Community Relations Specialist

Job Description

Position Summary

The Community Relations Specialist supports the execution of outreach and community engagement initiatives to increase awareness of behavioral health services, including mental health, eating disorders, substance use treatment and more. This role is responsible for actively generating referrals, developing new business opportunities, and building strong relationships with community partners. The ideal candidate is hardworking, self-motivated, and able to work independently while representing the organization with professionalism and compassion.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively build and maintain relationships with referral sources including hospitals, doctors, EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs), social workers, case managers, therapists, schools, courts, first responders, community organizations, etc.
• Generate referrals and drive new business by identifying and developing new accounts and partnership opportunities
• Take initiative and think creatively to identify new avenues for generating referrals and developing new accounts, with expectations to consistently add new contacts and accounts to the outreach pipeline
• Conduct consistent outreach visits, presentations, and facility tours to promote behavioral health services
• Represent the organization at community events, networking opportunities, and professional meetings
• Maintain and grow a pipeline of referral sources through regular follow-up and relationship management
• Collaborate with admissions and clinical teams to ensure a seamless and supportive referral process
• Track outreach activity, referral trends, and new business development efforts in CRM systems
• Assist in coordinating events and educational initiatives focused on mental health and substance use awareness
• Maintain a strong understanding of programs, levels of care, and appropriate patient placement

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, healthcare administration, business, psychology, or a related field preferred
• 0–2 years of experience in sales, outreach, behavioral health, or community engagement (internships count)
• Hardworking, self-motivated, and able to work independently
• Demonstrated ability or strong interest in generating referrals, building new accounts, and driving growth
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to engage with diverse populations in a compassionate and professional manner
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Comfortable with regional travel and in-person outreach

Core Competencies

• Business Development & Relationship Management
• Initiative & Accountability
• Communication & Presentation Skills
• Empathy & Emotional Intelligence
• Organization & Time Management
• Team Collaboration

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Consistently generating new referrals and contributing to census growth
• Adding new accounts and contacts to the pipeline on a regular (weekly) basis
• Maintaining a high level of outreach activity (visits, meetings, and follow-ups)
• Building strong, lasting relationships with a wide range of referral sources across healthcare, community, and public sectors
• Demonstrating independence, initiative, creativity, and a strong work ethic in daily outreach efforts
• Accurately tracking and continuously improving outreach and business development activities