Crisis Intervention Specialist, Sacred Heart (Weekend Program, Nights)

St. Luke’s University Health Network; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Luke's University Health Network seeks a Mental Health Crisis Intervention specialist to lead intake assessments for ED and Walk-In Center patients. You coordinate referrals, collaborate with physicians, nurses and BH staff, and liaise across hospital sites to ensure appropriate placement.

The role requires experience in crisis intervention and understanding of patient rights during admission. The ideal candidate holds a human services degree (bachelor or master) with relevant clinical

Qualifications

• Mental health professional with a minimum of one of the following: bach. degree in human services with 2–6 years of experience.
• Master's degree in a human services field with 1–3 years of related experience; master's preferred.
• Minimum 1 year direct clinical mental health/crisis intervention experience required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct intake assessments for mental health needs in the Emergency Department and/or Walk-In Center.
• Make referral recommendations to appropriate level of care and coordinate with care teams.
• Serve as a liaison for other hospital/network sites to support patient flow.
• Assist with agitated/violent patients, including de-escalation and possible restraints.
• Support utilization management and pre-certification processes for intakes and consults.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Mental health assessment

Coordinate admission/referral

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in a human services field

Master's degree in a human services field

Job description

St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care. The primary duty of this position is to provide comprehensive crisis intervention, including coordination of admission / referral for patients and their families presenting for psychiatric symptom assessment. In addition, this position supports requests and assists other hospital services or external customers, in accessing the network Behavioral Health Services.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conducts intake assessments to patients presenting with mental health needs in the Emergency Department and/or Walk In Center and makes referral recommendations to appropriate level of care.
• Interacts with the care teams that may include, physicians, advanced practitioners and other team members in addition to other behavioral health (BH) staff to facilitate referral decisions and placement, may need to coordinate with other BH team members to assist with patient flow and appropriate placement issues.
• Serves as a liaison for other hospital / network sites.
• Supports the requests of other patient care areas regarding patients with mental health needs, when able.
• Demonstrates understanding and maintains knowledge of Mental Health regulations and procedures as they pertain to patient rights and status of admission (voluntary/involuntary).
• Demonstrates competency in the assessment, range of treatment, knowledge of growth and development, and communication appropriate to the age of the patient treated.
• Conducts intake assessments to patients presenting with mental health needs in the Emergency Department and/or Walk In Center and makes referral recommendations to appropriate level of care.
• Interacts with the care teams that may include, physicians, advanced practitioners and other team members in addition to other behavioral health (BH) staff to facilitate referral decisions and placement, may need to coordinate with other BH team members to assist with patient flow and appropriate placement issues.
• Serves as a liaison for other hospital / network sites.
• Supports the requests of other patient care areas regarding patients with mental health needs, when able.
• Demonstrates understanding and maintains knowledge of Mental Health regulations and procedures as they pertain to patient rights and status of admission (voluntary/involuntary).
• Demonstrates skill as a member of the Control Team, in responding to agitation/violent behavior of individuals requiring verbal de-escalation and/or physical restraint.
• Demonstrates competence in caring for the agitated/violent patient, who may require treatment with seclusion/restraints.
• Supports the function of utilization management regarding pre-certification process for all intakes and consults.
• Monitors the therapeutic environment as necessary.
• Other related duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS

• Sitting for up to 5 hours per day, 2 hours at a time.
• Standing for up to 1 hour per day, 1 hour at a time.
• Walking for up to 2 hours per day, 20 minutes at a time.
• Occasionally uses fingers to turn pages.
• Frequently uses hands to write, type, and hold charts.
• Rarely uses the hands or fingers for firm grasping or twisting/turning.
• Frequently uses upper extremities to lift and carry up to 10 pounds.
• Frequently stoops, occasionally squats, rarely reaches above shoulder level.
• Hearing as it relates to normal conversation in person or on telephone.
• Seeing as it relates to general vision, near vision, far vision, color vision, and peripheral vision.

EDUCATION

Mental health professional with a minimum of one of the following: Bachelor's degree in a human services field and 2-6 years of equal job experience. Master's degree in a human services field and 1-3 years of equal job experience. Master's degree is preferred.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Minimally, 1 year of direct clinical mental health/crisis intervention experience required. Previous experience with case management/utilization review and managed care models preferred.

Thank you for your interest in St. Luke's!!

St. Luke's University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Founded in 1872, St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 23,000 employees providing services at 16 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites. With annual net revenue in excess of $4 billion, the Network’s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke's hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke's Children's Hospital. SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare’s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World's Best Hospital. The Network’s flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from Premier 13 times total and eleven years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY. In 2021, St. Luke's was identified as one of the 15 Top Health Systems nationally. St. Luke's is the ONLY health care institution in the Lehigh Valley to be named a Top Workplace regionally repeating the exclusive honor for the third year in a row. Also, for the third straight year, St. Luke's has been a Top Workplaces in the Philadelphia Region by the Philadelphia Inquirer, ranking 9th in the large employer category for 2025 and the only health care system in PA to receive this award. In 2025, St. Luke's was recognized as a national Top Workplaces by USA Today, three years in a row, including the 3rd best health care system in the nation in 2023 and 2024. Lastly, in 2025, St. Luke's was named a Top Workplace in New Jersey for the third year in a row. Learn More Here.