Clinical Security Officer I - Fort Logan

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 43,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Colorado is seeking dedicated individuals for a crucial position ensuring safety within the Colorado Mental Health Hospital at Fort Logan. Candidates should possess strong conflict management skills and a high school diploma or equivalent, with college education in behavioral health being a plus. Responsibilities include responding to crises, maintaining safety protocols, and supporting staff and patients in a high-stakes environment.

Benefits

Participation in Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Employee wellness programs

Qualifications

• Experience working with adjudicated individuals in secure settings.
• Experience facilitating psychoeducational groups is preferred.
• Experience in verbal de-escalation techniques.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safety and security throughout the hospital facility.
• Assist staff in crisis situations and provide patient transport.
• Conduct routine security checks and report potential hazards.

Skills

Conflict management

Sound judgment

Emotional control

Effective communication

Education

High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED)

College education in a behavioral health or justice related field

Job description

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

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CDHSCareers

About Us:

The Colorado Mental Health Hospital at Fort Logan (CMHHIFL) is expanding our hospital by adding 16 forensic beds to our current 138 patient beds. This expansion will assist in our mission of providing Colorado with the best behavioral health care available. CMHHIFLis dedicated to meeting the needs of the community by providing mental health treatment to the adult population in the metro area. The mission of CMHHIFL is to provide the highest quality mental health services to adults with complex, serious and persistent mental illness within the resources available. CMHHIFL is dedicated to promoting Trauma Informed Care and promoting the implementation of Trauma Informed Practices within the organization

*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs

Our Culture & Environment

We believe in a people-first approach:To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life:We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable:We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together:We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

This is an in-person position requiring shift work

About the this unit:
The Safety Department exists to maintain the safety and security of the CMHHIFL campus. Duties of the Safety Department include maintaining a safe environment for patients, personnel, and visitors, providing assistance to the clinical staff in the various types of patient treatment programs, assisting with the management of aggressive/assaultive individuals, and monitoring and evaluating the impact of applicable laws and regulations. The Safety Department staff follows accepted practices including policies and procedures. The department supports patient care and the safety of buildings, grounds, equipment, occupants, and internal physical systems. This work unit reports and resolves situations that pose a threat to life, health, or property.

Job Assignment/Purpose of Position:

This position exists to ensure a safe work environment through application of and adherence to CMHHIFL/CDHS policies, Joint Commission Standards, Life Safety Codes, and Colorado Revised Statutes. The position responds to crisis situations (i.e physical or verbal assaults against persons or property, suicidal behavior) following hospital policies and procedures, assists nursing and clinical staff to ensure a safe and therapeutic environment. This position assists with environmental safety checks and on unit/campus transports to treatment programming and meals.

Job Duties:

Safety and Support Services:

Respond to hospital staff requests for assistance.
Performs supportive actions and approved physical intervention techniques, as necessary.
Maintain safety and security throughout the hospital by responding to psychiatric emergencies and non-emergency situations.
Exercise sound judgment and emotional control when evaluating possible risk while taking into consideration the physical and mental well-being of all patients and staff. Participate in defusing and debriefing all incidents.
Actively uses effective communication skills, Verbal Defense Interventions (VDI) skills and Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) skills when interacting with patients and staff in a positive and respectful manner.
Support patient transport needs when appropriate.

Patrol and Observation/ Rounding:

• Provide hospital security and enforcement by patrol and observation designed to detect, prevent and control security incidents at CMHHIFL.
• Document reports of criminal activity.
• Provide traffic surveillance and parking control.
• Maintain hospital safety via routine physical checks.
• Perform monthly safety inspections of clinical units.
• Identify security violations and safety hazards and take necessary actions to correct the problem (i.e. initiation of work orders, contact DFM personnel, reporting to appropriate person, etc.)
• Perform monthly fire drills and evaluate staff to insure efficient training.
  

Transports:

• Transport/escort clients and staff to and from various locations on and off hospital grounds (i.e. Admissions, medical appointments, court, CMHIP, etc.)
• Perform entries into various security-sensitive areas (After-Hours Pharmacy, Central Medical Supply, Medical Records, Finance/Safe, etc.) with/without staff assistance.
  

