Covenant Health·Alcoa, Tennessee
The Outreach Specialist provides community-based care monitoring and in-person support to consumers with mental health challenges. They develop comprehensive care plans and assist participants in navigating healthcare systems and improving daily living skills.
Overview Outreach Specialist, Clinical Access Full Time, 80 Hours Per Pay Period, Day Shift Peninsula Overview: Peninsula Behavioral Health, a division of Parkwest Medical Center and part of Covenant Health, is a leading provider of mental health services in East Tennessee. With decades of experience, Peninsula offers compassionate, evidence-based care for children, adolescents, and adults through inpatient and outpatient programs across multiple counties. From psychiatric treatment and therapy to specialized senior care, Peninsula is committed to helping individuals overcome mental health challenges and live healthy, productive lives. To learn more about Peninsula Behavioral Health and our units, visit Peninsula Behavioral Health Opportunities.
Position is responsible to work as a member of an interdisciplinary team to provide care monitoring and in-person support services to assigned consumers. Position is responsible for engaging service participants in services both within the healthcare service delivery system and the general community. Outreach Specialists services are community-based and often provided in the consumers’ home, a primary care physician’s office or another service providing agency.
Meet with the entire team once weekly to review treatment needs of consumers. Contribute to development of comprehensive care plan for designated service participants. Work side by side with service participants and their family (if indicated) in their natural environment to assist them in understanding, acquiring, and maintaining needed health care services and developing a healthy lifestyle. Plan for and assist consumers in activities of daily living skills such as effective communication techniques, daily routines, functioning in an educational setting, acquiring employment (if age appropriate), obtaining legal assistance and counseling, and in communicating with medical providers and public agencies such as the police, health department, and the courts. Assess life domain needs of consumers: living arrangements, financial, vocational/ educational, health, social support, leisure/recreational and emotional/mental health. Assess needs and assist service participants in developing skills related to independent living and successfully navigating the service delivery system. Assess needs and assist service participants with planning for and learning social and recreational skills to better interact with others in their family and/or community. Assess, teach, and assist service participants in carrying out job seeking skills and other factors related to employment. Assess and assist service participants during times of crisis in order to facilitate re-stabilization. Assess needs and assist service participants in establishing and building support system and resources. Provide on-going linkage, monitoring, planning and evaluation, and advocacy for team consumers. Participates in inpatient treatment planning when a consumer is hospitalized in order to ensure continuity of care. Assess needs and assist service participant in obtaining medical, dental, and other personal care services. Assess eligibility and assist consumers in obtaining financial entitlement, such as SSI, SSDI, and all other programs they may be eligible to receive. Attend required staff meetings, training sessions, treatment teams, and other meetings as directed. Participates in quality improvement initiatives. Participates in on-call rotation. Local travel required. Perform other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree in a health-related field of counseling, psychology, or social work, or must be licensed as a nurse (LPN or RN). Minimum Experience: Position requires a minimum of one (1) year relevant experience if bachelor’s degree is not in counseling, psychology, or social work or if not licensed as a registered nurse. Licensure Requirement: Employee must have a valid Tennessee driver’s license Class D and state mandated minimum insurance coverage. Driving record must meet Covenant Health minimum standards at the date of hire and throughout employment tenure. If RN or LPN, must be licensed in the State of TN.
Position requires ability to work with people with mental illness and their families in the community. Ability to manage stress in a changing environment. Knowledgeable about community resources and ability to think creatively to develop resources where none are apparent. Should possess a positive, friendly attitude and be able to work with others. Must have basic understanding of psychotropic medication and effects/side-effects upon user.
Requires a Bachelor's degree in a health-related field or a nursing license (LPN/RN), with one year of relevant experience if the degree is not in counseling, psychology, or social work. A valid Tennessee driver's license and insurance are mandatory.
Market context
Behavioral-health roles in Tennessee are often tied to schools, community programs, and outpatient settings serving children and adolescents, so employers usually look for candidates with direct youth mental-health experience. This type of role can be competitive because the posting asks for a specific degree-and-experience mix, plus prior work with children and adolescents; the listed requirements and benefits are AI-summarized from the original job description to save you research time. Before applying, match your resume to the exact experience path and highlight any youth-focused interventions, crisis support, or family engagement work.