Administrative Assistant Job at Caminar in Palo Alto

Administrative Assistant

The Administrative Assistant is the first point of contact for families seeking outpatient mental health services for teens (ages 1217). This position is responsible for performing administrative, front desk, and billing support functions, with an emphasis on self-pay processing, scheduling, and client service. The Administrative Assistant ensures smooth front office operations while supporting clinical staff, communicating directly with parents/guardians regarding scheduling, documentation, and payment responsibilities, and providing excellent customer service to families.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide welcoming, professional, and compassionate customer service to teens (ages 1217) and their families at check-in and over the phone.
• Answer a multi-line phone system, route calls, and respond to inquiries regarding services, schedules, and payment processes.
• Manage client flow in the waiting area, notify staff when appointments have arrived, and ensure teens are accompanied by guardians where appropriate.
• Schedule intake assessments, ongoing therapy appointments, maintaining accuracy in the master calendar.
• Serve as the main point of contact for parents/guardians regarding scheduling and required intake paperwork.
• Collect, process, and record self-pay payments (credit card, HAS, FSA) at time of service.
• Communicate with parents/guardians regarding payment responsibilities, balances, and receipts in a professional and empathetic manner.
• Maintain accurate records of self-pay transactions, generate receipts, and reconcile daily deposits.
• Support insurance verification and billing coordination as needed, ensuring correct entry into EHR and billing systems.
• Assist in resolving payment issues and coordinate with Administrative Support Manager for follow-up on outstanding balances.

Administrative support includes:

• Perform timely and accurate data entry of client information into electronic health records (EHR), ensuring compliance with HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 regulations.
• Prepare and maintain organized clinical charts and files.
• Support intake documentation for new clients, including release forms, consent, and payment agreements.
• Assist with correspondence, copying, faxing, ordering supplies, word processing, and meeting minutes.
• Participate in department and agency trainings as assigned.

Team and agency contributions include:

• Work collaboratively with admin and clinical staff, supporting operational needs across the outpatient program.
• Promote an atmosphere of dignity, respect, and teamwork in line with Caminar's mission and values.
• Perform other duties, responsibilities, and special projects as assigned.

Requirements, qualifications, skills, and abilities include:

• Customer servicemanages difficult customer situations, responds promptly to customer needs and solicits customer feedback to improve service.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality, a professional demeanor and to represent the organization in a positive manner at all times. Must demonstrate acceptable level of maturity, good judgment, and emotional stability.
• Oral and written communicationspeaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Completes formal written communications skillfully and professionally.
• Must be passionate about Caminar's mission.
• High School Diploma or GED is required. Bachelor's degree strongly preferred. Absent a BA, must have prior office or reception experience or possess an AA.
• 1-3 years of related work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent understanding of insurance billing and payments processing: EOBs, ICD-9/ICD10 and CPT coding.
• Knowledge of EHR preferred.
• Spanish bilingual preferred, but not required.
• Excellent computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment including email and Internet navigation required. Experience with EHR strongly preferred. Experience with web based time and attendance and staff training and development system is strongly preferred.
• Problem solvingidentifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully.
• Quality managementlooks for ways to improve and promote quality and demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Planning/organizingprioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently and develops realistic action plans.
• Adaptabilityadapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands and is able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events. Ability to act quickly and appropriately in emergency situations.
• Dependabilityis consistently at work and on time, follows instructions, responds to management direction and solicits feedback to improve performance. Consistently engages forward thinking by completing tasks before asked.
• Safety and securityactively promotes and personally observes safety and security procedures, and uses equipment and materials properly.
• Must be a dynamic self-starter with demonstrated ability to work independently at the front desk.

Physical, environmental, and mental requirements include:

• Physical: Occasionally required to push/pull objects up to 50 lbs, and to lift/carry objects up to 25 lbs. Frequently required to perform moderately difficult manipulative tasks such as typing, writing, etc. Must be able to walk, stand, sit for extended periods.
• Sensory: Frequently required to read documents, written reports, and plans. Must be able to distinguish normal sounds with some background noise, as in answering the phone, interacting with residents and staff, etc. Must be able to speak clearly and understand/be understood using the English language.
• Cognitive: Frequently required to concentrate on moderate detail with constant interruption. Must be able to attend to a task/function for 20-45 minutes at a time. Frequently required to understand and relate to specific ideas, several at a time. Must be able to remember multiple tasks/assignments given to self and others over a period of several days.
• Environmental Conditions: Frequent exposure to varied office and mixed (residential/office) environments. Occasional exposure to toxins and poisonous substances, dust, and loud noises.
• Equipment: Frequently required to use a computer, phone, and fax machine.

Special requirements include:

• Must be able to meet and receive a criminal records clearance, as required by Title XXII, other licensing regulations, and Caminar practices.
• Must be able to pass post offer, pre-employment medical and drug tests as required under State Community Care Licensing regulations and/or agency policies.