Police Liaisons:

• Communicates with other police agencies, acting as liaison between Fort Logan and police and sheriff department around the metro area, the State, and the Nation
  

Other Duties as assigned:

• Other duties as assigned

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Applicants must meet all of the following qualifications to continue in the selection process for this position. Work experience must be specifically documented in the "Work Experience" section of your application, resumes will not be reviewed.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

• High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED)

Substitutions:

None

Preferred Qualifications:

• College education in a behavioral health and or justice related field.
• Experience working with adjudicated and/or detained within a secure residential facility and/or a behavioral health setting;
• Experience facilitating psychoeducational groups; Education/experience working with adolescents who have trauma;
• Experience utilizing verbal de-escalation and motivational techniques.

Highly Desirable Competencies

• Skilled in conflict management.

• Strong work ethic, integrity and dependability.

• Sound judgment and decision making skills.

• Self control, composure and the ability to manage stressful situations.

• Ability to verbally communicate clearly and willingness to do so respectfully

• Ability to identify and act on changes, inappropriate activity, hazards or potential security breaches and verbally communicate pertinent information.

• Ability to study information and recount events in a written, factual, concise, and legible method.

Work Schedule:

• Shift work-Varying shifts at 24/7 facility.

Conditions of Employment:

• A pre-employment criminal background check will be conducted as part of the selection process as this position is deemed to have direct contact with vulnerable persons. Felony convictions, conviction of crimes of moral turpitude, or convictions of misdemeanors related to job duties may disqualify you from being considered for this position. Should your background check reveal any charges or convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the CDHS Background Unit with an official disposition of any charges.

• Current and Valid Colorado Driver's License

• Must be 21 years of age or older

• May be required to provide local transport for patient care

• Travel to assigned trainings and/or work sites

• Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.

• Must take and pass a Tuberculosis (TB) test

• Shall not initiate or engage in sexual, social, personal or financial relationships with patientseither during orany time after hospitalization,even if the patient requests or initiates such a relationship. All relationships with current or former patients must be disclosed on your application;

• Successfully pass all modules of the CMHHIFL New Employee Orientation core curriculum to include:

  • English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics;·Possess the physical ability to successfully complete CPI and CPR;·Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist;·Stabilize another person to accomplish a take down.Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety;·Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury;·Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently;·Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations;·Ability to read and comprehend the English language; effectively and fluently communicates in English, both verbally and in writing;

• Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings;

APPEAL RIGHTS:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email ([e-mail]), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at [phone]; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Selection Process

How to Apply (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

Please note that ONLY your State of Colorado job application will be reviewed during the initial screening; if you submit a resume and cover letter, they will be reviewed in later stages of the selection process. Therefore, it is paramount that you clearly describe all of your relevant experience on the application itself. Applications left blank or marked "SEE RESUME" will not be considered.

Your application will be reviewed against the minimum qualifications for the position. If your application demonstrates that you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be invited to the comparative analysis process, which is described below.

After submitting an application, you should receive an email acknowledging your submission. If you do not get the email, please check to ensure you have actually submitted the application and typed the correct email address on the application.

Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time sensitive correspondence WILL take place via email. You may receive email notifications from a Colorado Department of Human Services employee or from this email address [e-mail] It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email; if you do not receive correspondence soon after the closing date, please contact the "Department Contact" listed in this announcement.

Comparative Analysis Process
Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis. The comparative analysis for this position will include a review of your application material and your responses to any supplemental questions. Applications and responses will be reviewed by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

Be sure the "Work Experience" section of your application is complete and specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments as they relate to the Description of the Job, Minimum Qualifications, Required Competencies and Preferred Qualifications as listed above. Resumes and "see resume" statements will not be accepted in lieu of the "Work Experience" section of the application. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the closing date may result in your application not being accepted and/or may affect your score, rank or inclusion in the final pool of eligible applicants.

SCHEDULED DATES of INTERVIEWS WILL NOT BE MADE UP. IF YOU FAIL TO SHOW AT THE APPOINTED DATE/TIME, MAKE-UPS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.

Note: Transfers, voluntary demotions and reinstatements are required to apply and participate in the selection process.

For Recruiting questions, please contact jonathan.benavides.co.us

ADAAA Accommodations:
CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at [e-mail] call 1-800-929-0791.

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support:
If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files, and second, close the document before you attempt upload (attach) it.

THE CAMPUS OF THE COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL AT Fort Logan IS TOBACCO FREE.

~The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer~