6 templates by setting: healthcare, behavioral health, home health, legal, social services, and small business, with the HIPAA and FLSA notes the generic templates skip. Copy or download as DOCX.
An intake coordinator is the first point of contact for new clients or patients: gathering information, verifying insurance or eligibility, scheduling, and setting up records. It is most often a healthcare role, in clinics, therapy practices, and home health agencies, but the title also appears in law firms, nonprofits, and other businesses. Hiring one well starts with a job description that matches the setting and gets the compliance right.
These six templates cover the role across settings: a HIPAA-ready healthcare version, behavioral health, home health and hospice, legal intake, social services, and a generic small-business version. Each is ready to use, with the HIPAA and FLSA notes the generic templates leave out. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
An intake coordinator handles first contact with new clients or patients: gathering information, verifying insurance, scheduling, and setting up records. It is mostly a healthcare role and is non-exempt and hourly. In healthcare it requires HIPAA training at hire and a confidentiality acknowledgment. Pay centers in the mid-$40,000s, around $21 an hour. Download six templates by setting, with the compliance built in.
What an Intake Coordinator Does
An intake coordinator manages the first step of the client or patient relationship: greeting new arrivals, collecting and entering their information, verifying insurance or eligibility, scheduling the first appointment, and coordinating the handoff to the right person. The work is detail-driven and front-line, and in healthcare it centers on handling protected health information accurately and privately.
Intake duties cluster into four areas: first contact, verification and records, scheduling and coordination, and privacy and compliance. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your setting, rather than listing every possible task.
First contact
Greet and intake new clients or patients
Answer phones and route inquiries
Gather information with care and accuracy
Verification and records
Verify insurance, eligibility, and authorizations
Enter and maintain accurate records
Keep documentation organized
Scheduling and coordination
Schedule appointments and intakes
Coordinate referrals and handoffs
Track timelines and follow up
Privacy and compliance
Handle protected health information per HIPAA
Protect client confidentiality
Follow intake and consent procedures
In healthcare the verification and privacy duties lead; in legal intake, lead qualification and conflict checks do. For a structured way to scope the role to your organization, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by setting. The core structure is the same across all six, but each one emphasizes the duties, qualifications, and compliance that fit a specific kind of intake role, including a HIPAA-ready healthcare version and a generic small-business one.
Patient / Healthcare (HIPAA)
Clinics, specialty offices
The most common version: patient intake, insurance verification, and EHR data entry, with HIPAA handling built in.
Mental / Behavioral Health
Therapy, counseling
For therapy and treatment practices: compassionate first contact, referral coordination, and sensitive-record handling.
Home Health / Hospice
Home-based agencies
For home health and hospice: referral intake, eligibility and authorizations, and start-of-care coordination.
Legal Intake Specialist
Small law firms
For PI, immigration, or family law firms: lead qualification, conflict checks, and consultation scheduling.
Social Services
Nonprofits
For nonprofits: intake interviews, eligibility assessment, and connecting clients to community resources.
Small Business (Generic)
Any small practice
The flexible baseline for any small business: first contact, new-record setup, and scheduling. Adapt to your field.
Match the Template to the Setting
Clinic or specialty office: Patient / Healthcare. Therapy or counseling practice: Mental / Behavioral Health. Home health or hospice agency: Home Health / Hospice. Small law firm: Legal Intake Specialist. Nonprofit: Social Services. Any other small business: the generic version. When health information is involved, use the HIPAA-ready healthcare version as your baseline.
6 Intake Coordinator Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: organization and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compliance or classification note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Healthcare, behavioral health, home health, legal, social services, and small business. All in one DOCX.
The most common version: patient intake, insurance verification, and EHR data entry, with HIPAA handling built in. Use this for a clinic or specialty office.
Reports to: __ (Office Manager / Practice Manager)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime-eligible)
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
ABOUT [PRACTICE NAME]
[One or two sentences about your clinic or practice and the patients you serve. Note
the front-office team and the systems the coordinator will use, such as your EHR.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Patient Intake Coordinator to be the first point of
contact for new and returning patients. You will gather patient information, verify
insurance, schedule appointments, and enter data into our system accurately, all while
handling protected health information with care. A warm, organized, detail-focused
person who respects patient privacy is ideal.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greet and intake new and returning patients
•Collect and enter demographic and health information
•Verify insurance eligibility and obtain prior authorizations
•Schedule appointments and manage the calendar
•Maintain accurate records in the EHR system
•Answer phones, route calls, and respond to inquiries
•Collect copays and intake paperwork
•Handle protected health information per HIPAA
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent; associate's a plus
•[0 to 2 years] of medical office or front-desk experience
•Familiarity with EHR systems and insurance verification
•Strong attention to detail and patient-friendly communication
•Discretion with confidential patient information
•Willingness to complete HIPAA training at hire
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
This role handles protected health information, so the new hire must complete HIPAA
privacy and security training shortly after hire and at least annually after that, and
sign a confidentiality acknowledgment. The role is non-exempt and overtime-eligible.
Many practices also require a background check. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Mental / Behavioral Health Intake Coordinator
For therapy and treatment practices: compassionate first contact, referral coordination, and sensitive-record handling, with a note on additional confidentiality rules. Use this for behavioral health.
Mental / Behavioral Health Intake Coordinator Job Description
MENTAL / BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTAKE COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Practice: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Clinical Director / Practice Manager)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime-eligible)
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Behavioral Health Intake Coordinator to guide new clients
through the intake process for our therapy / counseling / treatment practice. You will
handle first contact with compassion, gather sensitive information, verify benefits,
coordinate referrals, and schedule the first appointment. Empathy, discretion, and
calm under pressure are essential, since clients often reach out in distress.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Handle compassionate first contact with new clients
•Gather intake information sensitively and accurately
•Verify behavioral health benefits and authorizations
•Coordinate referrals and match clients to providers
•Schedule intake and first appointments
•Maintain confidential records in the EHR system
•Recognize and escalate urgent or crisis situations
•Protect client confidentiality at all times
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent; associate's or bachelor's a plus
•[0 to 2 years] of behavioral health or front-desk experience
•Empathetic, calm, and discreet communication style
•Familiarity with EHR and benefits verification
•Comfort handling sensitive and crisis-adjacent calls
•Willingness to complete HIPAA training at hire
•[Clinical license such as LCSW, LPC, or LMFT if a clinical intake role]
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
Behavioral health intake involves especially sensitive information. Beyond HIPAA
training and a confidentiality acknowledgment at hire, substance use treatment records
carry additional federal confidentiality protections under 42 CFR Part 2. The role is
non-exempt; background screening is common. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
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Template 3: Home Health / Hospice Intake Coordinator
For home-based agencies: referral intake, eligibility and authorizations, and start-of-care coordination. Use this for a home health or hospice agency.
Home Health / Hospice Intake Coordinator Job Description
HOME HEALTH / HOSPICE INTAKE COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Agency: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Director of Nursing / Administrator)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime-eligible)
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Agency Name] is hiring a Home Health / Hospice Intake Coordinator to manage referrals
and admissions for our agency. You will receive and process referrals, verify
eligibility and authorizations, gather clinical and demographic information, and
coordinate the start of care with the clinical team. A detail-focused, organized
person who can move referrals quickly and accurately is ideal.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Receive and process referrals from hospitals and physicians
•Verify insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid eligibility and authorizations
•Gather clinical, demographic, and diagnosis information
•Coordinate start of care with the clinical team
•Enter and maintain accurate records in the system
•Communicate with referral sources, patients, and families
•Track authorization timelines and documentation
•Handle protected health information per HIPAA
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent; associate's a plus
•[1+ years] of home health, hospice, or medical intake experience preferred
•Familiarity with referrals, authorizations, and ICD-10
•Strong organization and follow-through
•Clear communication with referral sources and families
•Willingness to complete HIPAA training at hire
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
This role handles protected health information and payer authorizations, so HIPAA
training and a confidentiality acknowledgment at hire are required, with annual
refreshers. The role is non-exempt and overtime-eligible. A background check is common
in home-based care. This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Agency Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: Legal Intake Specialist (Small Law Firm)
For PI, immigration, or family law firms: lead qualification, conflict checks, and consultation scheduling. Use this for a small law firm's intake role.
Legal Intake Specialist Job Description (Small Law Firm)
LEGAL INTAKE SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL LAW FIRM)
Firm: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Attorney / Office Manager)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime-eligible)
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Firm Name] is hiring a Legal Intake Specialist to handle first contact with potential
clients. You will answer inquiries, gather case details, screen and qualify leads, run
conflict checks, and schedule consultations. A personable, organized, detail-focused
person who can balance empathy with accurate screening is ideal for a busy small firm.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Handle first contact with prospective clients by phone and web
•Gather case details and qualify potential clients
•Screen leads against firm criteria and practice areas
•Run conflict checks before intake
•Schedule consultations and follow up with leads
•Enter and maintain leads in the CRM or case-management system
•Communicate clearly with attorneys and staff
•Maintain client confidentiality
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent; associate's a plus
•[0 to 2 years] of intake, customer service, or legal-office experience
•Strong phone presence and active listening
•Organized, accurate, and discreet
•Familiarity with CRM or case-management tools a plus
•Comfortable balancing empathy with lead qualification
CLASSIFICATION NOTE (read before posting)
A legal intake specialist performs intake and screening, which is generally
non-exempt, overtime-eligible work. Client confidentiality and conflict-of-interest
checks are essential parts of the role. This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Firm Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 5: Social Services Intake Coordinator (Nonprofit)
For nonprofits: intake interviews, eligibility assessment, and connecting clients to community resources, with a trauma-informed approach. Use this for a social service organization.
Social Services Intake Coordinator Job Description (Nonprofit)
SOCIAL SERVICES INTAKE COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION (NONPROFIT)
Organization: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Program Manager / Director)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime-eligible)
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Social Services Intake Coordinator to welcome and
assess clients seeking our programs and services. You will conduct intake interviews,
assess eligibility, connect clients to community resources, and maintain records, using
a trauma-informed, respectful approach. A compassionate, organized person who works
well with diverse communities is ideal.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Conduct intake interviews and gather client information
•Assess eligibility for programs and services
•Connect clients to internal and community resources
•Maintain accurate, confidential client records
•Coordinate with case managers and program staff
•Use a trauma-informed, client-centered approach
•Track intake data for reporting and grants
•Protect client confidentiality and dignity
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent; associate's or bachelor's a plus
•[0 to 2 years] of social services or human services experience
•Empathetic, patient, and culturally responsive
•Organized and comfortable with documentation
•Familiarity with community resources a plus
•Comfortable working with vulnerable populations
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
Social services intake involves sensitive personal information that must be kept
confidential, and programs serving vulnerable populations often require background
screening. The role is non-exempt and overtime-eligible. This is general information,
not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
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Join hundreds of small businesses who transformed their new hire experience.
The flexible baseline for any small business: first contact, new-record setup, and scheduling. Adapt it to your field, and add HIPAA handling if you work with health information.
[Company Name] is hiring an Intake Coordinator to be the first point of contact for
new clients or customers. You will gather information, set up new records, schedule
appointments, and make sure every new client has a smooth start. This is a hands-on,
front-line role for a small business, ideal for an organized, friendly, detail-focused
person.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Handle first contact with new clients or customers
•Gather and enter intake information accurately
•Set up new client or customer records
•Schedule appointments and manage the calendar
•Answer phones, email, and inquiries
•Coordinate handoffs to the right team member
•Keep intake documentation organized
•Protect confidential information
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•[0 to 2 years] of front-desk, intake, or customer service experience
•Organized, reliable, and detail-oriented
•Friendly, clear communication
•Comfortable with scheduling and data entry
•Discreet with confidential information
CLASSIFICATION NOTE (read before posting)
An intake coordinator handles routine clerical and coordination tasks, which are
generally non-exempt and overtime-eligible under the FLSA. If your business handles
health information, add HIPAA training and a confidentiality acknowledgment. This is
general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_ to $_ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
HIPAA, FLSA, and Onboarding
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for a healthcare intake role it is the part that matters most: HIPAA obligations, the straightforward FLSA classification, and the onboarding steps that tie them together. Getting these right protects your practice and your clients.
Healthcare intake means HIPAA from day one
The thing generic templates miss is that a healthcare intake coordinator works directly with protected health information, which makes them part of a covered entity's workforce under HIPAA. That means the new hire must complete HIPAA privacy and security training within a reasonable period after hire, with annual refreshers, and should sign a confidentiality acknowledgment as part of onboarding. HIPAA also requires a covered entity to retain its compliance documentation, including training logs and policies, for six years under 45 CFR 164.316, which is separate from how long you keep the medical records themselves. For a small practice without an HR department, building the training and the signed acknowledgment into the hiring process from the start is the simplest way to stay compliant. This is general information, not legal advice.
The role is almost always non-exempt and hourly
Classification is usually straightforward for this role. An intake coordinator's core work, scheduling, data entry, answering phones, verifying insurance, and processing routine paperwork, is clerical and does not involve the discretion and independent judgment on significant matters that the FLSA administrative exemption requires. That means the role is generally non-exempt and entitled to overtime for hours over 40 in a week. Do not assume a salaried intake coordinator is automatically exempt; the duties, not the title or the fact of a salary, determine it. A supervisory intake manager who runs a team and optimizes workflow may be a different case. Some states set stricter overtime and wage rules than the federal standard. This is general information, not legal advice.
Onboarding an intake hire is where compliance gets handled
Whichever version you use, the work after hiring is people operations made specific by the setting: a signed offer letter, the confidentiality acknowledgment, HIPAA training where health information is involved, any background or credential screening, and the I-9 and tax forms. For a small clinic, practice, agency, or firm without an HR department, this is exactly where FirstHR fits: e-signature for the offer letter and the HIPAA confidentiality acknowledgment, training modules for HIPAA at hire, task workflows for the background-check and credential checklist, and document management to retain training logs and policies for the required period. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an EHR, practice-management, or case-management system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
HIPAA Training at Hire, Records Kept Six Years
A healthcare intake coordinator is part of a covered entity's workforce, so HIPAA requires privacy and security training and a covered entity must retain its compliance documentation, including training logs and policies, for six years under 45 CFR 164.316. This is separate from medical-record retention, which is set by state law.
Intake roles start from organization, communication, and discretion, with experience and any credentials scaled to the setting. Keep requirements realistic for an entry to mid-level hire.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
High school diploma or equivalent; associate's a plus
Experience
0 to 2 years front-desk, medical office, or customer service
Systems
Familiarity with EHR, CRM, or scheduling and insurance verification
Intake coordinators are paid hourly, with pay varying by setting, region, and experience. Because the role has no single federal occupation, use the closest proxies as a baseline, then adjust for your market.
Proxy Medians Near $45,000 to $47,000 (BLS)
With no single federal occupation for the role, the closest proxies are secretaries and administrative assistants, with a median of $47,460, and social and human service assistants, with a median of $45,120, both May 2024 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Compensation surveys tracking the intake coordinator title center around the mid-$40,000s, roughly $21 an hour.
Pay varies meaningfully by state, from the low $30,000s in some areas to the high $40,000s in higher-cost states like New York. The role is entry to mid-level, typically requiring only a high school diploma and zero to two years of experience, and because it is non-exempt, post an hourly range and budget for overtime.
Hiring for a Small Practice
Large hospital systems hire intake coordinators through dedicated HR teams and applicant tracking systems. The businesses that actually search for an intake coordinator job description are usually the small ones: an independent clinic, a solo or small-group therapy practice, a home health agency, a small law firm, or a nonprofit. In those organizations the owner, a practice manager, or an office manager writes the posting and handles onboarding, often between everything else, and almost none of them have a HIPAA-ready template on hand.
That is the gap these templates fill. The compliance does not scale down with the practice: a five-person clinic handling protected health information owes its intake coordinator the same HIPAA training and confidentiality protections as a large system. The advantage a small practice has is that a clean, repeatable hiring and onboarding process is simpler to set up once and keep current. For broader guidance on hiring with a small team, the small business hiring guide is a useful companion, and an office manager template can help when one person covers both roles.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, an intake hire in healthcare involves more compliance than most front-office roles: the confidentiality acknowledgment, HIPAA training, and any background or credential screening, all documented and kept on file.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, pay, non-exempt status, and start date in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast for an hourly intake role.
Run screening
Complete any background check, drug screening, or credential and license verification the setting requires, with consent on file.
Train on HIPAA
Where health information is involved, complete HIPAA privacy and security training and a signed confidentiality acknowledgment at hire.
Store the records
Keep the signed acknowledgment, training logs, and policies organized, since HIPAA requires retaining compliance documentation for six years.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, the HIPAA confidentiality acknowledgment, e-signatures, HIPAA training, a background-check checklist, and document management in one place so a small practice can manage the full compliant process from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an EHR, practice-management, or case-management tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
An intake coordinator handles first contact with new clients or patients: information, verification, scheduling, and records.
It is most often a healthcare role, but the title also appears in legal, social services, and other small businesses.
Use the template that matches the setting: healthcare, behavioral health, home health, legal, social services, or generic.
The role is non-exempt and hourly; clerical duties do not meet the FLSA administrative exemption.
In healthcare, the role requires HIPAA training at hire and a confidentiality acknowledgment; compliance docs are kept six years.
Use BLS proxies as a baseline: secretaries near $47,460 and social service assistants near $45,120; surveys center in the mid-$40,000s.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an intake coordinator do?
An intake coordinator is the first point of contact for new clients or patients. They gather information, set up records, verify insurance or eligibility, schedule appointments, and make sure each new person has a smooth start. In a healthcare setting, that means collecting patient demographics and health information, verifying insurance and obtaining authorizations, and entering data into the EHR while handling protected health information carefully. In behavioral health, the role adds compassionate first contact and referral coordination; in home health, referral intake and authorizations; in a law firm, lead qualification and conflict checks; in a nonprofit, eligibility assessment and resource connection. Across all settings, the core is the same: welcome new clients, gather accurate information, and coordinate the next step. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is an intake coordinator a healthcare role?
Most often, yes. The majority of intake coordinator roles are in healthcare and related fields: medical clinics, specialty practices, home health and hospice agencies, and behavioral health or substance use treatment centers. That is why this page leads with a HIPAA-ready healthcare version. However, the title is also used outside healthcare, in small law firms, where it is often called a legal intake specialist, in social service nonprofits, and in other businesses that take on new clients. The core function, handling first contact and gathering intake information, is the same everywhere; what changes is the specific information collected and the compliance context. This page includes templates for each setting plus a generic small-business version. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between an intake coordinator and an intake specialist?
The two titles are largely interchangeable and refer to very similar work. Intake coordinator is the more common term in healthcare and home health settings, while intake specialist appears more often in legal and social services contexts, where a legal intake specialist screens and qualifies potential clients. In some organizations, a specialist is slightly more focused on assessment and screening, while a coordinator leans toward scheduling and logistics, but the distinction is not standardized and varies by employer. Above both sits an intake manager or intake lead, a supervisory role that runs the intake team and optimizes the process. For hiring purposes, treat coordinator and specialist as the same level and match the title to what is common in your field. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is an intake coordinator exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
An intake coordinator is almost always non-exempt and entitled to overtime. The role's core duties, scheduling, data entry, answering phones, verifying insurance, and processing routine paperwork, are clerical tasks that do not meet the FLSA administrative exemption, which requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. Paying the coordinator a salary does not change this; classification depends on actual duties, not on the title or the method of payment. So an intake coordinator should generally be classified as non-exempt and paid overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek. A supervisory intake manager who runs a team and makes significant operational decisions may be a different case. Some states have stricter rules than federal law. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does an intake coordinator need HIPAA training?
Yes, in any healthcare setting. An intake coordinator at a medical, behavioral health, home health, or hospice provider works directly with protected health information, which makes them part of the covered entity's workforce under HIPAA. The employer must provide HIPAA privacy and security training within a reasonable period after hire, with periodic refreshers, and it is best practice to have the new hire sign a confidentiality acknowledgment during onboarding. HIPAA also requires covered entities to retain their compliance documentation, such as training logs and policies, for six years, which is separate from medical-record retention. Behavioral health and substance use settings carry additional confidentiality protections. Building HIPAA training and the signed acknowledgment into onboarding is the simplest way for a small practice to stay compliant. This is general information, not legal advice.
What qualifications does an intake coordinator need?
Most intake coordinator roles are entry to mid-level and require a high school diploma or equivalent, with an associate's degree as a plus. Employers typically look for zero to two years of front-desk, medical office, or customer service experience, strong attention to detail, friendly and clear communication, and discretion with confidential information. In healthcare settings, familiarity with EHR systems and insurance verification is valuable, and willingness to complete HIPAA training is expected. Behavioral health roles favor empathy and the ability to stay calm with clients in distress, and some clinical intake roles require a clinical license such as LCSW, LPC, or LMFT. Legal intake favors phone presence and lead qualification skills. Match the requirements to your setting and keep them realistic for an entry-level hire. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does an intake coordinator make?
Intake coordinators are paid hourly, and pay varies by setting, region, and experience. Because there is no single federal occupation for the role, the closest proxies are useful reference points: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $47,460 for secretaries and administrative assistants and $45,120 for social and human service assistants, both in May 2024. Compensation surveys that track the intake coordinator title specifically tend to center around the mid-$40,000s annually, roughly $21 an hour, with meaningful variation by state, from the low $30,000s in some areas to the high $40,000s in higher-cost states. Benchmark to your specific setting and local market, and post a competitive hourly range. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should an intake coordinator job description include?
A strong intake coordinator job description names the setting up front, whether healthcare, behavioral health, home health, legal, social services, or general, and includes a short organization summary, a job summary that makes the first-contact nature clear, and responsibilities grouped into first contact, verification and records, scheduling and coordination, and privacy and compliance. It should state the qualifications realistically for an entry-level role, note the non-exempt, hourly FLSA classification, and, in healthcare, the HIPAA training and confidentiality requirements that generic templates skip. Where relevant, include any background check or credential verification. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions, then move into a structured, compliant onboarding once someone accepts. This is general information, not legal advice.
