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 inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

As a Behavioral Health Advocate (BHA) you will be responsible for case management of behavioral health and substance abuse cases. You'll have a direct impact on the lives of our members as you recommend and manage the appropriate level of care throughout the entire treatment plan. The goal of the Behavioral Health Care Advocate role is to help individuals live their lives to the fullest by promoting recovery and resiliency via coordination and collaboration with multiple internal and external partners including consumers and their families/caregivers, medical, behavioral health and clinical network teams. Behavioral Health Care Advocates work with complex and high-risk needs with a goal of engaging the consumer in the treatment process, decreasing their reliance on higher levels of care, helping them to access appropriate community services, and assisting them in improving community tenure.

The schedule for this position is Monday through Friday during standard business hours in the local time zone.

You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities

Utilize advanced clinical skills and assessments to engage and motivate Consumers via a recovery, health and wellness-oriented approach
Identify high-risk, co-morbid needs of consumers
Assist consumers and their families/caregivers with connections to appropriate psychiatric, medical, and psychosocial referrals and services
Identify and remove barriers to procurement, delivery, participation in and success of services
Provide supportive follow-up and monitoring including psychoeducation, explanation of benefits, and navigating the behavioral health care system
Partner with designated external providers, programs, entities to address the needs, gaps in care, and recovery goals of complex and high-risk consumers
Identify and address the needs of members who are consistently high utilizers of services through case conferences and informal communications
Participate in regular meetings with supervisor to review performance, identify areas of opportunity, and oversee course for improvements
Establish and foster positive relationships with medical team, participate in medical-behavioral integration activities and discussions
Accept referrals via designated processes, collaborate in evaluating available services, and coordinate necessary psychiatric and community referrals, as needed
Contribute to treatment plan discussions; routinely attend clinical rounds and other meetings with medical partner or external entities, when applicable
Meet all contractual requirements; collaborate early and frequently with other teams in the management of cases stratified as having intensive, complex, and high-risk needs
Comply with all policies, procedures and documentation standards in appropriate systems, tracking mechanisms and databases
Establish a cooperative relationship with Optum Behavioral Network Services and the Provider community in order to improve access to services and ensure that consumers are served within proper standards of care
Collaborate with providers to determine acuity of mental health concerns, barriers and progress; coordinate appropriate services
Collaborate with colleagues for coverage when out of office and when needed
Regular interaction with account management to meet members’ needs, requests, and overall member satisfaction
Perform other duties as assigned

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 and Family Counseling; Licensed Ph.D.; or RN with 2+ years of experience in behavioral health
Active, unrestricted license to practice independently (without supervision) in your state of residence
2+ years of experience in a related mental health environment
Intermediate level of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
Access to high-speed internet at home via cable broadband, DSL or fiber
Access to a dedicated, distraction-free workspace at home

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in an inpatient setting
Experience working in a community mental health setting
Experience working in a managed care environment
Experience working in an environment that required coordination of benefits and utilization of multiple groups and resources for patients
Experience working with the commercial insurance population including children, adolescents, adults, and seniors
Case management experience
Dual diagnosis experience with mental health and substance abuse

Soft Skills

Proven ability to work independently and maintain good judgment and accountability
Demonstrated ability to work well with others
Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
Proven ability to multi-task and prioritize tasks to meet all deadlines
Proven ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment
Excellent demonstrated verbal and written communication skills; ability to speak clearly and concisely, conveying information in a manner that others can understand, as well as ability to understand and interpret information from others
All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $58,800 to $105,000 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

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.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

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Behavioral Health Advocate, Case Management - Remote