The Bridge offers supportive housing and behavioral health services to vulnerable New Yorkers facing behavioral health and substance use challenges. We provide individuals with the tools they need to pursue their dreams and live meaningful lives. The Bridge envisions a world where adults experiencing serious mental illness can live and thrive within their communities. As a recognized leader in developing and operating supportive housing and community-based programs, The Bridge has 70 years of experience helping New Yorkers with mental illness, including those affected by homelessness, incarceration, and institutionalization.
Scope of Position: The Program Assistant provides administrative and operational support across multidisciplinary behavioral health programs. This role supports program leadership and staff by facilitating communication, maintaining accurate records, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and assisting with day-to-day program operations. The Program Assistant serves as a key liaison between staff, participants, and external partners to support high-quality, community-based care.
Essential Position Functions:
- Compile and send weekly census reports and monthly change-of-status reports to SPOA.
- Maintain consumer medical records and computerized data to ensure compliance with Medicaid, NYS Office of Mental Health, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene standards, and Bridge policies and procedures.
- Assist staff with data entry and maintenance of consumer records.
- Attend morning meetings, take minutes, and communicate relevant scheduling and program information to staff as they conduct their work in the community.
- Create consumer medical record charts.
- Archive medical records and copy records for medical record requests.
- Maintain and update program logs, as well as monthly and weekly organizational boards.
- Update the team scheduling calendar to support the Director.
- Maintain and update program materials, forms, and office supplies.
- Respond to all telephone inquiries related to the program and triage messages between the program and clinicians conducting community visits.
- Provide receptionist duties when needed.
- Coordinate timesheet collection and paycheck distribution for the program.
- Serve as a liaison to staff completing field visits in accordance with program safety plans.
- Conduct health insurance eligibility checks and ensure accurate, updated information is entered into the electronic medical record.
- Notify and support staff to ensure consumers are enrolled in and recertified for Medicaid and health insurance.
- Provide the team with information about consumers’ status with Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), including spend-downs and inactive status.
- Support staff in communication with HRA, Medicaid, MCOs, and consumers to enroll and address spend-down issues and eligibility.
- Conduct electronic charting audits to ensure all documents are completed and available for monthly Medicaid billing.
- Run electronic reports to support the Team Leader in overseeing documentation.
- Coordinate with the Biller and Billing Manager to ensure monthly billing is submitted on time and resolve issues related to denials from the Department of Health and MCOs.
- Support the team in maintaining up-to-date information in the electronic medical record.
- Assist with tracking Health Home enrollment, submit reports on participant status as needed, and communicate with the Biller and Billing Manager regarding payments.
- Manage the service-dollar petty cash account in accordance with The Bridge’s policies and procedures for distribution and reconciliation of MetroCards and cash for consumer purchases.
- Process check requests for the program.
- Provide culturally competent support in accordance with The Bridge’s policies.
- Perform other duties as required by the Director, Assistant Vice President, and Senior Vice President of Community Support Programs.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required.
- A minimum of 1–2 years of administrative or program support experience required.
- Experience working with individuals with behavioral health needs preferred.
- Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with electronic medical records preferred.
- Ability to learn new systems and processes as needed.
- Understanding of the impact of systemic and historical inequities on program participants.
- Bilingual Spanish highly desired.
- A commitment to the mission of a community-based behavioral health organization.
The Bridge Inc. is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer