Licensed Quality Assurance Clinician

Position: Licensed Quality Assurance Clinician (Medi-Cal Documentation & Billing Compliance) – Mobile Crisis

Location: Remote and occasionally the City of Santa Cruz

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Mobile Emergency Response Team (MERT), a joint initiative between the Family Service Agency and Santa Cruz Behavioral Health, plays a crucial role in addressing mental health, substance abuse crises, and psychiatric emergencies throughout Santa Cruz County. This collaboration brings together the expertise and resources of both organizations to deliver a comprehensive and responsive service to community members in need.

Key Functions of MERT:

• Rapid Crisis Intervention: MERT's primary responsibility is to provide prompt, on-scene intervention. Our team's presence helps to de-escalate and stabilize situations, ensuring that crises are managed in the most supportive and non-restrictive setting.
• Crisis Assessment: Each response is accompanied by a thorough assessment to understand the immediate and ongoing needs of those in crisis, guiding our approach to care and support.
• Referral and Linkage: We are committed to connecting individuals with suitable local services and support networks. This linkage is crucial for ongoing care and access to essential resources.
• Safety Planning: Where necessary, MERT engages in comprehensive safety planning with individuals, aiming to safeguard their future well-being and prevent further crises.
• Support with Basic Needs: Recognizing that crises are often intertwined with unmet basic needs, MERT provides appropriate support in these areas, ensuring an all-encompassing approach to crisis management.
• Alternatives to Hospitalization and Law Enforcement Involvement: MERT strives to present alternatives to hospitalization and law enforcement involvement, emphasizing the value of community-centered and empathetic care.

As a collaborative endeavor of the Family Service Agency and Santa Cruz Behavioral Health, MERT stands as a testament to the power of partnership in providing effective crisis intervention and support. This position with the Family Service Agency offers an opportunity to be at the forefront of a program that is essential to the well-being and safety of Santa Cruz County residents, making a significant impact in the lives of individuals during critical times.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

FSA is seeking a Licensed Quality Assurance Clinician to support our Santa Cruz County Mobile Crisis program by ensuring clinical documentation meets Medi-Cal medical necessity and claiming standards. This role will conduct timely chart review in the County of Santa Cruz Avatar Electronic Health Record (EHR), provide diagnostic support, identify documentation trends and risks, and deliver training/coaching to staff to strengthen compliance and billing integrity for mobile crisis services.

Key Responsibilities

• Review clinical notes and service documentation in Avatar for completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with Medi-Cal standards.
• Provide oversight to support compliant Medi-Cal claiming for mobile crisis services, including:
• medical necessity documentation
• appropriate service elements and required components
• corrections and follow-up as needed prior to claim submission (as applicable)
• Provide/confirm client diagnoses consistent with documentation and program requirements (within scope of practice and County/FSA protocols).
• Identify documentation issues, patterns, and training needs; develop and deliver targeted training, feedback, and coaching to Mobile Crisis staff.
• Create or maintain QA tools (checklists, tip sheets, templates) that support consistent documentation practices.
• Collaborate with program leadership and billing/quality staff to reduce audit risk and support continuous quality improvement.
• Participate in periodic meetings (remote and/or in-person in Santa Cruz) to coordinate expectations, performance metrics, and workflow.

Minimum Qualifications

• Active, unrestricted California license in good standing as one of the following:
• LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)
• LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)
• Demonstrated knowledge of Medi-Cal documentation standards and clinical record requirements related to behavioral health services and/or crisis services.
• Strong clinical writing and documentation skills; ability to provide clear, actionable feedback.
• Experience training, coaching, or mentoring staff (formal or informal).
• Ability to work independently, manage time efficiently, and meet review deadlines with a small weekly hour allotment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health systems and/or mobile crisis service documentation.
• Prior experience with Avatar EHR (or similar public behavioral health EHR).
• Familiarity with audit preparation/QA processes, compliance monitoring, and quality improvement practices.
• Experience supporting diagnosis and clinical documentation in fast-paced or crisis-oriented settings.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and all applicable privacy requirements.
• Must be able to work at least 4 days per week (short shifts are acceptable within the 10 hours/week total).
• Must be available for occasional in-office work in Santa Cruz as required by program needs.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background checks and any program/county onboarding requirements.

About us

Family Service Agency of the Central Coast (FSA) is a well-established non-profit mental health and wellness agency whose collection of services include outpatient counseling, 988 suicide crisis line, suicide prevention services, mobile crisis response, senior services program, support for women with cancer and support program for victims of childhood sexual abuse.

Our team of dedicated therapists includes licensed clinicians, registered associates, and master 's-level trainees, who share a commitment to serving low and middle-income clients from all walks of life. Our main office is in downtown Santa Cruz, with a second in Soquel. Therapy sessions are conducted via telehealth or in person at the client's preference.

Join our team and enjoy a supportive work environment where you and your clients can thrive. Check us out online at

Job Type:

• Part-time, 10 hours per week

Pay:

• $45 - $50 per hour

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Laptops, headsets, and other essential technology will be provided.

Family Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. We are committed to excellence through diversity and strive to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all clients and employees.

Our programs recognize the value of racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity and strive toward a culture of trauma-informed practice, with the overarching goal of ensuring that all services promote healing and integrate the values and standards of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $ $50.00 per hour

Expected hours: No more than 10 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Flexible schedule
• Retirement plan

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Santa Cruz, CA 95060