Client Access Specialist

Overview Central City Concern is an innovative nonprofit agency providing comprehensive services to single adults and families in the Portland metro area who are impacted by homelessness, poverty and addictions. We hire people that are skilled and passionate to meet our mission to end homelessness through outcome‑based strategies which support personal and community transformation. This position will work as a member of a multi‑disciplinary team to deliver comprehensive, person‑centered, integrated services. The Client Access Specialist is a critical link between the patient and the care delivered by the clinical and service staff of our integrated services clinic. The specialist must exemplify the core values and mission of the organization, always exercising the utmost discretion, diplomacy and tact in patient, visitor and staff interactions. Primary responsibilities include welcoming and greeting all patients and visitors, complex scheduling and checking patients/clients in for a wide range of providers and services, obtaining and updating detailed patient demographic information, verifying insurance coverage, updating fee agreements and collecting payments. This position has access to mental health billing and service records. The Client Access team supports the following locations: Blackburn, Evergreen Crossing, Imani, Old Town Clinic, Old Town Recovery Center, and River Haven. This role can float between locations to help maintain staffing levels. Schedule Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm Location Old Town Recovery Center (33 NW Broadway, Portland, OR 97209) Compensation Minimum rate of $23.89, but can increase depending on a candidate's experience. Seniority Bid Window Closes 10/14/25 Minimum Qualifications High school diploma or GED equivalent and 1 year of experience in a medical office setting or administrative support role; OR 2 years of experience in a high‑volume public contact position that utilized customer service. Experience in a clinical setting is preferred. Bilingual in Spanish preferred. Ability to work efficiently in a fast paced environment. Ability to work calmly with patients/clients that are often in distress or agitated. Must have current CPR certification prior to start. Must generally have the ability to walk, bend, stoop, kneel, squat, twist, reach, pull and lift heavy objects, and climb stairs with reasonable or no accommodation. Ability to adhere to Central City Concern’s drug‑free workplace which encourages a safe, healthy and productive work environment and strictly complies with the Drug‑Free Workplace Act of 1988. Employees shall not unlawfully manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess or use a controlled substance or alcohol in the workplace. Must pass a pre‑employment drug screen, TB test and background check, including clearance by the DHS Background Check Unit. Must adhere to agency’s non‑discrimination policies. Ability to effectively interact with co‑workers and clients with diverse ethnic backgrounds, religious views, political affiliations, cultural backgrounds, lifestyles and sexual orientations, treating each individual with respect and dignity. Essential Duties And Responsibilities Deliver comprehensive, client‑centered and trauma‑informed integrated services. Identify new opportunities to improve collaboration between and within service and care teams while carefully following information‑sharing guidelines. Proactively identify opportunities for improvement within workflows and logistics. Participate in review of Key Performance Indicators; review and contribute to continuous improvement opportunities and plans. Build understanding of and appreciation for diversity among clients and support their connection to culturally responsive and culturally specific services as requested. Greet all patients/clients and visitors in person and over the phone in a welcoming and inclusive manner. Enter initial demographics for new clients seeking services and schedule an appointment with Registration Specialist. Review patient alerts (at scheduling and check‑in) and take needed action to resolve. Schedule appointments for established patients/clients for multiple providers and services. Arrange interpretation services for appointments. Check patients/clients in for scheduled appointments and groups or walk‑ins. Work with patients in a trauma informed way to gather patient profile updates. Thoroughly review patient profile and other paperwork to ensure the completeness and quality of data. Scan and/or distribute paperwork timely and appropriately as per protocol. Update registration data in Centricity as per policy and training. Verify insurance coverage and copy new insurance cards, directing patients to work with OHP assistors when needed. Collect and record payments and co‑pays. Make confirmation calls for scheduled appointments. Clear the schedule of no‑show appointments each day. Make outreach calls for appointments no‑show and document in patient/client chart as per protocol. Make calls to arrange medical transportation for patients/clients. Distribute bus tickets to patients and record transaction. Facilitate patient flow and manage the waiting areas to provide comfort & safety in a welcoming and inclusive environment. Participate in crisis response protocols. Manage patient/client mail. Issue and collect patient/client surveys. Keep public literature/brochures/handouts/suggestion boxes supplied. Keep office supplies, appointment cards and forms adequately stocked by anticipating needs and informing purchasing agent. Provide backup for contact center representative. Provide information inquiries and outside resource materials in a polite and courteous manner. Participate in compliance, quality assurance and quality improvement activities as directed. Adhere to all state and federal privacy regulations, including HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, and to CCC policies and agreements regarding confidentiality, privacy, and security. Support compliance with all privacy and security requirements pursuant to community partners’ and outside providers’ patient confidentiality agreements, including privacy and security requirements for EMR access. This includes immediately reporting any breach of protected health information or personal identification information of any person receiving CCC services by CCC or an outside provider to the CCC Compliance Department, as well as to your supervisor or their designee. Attend all mandatory CCC trainings in a timely manner. Perform other duties as assigned. Skills And Abilities Ability to consider the impacts and outcomes for underserved communities during decision‑making processes. Ability to consider impacts of systems of oppression, structural racism and individual bias on client outcomes. Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written. Excellent customer service skills a must. Familiarity with electronic medical records and medical scheduling systems. Ability to follow complex scheduling guidelines. Ability to navigate electronic systems applicable to job functions. Experience with general office machines. Extremely detail oriented. Organized with an ability to multi‑task. Ability to problem‑solve independently and with a team. De‑escalation skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office products. Excellent data entry skills. Knowledge of insurances and verifications. Must have a high tolerance for ambiguity and change. Working knowledge of Centricity preferred. Basic knowledge of medical terminology preferred. Bi‑Lingual preferred. Experience in both medical and behavioral clinic setting preferred. Union Representation This is a union‑represented position through the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). More information: www.afscme.org Benefits Generous paid time off plan which provides up to 4 weeks of PTO accrual in the first year. Accrual increases with longevity. 403(b) Retirement Savings plan with competitive employer match: 4.25% in the first year, 6% in the second year and 8% in the third year. 11 recognized holidays + 2 personal holidays. Comprehensive medical, vision and dental insurance coverage. Employer paid life, short‑term disability and long‑term disability insurance. This description is intended to provide a snapshot of the work performed and is not designed to contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of the position. Central City Concern is a second‑chance employer and complies with applicable laws regarding consideration of criminal background for employment purposes. Government regulations, contractual requirements, or the duties of this job may require CCC to conduct a background check and take appropriate action to address prior criminal convictions. #J-18808-Ljbffr