Skip to main contentA logo with &quat;the muse&quat; in dark blue text.
UnitedHealth Group

Field Based Behavioral Health Advocate - Telecommute in RI

Garden City, RI

Combine two of the fastest-growing fields on the planet with a culture of performance, collaboration and opportunity and this is what you get. Leading edge technology in an industry that's improving the lives of millions. Here, innovation isn't about another gadget, it's about making health care data available wherever and whenever people need it, safely and reliably. There's no room for error. Join us and start doing your life's best work.(sm)

You're looking for something bigger for your career. How about inventing the future of health care? UnitedHealthcare is offering an innovative new standard for care management. We're going beyond counseling services and verified referrals to behavioral health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Our growth is fueling the need for highly qualified professionals to join our elite team. Bring your skills and talents to a role where you'll have the opportunity to make an impact on a huge scale.

Want more jobs like this?

Get jobs in Garden City, RI delivered to your inbox every week.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy.


The overall purpose of the Field Behavioral Health Advocate (FBHA) role is to help individuals live their lives to the fullest by promoting recovery and resiliency via coordination and collaboration with multiple internal and external partners including consumers and their families / caregivers, medical, behavioral health and clinical network teams.

Field-based Behavioral Health Care Advocate is needed for the state of Rhode Island. Must be able to accommodate field-based travel within the state up to 50% of the time visiting members in their homes, hospitals and local facilities. Please Note: During the COVID 19 pandemic this position will be a telecommute/work from home position 100% of the time. Once COVID restrictions are lifted, travel will resume 50% of the time as described below.

Field Behavioral Health Advocates work with complex and high-risk needs with a goal of engaging the consumer in the treatment process, decreasing their reliance on higher levels of care, helping them to access appropriate community services, and assisting them in improving community tenure. FBHAs work to increase stabilization and help consumers to improve life satisfaction.

What makes your clinical career greater with UnitedHealth Group? You can improve the health of others and help heal the health care system. You will work within an incredible team culture; a clinical and business collaboration that is learning and evolving every day. And, when you contribute, you'll open doors for yourself that simply do not exist in any other organization, anywhere.

Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

If you are located in Rhode Island, you will have the flexibility to telecommute as you take on some tough challenges. This position could require up to 50% travel in the field - could be to provider offices or the home setting.

Primary Responsibilities:
  • Utilize advanced clinical skills to engage and motivate Consumers via a recovery, health and wellness-oriented approach
  • Assist consumers and their families / caregivers with connections to appropriate psychiatric, medical, and psychosocial referrals and services
  • Identify and remove barriers to procurement, delivery, participation in and success of services
  • Provide supportive follow-up, monitoring and education as indicated
  • Meet with consumers in-person at facilities, provider offices, and in homes as appropriate for market
  • Serve as OBHS liaison and subject matter expert for applicable UnitedHealth Care Medical Partners; establish and foster positive relationships with medical team, participate in medical-behavioral integration activities and discussions
  • Identify high-risk, co-morbid needs of consumers
  • Accept referrals via designated processes, collaborate in evaluating available services, and coordinate necessary psychiatric and community referrals as needed
  • Contribute to treatment plan discussions; routinely attend clinical rounds and other meetings with medical partner or external entities when applicable
  • Partner with internal Optum Behavioral Health Services Teams to coordinate a seamless transition for consumers from an inpatient setting to community-based services
  • Coalesce FBHA role and relationships within context of established Care Advocacy Operating Model and customer / contractual requirements; collaborate early and frequently with other teams in the management of cases stratified as having intensive, complex, and high-risk needs
  • Participate jointly in rounds, discussions, supervision and staffing
  • Assist in the development of a relevant and consumer-specific aftercare plan
  • Comply with all policies, procedures and documentation standards in appropriate systems, tracking mechanisms and databases
  • For specific markets, conduct focused facility-based or outpatient clinical utilization review activities
  • Establish a cooperative relationship with Optum Behavioral Network Services and the Provider community in order to improve access to services and ensure that consumers are served within proper standards of care
  • Identify new programs, services and gaps in market; share information with network teams
  • Maintain knowledge of provider availability and barriers to access
  • Collaborate with providers to determine acuity of mental health concerns, barriers and progress; coordinate appropriate services
  • Conduct provider networking visits or attend consumer care conferences as determined by market
  • Attend state, professional and association and conference call meetings as needed
  • Other activities as assigned, including but not limited to:
  • Partnership with Account Management and Sales departments to provide best level of customer service to market accounts
  • Participate in committees, educational opportunities and trainings
  • Maintain approved workload and support metrics and outcomes

