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Intake Clinician (Master's Degree) - Nights - Behavioral Health Setting - Job Opportunity at Shaker - Illinois - UHS - Highlands Behavioral Health System

Highlands Ranch, US
Full-time
Mid-level
Posted: May 27, 2025
On-site
USD 30.00 - 39.58 per hour

Benefits

Comprehensive loan repayment program reducing educational debt burden and improving financial wellness
Employee assistance program providing mental health support and work-life balance resources
Referral bonus program incentivizing talent acquisition and rewarding employee networks
Tuition reimbursement supporting continuous education and professional development advancement
Flexible spending account offering tax-advantaged healthcare and dependent care expense management
Robust retirement plan with employer matching ensuring long-term financial security
Life insurance coverage providing family protection and peace of mind
Health savings account with triple tax advantages for medical expenses
Employee discount programs reducing personal expenses across various services and products
401(k) with employer matching maximizing retirement savings potential
Comprehensive vision insurance covering eye care and corrective lenses
Full dental insurance including preventive and restorative dental care
Complete health insurance coverage with medical, preventive, and specialist care
Generous paid time off policy supporting work-life balance and personal wellness

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for all individuals seeking psychiatric assistance, demonstrating exceptional crisis intervention skills that directly impact patient outcomes and hospital reputation
Conduct comprehensive psychiatric assessments that form the foundation for treatment planning and drive critical admission decisions affecting patient care quality
Coordinate seamlessly with Business Office, Utilization Review, and Nursing Services to ensure efficient admissions processes that optimize bed utilization and revenue generation
Provide strategic referrals to internal hospital services and external resources, building community partnerships that enhance the hospital's market position
Deliver immediate crisis intervention services that prevent escalation of psychiatric emergencies and potentially save lives while reducing liability exposure
Manage overnight operations independently, ensuring 24/7 accessibility that differentiates the facility in the competitive behavioral health market

Requirements

Education

Masters Degree in Psychology, Social Work or Counseling

Experience

Prefer previous experience with psychiatric patients of all ages

Required Skills

Crisis intervention capabilities Psychiatric assessment expertise Multi-generational patient care across adolescents, adults, and seniors Telephone and in-person communication proficiency Coordination with interdisciplinary teams Spanish language skills preferred

Certifications

Licensed Clinician in the state of Colorado, preferred but not required
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The behavioral health sector is experiencing unprecedented growth driven by increased mental health awareness, with the global behavioral health market expected to reach $240 billion by 2026, creating substantial demand for qualified intake clinicians who can manage the critical first point of contact. Healthcare organizations are increasingly implementing 24/7 intake services to capture emergency admissions and reduce patient diversion, making overnight intake clinicians essential for maintaining competitive advantage and maximizing census in acute psychiatric facilities. The integration of crisis intervention services with traditional intake processes is becoming standard practice as hospitals recognize the cost-effectiveness of preventing psychiatric emergencies through immediate professional intervention rather than relying on emergency department overflow.

Salary Evaluation

The hourly range of $30.00-$39.58 translates to approximately $62,400-$82,326 annually for full-time work, which is competitive for the Colorado market and reflects the specialized nature of overnight psychiatric intake work. The substantial shift differentials (up to $6.00 for weekend overnight shifts) can increase total compensation by $10,000-$15,000 annually, making this position financially attractive compared to standard day-shift clinical roles.

Role Significance

Intake clinicians typically work as part of a 3-5 person intake department but function independently during overnight shifts, collaborating with nursing staff, utilization review specialists, and business office personnel as needed for admission coordination.
This is a mid-level clinical position with significant autonomous decision-making authority, as intake clinicians often make initial determinations about admission appropriateness and crisis intervention needs without immediate supervision during overnight hours.

Key Projects

Implementation of streamlined intake protocols that reduce admission processing time while maintaining clinical accuracy Development of crisis intervention protocols specific to different age groups and psychiatric presentations Creation of community referral networks that enhance the hospital's reputation and provide appropriate care alternatives for non-admission cases

Success Factors

Exceptional crisis assessment skills are paramount, as intake clinicians must rapidly evaluate suicide risk, homicidal ideation, and psychiatric stability to make life-or-death decisions during overnight hours when supervisor support is limited. Strong communication abilities across diverse stakeholder groups, including distressed patients and families, insurance representatives, law enforcement, and medical professionals, all of whom have different needs and communication styles. Cultural competency and bilingual capabilities, particularly in Spanish, are increasingly valuable as demographic shifts create more diverse patient populations requiring specialized communication approaches. Resilience and emotional regulation skills are critical for managing the high-stress environment of psychiatric crisis intervention while maintaining professional judgment and avoiding burnout in overnight healthcare settings.

Market Demand

High demand exists for qualified intake clinicians, particularly those willing to work overnight shifts, as behavioral health facilities struggle to maintain 24/7 coverage while managing increasing patient volumes and regulatory requirements for immediate crisis response capabilities.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Crisis intervention and suicide risk assessment capabilities are absolutely essential, as intake clinicians serve as the first line of defense in preventing psychiatric emergencies and ensuring appropriate level of care placement during high-risk overnight hours. Psychiatric assessment skills across multiple age groups require specialized training and experience, as the clinical presentations, risk factors, and treatment considerations vary significantly between adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations. Interdisciplinary coordination abilities are crucial for success, as intake clinicians must effectively collaborate with business office staff for insurance verification, utilization review personnel for medical necessity determinations, and nursing staff for safe patient transitions.

Beneficial Skills

Spanish language proficiency provides significant competitive advantage in Colorado's diverse population and can lead to specialized roles in culturally competent care delivery and community outreach programs. Electronic health record proficiency and healthcare technology skills are increasingly important as psychiatric facilities adopt advanced clinical documentation systems and telemedicine capabilities for remote consultation and follow-up care. Knowledge of insurance authorization processes and managed care requirements enhances effectiveness in securing appropriate coverage for psychiatric services and reduces financial barriers to patient care.

Unique Aspects

The Thursday-Saturday night schedule (7pm-7:30am) offers an unusual work-life balance opportunity, providing four consecutive days off each week while earning substantial shift differentials that can significantly boost total compensation.
The comprehensive shift differential structure demonstrates the organization's commitment to adequately compensating overnight and weekend workers, with weekend overnight differentials reaching $6.00 per hour above base pay.
The facility's specialization in serving all age groups (adolescents, adults, and seniors) provides exposure to diverse psychiatric presentations and treatment approaches, enhancing professional development and marketability.
The integration of inpatient acute care, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs creates opportunities for career diversification and internal advancement within a comprehensive behavioral health system.

Career Growth

Career advancement typically occurs within 2-4 years for high-performing intake clinicians, with opportunities for specialization in areas such as geriatric crisis intervention, adolescent psychiatric assessment, or emergency department psychiatric consultation services.

Potential Next Roles

Clinical Supervisor or Intake Department Manager positions typically become available within 3-5 years, offering increased salary ranges of $70,000-$90,000 and management responsibilities over intake operations. Specialized crisis intervention coordinator roles in larger health systems, which can command salaries of $65,000-$85,000 and involve system-wide protocol development and training responsibilities. Private practice opportunities in crisis intervention consulting or specialized psychiatric assessment services, potentially offering greater income flexibility and professional autonomy.

Company Overview

Shaker - Illinois - UHS - Highlands Behavioral Health System

Highlands Behavioral Health System operates as part of Universal Health Services (UHS), one of the largest healthcare management companies in the United States, providing significant operational stability and career development opportunities within a well-established healthcare network.

As an 86-bed acute care psychiatric facility with specialized units for different age groups, Highlands holds a strong market position in the Denver metropolitan area's behavioral health landscape, competing effectively with both nonprofit and for-profit psychiatric hospitals.
The Littleton, Colorado location serves the rapidly growing Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan statistical area, which has seen significant population growth and increased demand for specialized psychiatric services, creating a stable patient base and growth opportunities.
UHS facilities typically emphasize clinical excellence and operational efficiency, with structured protocols and comprehensive training programs that support professional development while maintaining high standards for patient care and regulatory compliance.
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