Co-Responder Clinician - Denver Police Department

City and County of Denver; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 49,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The City and County of Denver, via the Denver Police Department, is seeking a Behavioral Health Co-Responder Clinician to provide on-scene crisis intervention and coordinated care alongside first responders. The role emphasizes professional judgment and adherence to departmental standards in a rotating swing shifts schedule.

The position requires a Master’s Degree in a related field and licensure (LPC/LCSW or LMFT) with Colorado licensure prior to start date.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Marriage and Family Counseling, Counseling, or related field.
• Two years of crisis intervention and risk assessment experience with individuals experiencing mental illness or substance use.
• Licensure as LPC, LCSW, LMFT or equivalent with Colorado licensure prior to start date.

Responsibilities

• Respond to calls with Public Safety personnel and provide on-scene behavioral health evaluations and crisis intervention.
• Provide de-escalation on scene, by phone, and in various environments where crisis occurs.
• Assess risk of harm to self or others; develop safety plans and arrange appropriate higher level of care.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Risk assessment

De-escalation

Public safety collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work / related field

Job description

About Our Job

The Denver Police Department is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Behavioral Health Co-Responder Clinician.

Behavioral Health Co-Responder Clinicians provide intensive professional crisis intervention and management including assessments, crisis counseling, evaluation and documentation, level of care determination, acute safety planning, referral and connection to appropriate resources alongside Public Safety personnel (Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire) or in Denver 9-1-1 Communications Center.

This role requires independent judgement and a significant understanding and application of principles and department standards. This classification may require working weekends and holidays, and rotating on-call shifts, working outside of regular scheduled hours.

The anticipated schedule for these positions will be a rotating schedule of swing shifts, Wednesday – Saturday, 11:00A – Midnight or 10:00AM – 11:00PM. Swing shifts do have a 7% shift differential as well.

Location: Police Administration Building, 1331 Cherokee St, Denver 80204.

Job responsibilities will include:

• Respond to appropriate calls for service with Public Safety personnel (e.g., law enforcement, fire, EMS) and provide on-scene behavioral health evaluations/problem identification, crisis interventions, crisis treatment/care plans and make referrals which are consistent with the identified needs in the plan of care and/or by the client.
• Provides crisis intervention and de-escalation on scene, via telephone, and in a variety of environments including parks, homes, businesses, fields, emergency rooms, and other places where a person in crisis is located alongside first responder partner.
• Assesses a person’s risk of harm to self or others, builds safety plans with impacted community members, and arranges needed resources or immediate placement to higher level of care for the safety of an individual and/or the community.
• Collaborates with law enforcement, fire fighters, paramedics and EMTs, Denver 9-1-1, community members, and community organizations to provide person-centered crisis intervention, assessment, and creation of safety plans; identifies support systems and barriers to community member wellness, mitigates community member risk factors for behavioral health needs, and refers community members to subsequent resources and treatment for mental health and/or substance use issues.
• Works to complete accurate data collection, analysis, and reporting to ensure proper monitoring and application of the program.
• Engage in follow-up care (within 72-hours) when appropriate and necessary for acute and high risk clients to help build relationships, solidify skill building, and advocacy for ongoing services.
• Provides critical incident debriefing to clients and/or staff after significant incidents and recommends intervention strategies.
• Testifies in court as needed by providing expert testimony and preparing reports.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other City agencies to support core functions of the City during a City‑wide emergency declared by the Mayor.

Below are the minimum requirements used to determine eligibility for this position:

• Education Requirement: Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Marriage and Family Counseling, Counseling, or a closely related field.
• Experience Requirement: Two (2) years of experience in crisis intervention, suicide and risk assessment, verbal de‑escalation, and differential diagnosis working with individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental illness, substance use, and other at‑risk populations or two (2) years experience in a co‑response related position.
• Education and Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted.
• License/Certification Requirement: Possession of a Licensed Profession Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) under the provisions of the Colorado Revised Statutes for the State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor or Social Worker Examiners. OR Possession of a clinical license issued by the Colorado State Board of Marriage and Family Therapist Examiners such as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Equivalent licensure issued in another state may be accepted in lieu of this requirement, provided that the applicant obtains Colorado licensure prior to the start date.
• Must obtain Basic life CPR and First Aid certification within the probationary period.
• Must pass an initial pre‑security clearance screening and maintain CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation) Security and Privacy certification as a condition of employment.
• By position, requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application.
• Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CS3581 Behavioral Health Co-Responder Clinician Licensed

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period,

Position Type

Limited (Fixed Term)

Position Salary Range

$35.21 - $54.57

Target Pay

$35.21 $45.00/hour

Agency

Denver Police Department

Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies

City and County of Denver employees may be re‑deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real‑time captioning via CART, or disability‑related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [e-mail] with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

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