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:
  • Licensed master's degree in Psychology, Social Work (LCSW), Counseling (LPC) or Marriage or Family Counseling (LMFT), or Licensed Ph.D., or an RN with 2 or more years of experience in behavioral health
  • Licenses must be active and unrestricted in the state of Rhode Island
  • 2+ years of experience in a related mental health environment working in the local community
  • Experience using a PC in a Windows environment, including email and Microsoft Office applications
  • Access to reliable transportation
  • Ability to travel up to 50% of the time within the Rhode Island territory

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Medical / Behavioral setting experience (i.e. hospital, managed care organization, or joint medical / behavioral outpatient practice)
  • Dual diagnosis experience with mental health and substance abuse
  • Experience working in an environment that required coordination of benefits and utilization of multiple groups and resources for patients
  • Experience working with low-income populations
  • Experience working with the aged, blind or disabled
  • Clinical training experience
  • Managed care and utilization management experience
  • Excellent customer service, interpersonal and problem-solving skills
  • Solid team player and team building skills
  • Able to function independently and responsibly with minimal supervision
  • Maintain direct and open communication with all levels of the organization
  • Able to handle sensitive issues with peer, members and providers in a confidential manner
  • Demonstrate initiative in achieving individual, team, and organizational goals and objectives
  • Ability and flexibility to assume responsibilities and tasks in a constantly changing work environment
  • Strong oral and written communication skills - specifically telephone skills

Careers with Optum. Here's the idea. We built an entire organization around one giant objective; make the health system work better for everyone. So when it comes to how we use the world's large accumulation of health-related information, or guide health and lifestyle choices or manage pharmacy benefits for millions, our first goal is to leap beyond the status quo and uncover new ways to serve. Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, brings together some of the greatest minds and most advanced ideas on where health care has to go in order to reach its fullest potential. For you, that means working on high performance teams against sophisticated challenges that matter. Optum, incredible ideas in one incredible company and a singular opportunity to do your life's best work.(sm)

All Telecommuters will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Job Keywords: Social Worker, Counselor, Therapist, Behavioral Health, Mental Health, Case Manager, Care Coordinator, Rhode Island, RI, Dual Diagnosis, Substance Abuse, MCO, Managed Care, LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PhD, RN

Job ID: UHG-2009534
Employment Type: Other

Perks and Benefits

  • Health and Wellness

    • HSA
    • On-Site Gym
    • HSA With Employer Contribution
    • Health Insurance
    • Dental Insurance
    • Vision Insurance
    • Life Insurance
    • Short-Term Disability
    • Long-Term Disability
    • FSA
  • Parental Benefits

    • Non-Birth Parent or Paternity Leave
    • Birth Parent or Maternity Leave
  • Work Flexibility

    • Remote Work Opportunities
  • Office Life and Perks

    • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Vacation and Time Off

    • Leave of Absence
    • Personal/Sick Days
    • Paid Holidays
    • Paid Vacation
  • Financial and Retirement

    • Relocation Assistance
    • Performance Bonus
    • Stock Purchase Program
    • 401(K) With Company Matching
    • 401(K)
  • Professional Development

    • Promote From Within
    • Shadowing Opportunities
    • Access to Online Courses
    • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Diversity and Inclusion

    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program

Company Videos

Hear directly from employees about what it is like to work at UnitedHealth Group.

This job is no longer available.

Search all jobs