

•      Maintain current knowledge of community resources, psychiatric treatment programs, and housing options.

•      Support efforts to reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes through effective transition planning.

QUALIFICATIONS

·        21 years of age or older; or minimum 18 years old and licensed or certified under A.R.S. Title 32 and providing services within the personnel member’s scope of practice; or minimum 18 years old for select administrative positions

·        Must be able to provide or obtain an AZDPS Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card

·        Must possess and maintain a valid Driver License, current automobile insurance, and a driving record that meets the guidelines and requirements of the organization

·        Bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health field or minimum 2 years of experience working with adults in a behavioral health setting, or a combination of education and experience

·        Prior experience in discharge planning, case management, or care coordination preferred

·        Understanding of adult psychiatric disorders, co-occurring conditions, and mental health recovery models

·        Knowledge of local and regional community mental health resources, including housing, employment, and outpatient services

·        Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·        Organizational and time management skills; ability to prioritize multiple tasks

·        Compassionate and professional demeanor; ability to work with diverse adult populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness, substance use, or severe mental illness

CORE COMPETENCIES  

·        People​ – Passionately believes in people and embraces diversity

·        Integrity ​–​ ​Does the right thing even when no one is looking

·        Learning ​–​ ​Challenges old paradigms with critical thinking, curiosity, and creativity

·        Accountability​ – Sets an intentional culture of personal responsibility; believes everyone carries the load

·        Relationships ​– Serves colleagues and consumers with love, empathy and compassion

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING CONDITIONS

The nature of work may generate considerable physical (transporting, moving, assisting clients, etc.), mental and visual demands. The physical and working demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

·        Office environment, travel within the community, as needed

·        Heavy exposure/use of computers, cell phones, office phones, etc.

·        May be required to wear protective clothing (PPE)

·        Annual TB screening per program policy and procedure

·        Ability to be physically mobile (stand, walk, reach, climb, bend) and the ability to sit for prolonged periods throughout work hours

·        Must be able to occasionally lift and/or move 50 or more pounds

·        Must be able to respond appropriately and effectively in crisis situations by using good judgment and following Polara Health protocols

·        Must be able to successfully complete all physical skills components of CPI, including floor-based interventions

This position is considered Safety-Sensitive by Polara Health.

Polara Health subscribes to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity. Polara Health’s policy is to provide employment, compensation, and other benefits related to employment based on qualifications, without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Polara Health intends to comply fully with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and the information requested on this application will be used only for purposes consistent with those laws.

In accordance with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Polara Health’s policy is to provide reasonable accommodation for applicants requesting accommodation(s) during the application process, so the applicant may be given a full and fair opportunity to be considered for employment. If any candidate needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify Polara Health in any of the following ways: by calling 928-445-5211, ext. 4047, U.S. Mail, or hand deliver to Polara Health 3343 N. Windsong Drive, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314 Attention: Human Resources Job Applicant Request.

Employment is contingent on background checks as required by Polara Health’s policies, which may include Fingerprint Clearance, Drug Test, Criminal History, Driving History Record, Sex Offender Registry Search, Department of Child Services, State Central Registry Check, Employment Verification, Education Verification, and Professional References.

We Offer the Following Benefits to Full Time Employees:

Medical * Dental * Vision * Short and Long Term Disability * Life Insurance * Health Savings Account * Flexible Spending Account * Employee Assistance Program * 401(k) * Up to 3 Weeks of Paid Time Off * 10 Paid Holidays per Year * Shift Pay (for select inpatient and residential positions) * Educational Reimbursement *