IOP Clinical Intake Specialist

Location: Portland, OR
Supervisor: Director of Intensive Outpatient Programs
Classification: Exempt, Full-Time (40 hours/week)
Salary: Pre-Licensed: $68,500 annually | Licensed: $80,000 annually

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Primary Function

The IOP Clinical Intake Specialist is a master’s-level clinician responsible for completing diagnostic assessments, safety and risk evaluations, and level-of-care determinations for individuals seeking IOP services. This role serves as the first clinical point of contact for many patients and is essential to ensuring appropriate placement, continuity of care, and a smooth transition into programming.

This is a clinical role — not an administrative or business development position — however, the Intake Specialist collaborates closely with PMHW’s Business Developer to support referral relationships by operationalizing access, intake follow-up, and clinically grounded communication related to admissions and program fit.

The role requires strong assessment skills, trauma-informed engagement, and close collaboration with therapists, prescribers, intake staff, program leadership, and business development.

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Essential Functions

Clinical Assessment & Intake

• Conduct comprehensive diagnostic assessments using DSM-5 criteria

• Complete risk assessments, safety planning, and crisis triage as needed

• Determine appropriateness for IOP using ASAM, LOCUS, or equivalent frameworks

• Develop initial treatment recommendations and coordinate clinical handoff

• Document all encounters per PMHW, payer, and compliance standards

Care Coordination & Program Support

• Identify safety concerns including SI, HI, SUD, and acute symptom escalation

• Engage in collaborative safety planning and escalation protocols

• Recommend alternate levels of care when IOP is not clinically appropriate

• Support continuity of care with internal teams and external providers

Referral & Business Development Support (Adjunct)

• Follow up on referrals from established referral relationships

• Provide timely, clinically accurate communication regarding:

  • IOP admission criteria

  • Intake process and timelines

  • Program structure and expectations

  • Inclusion/exclusion criteria and clinical fit

• Support intake-related administrative coordination

• Participate in outreach or networking events as a clinical resource

• Ensure consistent, clinically grounded messaging between business development and intake operations

Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain timely, accurate, high-quality documentation

• Support medical necessity documentation and authorizations

• Follow PMHW policies, HIPAA requirements, and ethical standards

Team Engagement & Professional Development

• Participate in weekly clinical meetings and case consultation

• Engage in supervision (for pre-licensed staff)

• Contribute to a healthy, supportive, and values-driven team culture

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Trauma-Informed & Culturally Responsive Practice

This role requires exceptional relational skill, trauma-informed presence, and cultural responsiveness. The Intake Specialist must engage individuals from diverse backgrounds with compassion, professionalism, and emotional regulation, particularly during moments of vulnerability or crisis.

Key expectations include:

• Demonstrating trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally humble practice

• Communicating with warmth, clarity, and transparency

• Navigating sensitive conversations with empathy and respect

• Adapting communication for diverse cultural, linguistic, and access needs

• Maintaining professionalism in referral-facing environments

• Engaging in ongoing self-reflection and professional growth

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Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, MFT, or related field

• Meets QMHP or QMHP-Associate qualifications (Oregon)

• Strong diagnostic skills and DSM-5 proficiency

• Experience with risk assessment and crisis evaluation

• Demonstrated trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice

• Ability to work with moderate to high-acuity populations

Preferred:

• Active Oregon licensure or pre-licensure (LPC, LMFT, LCSW)

• Training in trauma, crisis intervention, DEAI, or anti-oppressive practice

• Experience in IOP, PHP, crisis services, ED behavioral health, or high-acuity settings

• Familiarity with ASAM/LOCUS

• Bilingual or multicultural clinical experience

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Portland Mental Health & Wellness offers a competitive benefits package for full time employees that includes:

PMHW offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package including:

• Paid Vacation (80 hours/year)

• Paid Health Leave (40 hours/year)

• Paid Floating Holidays (80 hours/year)

• Medical & Vision Insurance (Kaiser Permanente – 3 plan options)

• Dental Insurance

• Employer-Paid Life & AD&D Insurance

• Optional Life, Disability, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance

• FSA (Healthcare & Dependent Care)

• Commuter Benefits (TriMet Pass or Parking Reimbursement)

• 401(k) with up to 4% company match

• $1,000 Annual CE Allowance

• Free CE Platforms & Weekly Clinical Consultation Groups

• Supervision & Training Opportunities for eligible clinicians

• Additional wellness & lifestyle benefits

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This description is intended to provide only the basic guidelines for meeting job requirements. Responsibilities, knowledge, skills, abilities, and working conditions may change as the practice’s needs evolve. Regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of every job.

The requirements described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. By signing below, you acknowledge that you are able to perform the Essential Functions of this job, with or without accommodation. If an accommodation is needed, you acknowledge that you have an opportunity to discuss this with Human Resources.