Hospital Discharge Intake Specialist

Career opportunities abound at SOUND
SOUND Behavioral Health is growing, and we are hiring a Hospital Discharge Intake Specialist! 

The Hospital Discharge Intake Specialist supports Sound’s community in two critical ways: serving as the primary entry point for new clients discharging from inpatient hospital settings and ensuring both clinical and financial access to behavioral health services. The Hospital Discharge Intake Specialist plays an essential role in maintaining continuity of care by facilitating timely, clinically appropriate transitions from hospital-based care to community treatment.

The Hospital Discharge Intake Specialist must demonstrate strong knowledge and assessment skills related to both mental health and substance use disorders, ensuring integrated, whole-person evaluation and the most appropriate treatment recommendations across the continuum of care.
This position is well suited for licensed behavioral health clinicians who are interested in hospital-adjacent work that emphasizes advanced clinical assessment, risk evaluation, level-of-care determination, and interdisciplinary collaboration rather than long-term outpatient caseload management.

Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Location: Based out of a Sound clinic in King County, WA, with flexibility to select a location that is convenient for you. Regular travel to hospitals and Sound clinics throughout King County is required. 

Accepting Applications until June 15. 

As part of a multidisciplinary team, the Hospital Discharge Intake Specialist conducts comprehensive intake assessments, screens referrals, verifies insurance benefits, and coordinates clinical authorizations as required. Services are delivered via telephone, fax, email, and in person, including meeting directly with prospective clients in hospital settings to support discharge planning. For select contracts, the role also provides consultation and guidance to hospital partners and care teams to support safe and effective transitions of care.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

• Respond to new client referrals via telephone, fax, email, and in-person hospital consultations, including completion of lethality and safety risk assessments and seeking clinical supervision as needed.
• Conduct integrated mental health and substance use disorder screenings and assessments to inform clinical decision-making and treatment recommendations.
• Engage and build rapport with prospective clients, including meeting with individuals in hospital settings to support informed decision-making and continuity of care.
• Conduct comprehensive clinical intake assessments, including psychosocial history, behavioral health and substance use needs, co-occurring conditions, risk and safety evaluations, and determination of eligibility, medical necessity, and appropriate level of care.
• Utilize clinical judgment to make appropriate, individualized treatment recommendations, including referrals to mental health, substance use, and co-occurring treatment services as clinically indicated.
• Coordinate care and discharge planning with hospital social workers, discharge planners, and inpatient care teams to support clinically appropriate placement and continuity of services.
• Provide direct services and coordinate appropriate internal and external referrals based on assessed client needs.
• Prepare timely and accurate intake assessments, summaries, reports, and progress notes, ensuring documentation is properly incorporated into the clinical record.
• Perform clinical care authorization functions for selected contracts, including consultation with clients regarding insurance benefits and organizational funding requirements.
• Assess service needs using applicable medical necessity and level-of-care criteria to determine the most clinically appropriate program placement.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, individual supervision, and assigned committees as required.
• Complete required annual continuing education and maintain professional competency.
• Uphold ethical, professional, and respectful relationships with clients, colleagues, and community partners.
• Apply recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive principles consistent with Sound’s mission and values.
• Comply with all applicable federal, state, and county regulations, as well as Sound policies, procedures, and safety requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

KEY WORK RELATIONSHIPS
Develops and maintains collaborative working relationships across departments, engaging with clients, team members, management and leadership in a manner that values diverse perspectives and lived experiences. Contributes to a respectful and inclusive work environment by practicing cultural humility, promoting equity in services and decision-making, and supporting efforts that foster a sense of belonging for all.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or a counseling-related field (MSW, MS, or MA) required.
• Minimum of two (2) years of post-graduate experience in clinical, intake, crisis, hospital-based, or co-occurring behavioral health settings preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS

• Possesses excellent judgment, effective communication and strong collaboration skills.
• Understands the principles of individual therapy, group therapy and/or case management approach to providing services.
• Possesses strong working knowledge of the physical and/or behavioral health and support resources of King County, and is familiar with state and local health delivery systems, including knowledge of various funding principles and clinical services mandates.
• Understands recovery concepts in behavioral health; synthesizes and applies, as appropriate to their work at Sound.
• Ability to learn new tasks and skills quickly, and to manage and prioritize multiple tasks, while simultaneously managing crises.
• Able to demonstrate the capacity to appreciate and work well with the complex and diverse population.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES & REGISTRATIONS

• Must have an active MHP-qualifying credential with DOH (i.e. LICSW, LMHC, LMFT, or an associate-level version of these credentials).
• Washington State driver’s license with an insurable driving record required.
• Must successfully pass a criminal background check in accordance with state and organizational requirements.

SENSORY/PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The requirement described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made through the interactive ADA accommodation process to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sensory:

• Communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and community partners in person by telephone, and through virtual platforms.
• Hear and understand conversations in person and over the phone in office and community settings.
• Read and interpret written materials, clinical documentation, policies, and electronic health records.
• Observe and assess client behavior, emotional state, and environmental safety cues during clinical interactions.
• Use visual acuity to review documentation, reports, and electronic systems.

Physical:

• Sit for extended periods while completing documentation, virtual meetings, and computer-based work.
• Frequently use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, phone, and other office equipment.
• Occasionally stand, walk, bend, or reach while interacting with clients or retrieving
  files or materials.
• Travel within the community as required to meet with clients, attend meetings, or conduct outreach.
• Lift or move items such as files, laptops, or office materials (typically up to 10–20 pounds).
• Maintain the ability to engage clients in both office and community-based environments.

Mental:

• Maintain concentration and attention to detail while documenting clinical services and reviewing records.
• Analyze complex client situations and apply clinical judgment in accordance with professional standards and organizational policies.
• Manage multiple tasks, deadlines,  and priorities in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Demonstrate emotional regulation and professionalism when working with individuals experiencing behavioral health crises or distress.
• Exercise sound decision-making and problem-solving skills in both routine and urgent situations.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements including HIPAA.
• Adapt to changing client needs, program requirements, and organizational priorities.

PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI) ACCESS

All information (written, verbal, electronic, etc.) that a team member encounters while working at Sound is considered confidential. Sound team members may encounter protected health information in the regular course of their work. This position may be exposed to and required to deal with highly confidential and sensitive material and must adhere to Sound policies, guidelines,  and all applicable laws and regulations at all times.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER
The above Job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work performed; it is not intended as an exhaustive list of all duties,  responsibilities and required skills for the Job. Team members will be required to follow any other Job-related instructions and to perform other duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with  Federal and State laws.  Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities necessary to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.