Submission for the position: Behavioral Health Foster Care Advocate - Field-Based in VA only - (Job Number: 2170119)
Behavioral Health Foster Care Advocate - Field-Based in VA only
Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.
The regionally based, locally hired Behavioral Health Foster Care Advocate will be the single point of contact for children, youth, caregivers, CPS, and related agencies to coordinating a child or youth in our Virginia program. The navigators are required to have experience working within the foster care system and have knowledge of services used by foster care children and youth, especially behavioral health services. The BHA will meet with CPS, and they will complete assessments, attend internal clinical rounds, make recommendations to the child and family team, and make certain essential medical and behavioral health services are provided to children and youth. The navigators will reach out to providers when needed and will update information on the EHR.
Behavioral Health Foster Care Advocate (Field-Based in Central or Northern Virginia) is responsible for coordinating and managing medical and behavioral health services delivered to youth who are in foster care.  The BHA has experience working within the foster care system and also have knowledge of services utilized by foster care youth, especially behavioral health services. The BHA serves as the primary point of contact for the youth, their family, the state child welfare contractor, foster parents or group home placements and network providers.
This is a remote position with travel up to 25-50% in local areas in the Commonwealth of VA.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (Local Time Zone)
If you are located in Virginia, you will have the flexibility to work remotely* as you take on some tough challenges
Primary Responsibilities:
• Providing care coordination and serving as single point of contact for children, family, state foster care contractor, and/or the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)
• Conducting assessments of child’s needs in collaboration with identified supports
• Developing a plan of care in collaboration with the youth, family, state foster care contractor and foster care placement to address member needs
• Reviewing and revising plan of care as needed based upon the needs of the member
• Providing outreach to network providers to ensure the delivery of appropriate services to meet member needs and the coordination of services among providers
• Working collaboratively with service providers, families, state child welfare contractor and child placing agencies to identify and access resources to meet the needs of members and support foster care placements
• Working with network providers to ensure timely access to services and coordinate service needs
• Providing outreach and coaching to members, families and foster care placement to encourage and promote treatment and service adherence
• Working with the member, family, state foster care contractor and foster care placement to identify and address gaps in services
• Responding promptly to emerging issues that impact services to the youth
• Provide education to members, families and foster care placements regarding relevant medical and behavioral topics
• Seeking consultation and support from other members of core and extended care team as needed such as RN, Medical Director, Provider and Community Liaisons
• Care planning and care management experience
You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.
Required Qualifications:
• Licensed Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or Marriage or Family Counseling, or Licensed Ph.D.
• Current, unrestricted, independent VA License (LCSW, LMFT, LPC, LP, etc.)
• 1 years of experience in behavioral health
• Experience working with children, youth and young adults in foster care or juvenile justice
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in trauma informed care and working with a system of care
• Proficient with Microsoft Office based applications and the ability to learn in a web-based virtual environment
• Willing or ability to travel up to 50% of the time in the Central or Northern Virginia area
• Access to high-speed internet from home (Broadband Cable, DSL, Fiber) and a dedicated workspace from home
• Full COVID-19 vaccination is an essential job function of this role. Candidates located in states that mandate COVID-19 booster doses must also comply with those state requirements. UnitedHealth Group will adhere to all federal, state and local regulations as well as all client requirements and will obtain necessary proof of vaccination, and boosters when applicable, prior to employment to ensure compliance. Candidates must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience working with youth who have serious behavioral health needs
• Experience working in a wraparound program
To protect the health and safety of our workforce, patients and communities we serve, UnitedHealth Group and its affiliate companies require all employees to disclose COVID-19 vaccination status prior to beginning employment. In addition, some roles and locations require full COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, as an essential job function. UnitedHealth Group adheres to all federal, state and local COVID-19 vaccination regulations as well as all client COVID-19 vaccination requirements and will obtain the necessary information from candidates prior to employment to ensure compliance. Candidates must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Failure to meet the vaccination requirement may result in rescission of an employment offer or termination of employment
Careers with Optum. Our objective is to make health care simpler and more effective for everyone. With our hands at work across all aspects of health, you can play a role in creating a healthier world, one insight, one connection and one person at a time. We bring together some of the greatest minds and ideas to take health care to its fullest potential, promoting health equity and accessibility. Work with diverse, engaged and high-performing teams to help solve important challenges.
*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy
At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.
Care Advocacy
US-VA-Roanoke
Behavioral Health CDM Ops
May 18, 2023, 8:21:40 PM
Schedule: Full-time Location(s): US-VA-Roanoke