Crisis Response Specialist

City of Olympia; United States; On-site; USD 75,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Olympia seeks a Crisis Response Specialist to provide access to emergency mental health and substance use treatment services. This frontline role reduces police calls by offering alternative crisis solutions and connects people to community resources.

The position operates in the Olympia area with field duties and occasional outdoor work as part of a broader crisis response team. Responsibilities include assessing safety, transporting individuals to treatment facilities or shelters,

Qualifications

• Four years’ experience delivering social services.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
• Ability to assess safety, intervene, and follow up on crisis situations.
• Experience counseling and transporting individuals under the influence or with mental health concerns.
• Ability to work outdoors in community settings with vulnerable populations.
• Strong boundaries and professional conduct with clients and partners.
• Ability to document program activities and report data on time.

Responsibilities

• Provide non-judgmental, unconditional support to community members.
• Assess for immediate safety and stabilization needs.
• Engage with intoxicated individuals and transport to social services.
• Engage or transport individuals with mental illness to treatment facilities.
• Transport to shelters, treatment centers, or other social services.
• Transport to non-emergency medical care as needed within Olympia and neighboring areas.
• Focus on the Olympia downtown core and work with others toward shared goals.
• Potentially guide and train less experienced staff.
• Respond to calls from dispatch, OPD, and other stakeholders promptly.
• Complete required documentation within established timeframes.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with team members.
• Track and compile program data and attend meetings.
• Maintain punctual, regular, reliable attendance.

Skills

Counseling experience

Crisis intervention

Outdoor work

Community navigation

Boundary setting

Team communication

Data reporting

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Under direct or general supervision, the Crisis Response Specialist provides access to emergency mental health and substance use treatment services. The Crisis Response Specialist plays a critical role in reducing the number of calls to law enforcement, providing alternative crisis solutions to the community, and building linkages to needed community resources. Crisis Response Specialists have specialized skills and other supportive capabilities to help individuals with diverse backgrounds who are experiencing a wide variety of issues including houselessness, being under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances, or mental illness. The Crisis Response Specialist is one of the City's frontline employees and is a highly visible part of the City’s service delivery system. The Crisis Response Specialist is the entry level position of the Crisis Response Series and differentiated from the Crisis Response Supervisor by level of supervisory, operational, and administrative responsibility.

Essential Functions

• 1. Provide non-judgmental, unconditional support to community members.
• 2. Assess for immediate safety and stabilization needs.
• 3. Engage with individuals who are intoxicated or under the influence of controlled substances and transport them to the appropriate social services.
• 4. Engage with or transport individuals who are experiencing mental illness to the appropriate treatment facilities in Thurston County and neighboring jurisdictions.
• 5. Transport ill or disoriented persons to shelters, treatment centers, or other social service agencies within the City of Olympia and neighboring jurisdictions.
• 6. Transport individuals to necessary non-emergency medical care within the City of Olympia and neighboring jurisdictions.
• 7. Focused response in the Olympia downtown core.
• 8. Work interdependently with others toward common goals.
• 9. May provide direction and training to less experienced employees.
• 10. Respond to calls for service from dispatch, OPD personnel, and other stakeholders in a timely fashion.
• 11. Complete required documentation within established timeframes.
• 12. Communicate and collaborate effectively with other team members.
• 13. Track and compile program data.
• 14. Attend regular internal and external meetings.
• 15. Punctual, regular, and reliable attendance is essential for successful job performance.

Typical Qualifications

• 1. Experience in counseling, treating and transporting persons under the influence of controlled substances, intoxication, and experiencing mental illness.
• 2. Ability to provide a range of supportive/helpful interventions and activities.
• 3. Seek assistance and report incidents to the Supervisor as necessary.
• 4. Ability and eagerness to spend time outdoors and in the community with vulnerable individuals, some of whom are experiencing houselessness.
• 5. Ability to learn and help navigate all applicable resources with the client.
• 6. Ability to maintain strong professional boundaries.
• 7. Ability to assess, intervene, and follow up on safety and crisis situations.
• 8. Must be able to work respectfully with business personnel, social service providers, and others while holding the client's best interest as the first priority.
• 9. Ability to accurately track and report program data to the Program Manager.
• 10. Ability to effectively communicate with team members, Department leaders, and other stakeholders.

Experience/Education

• 1. Four years’ experience in the delivery of social services.
• 2. A bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred.
• 3. Any combination of related experience and education may be considered that demonstrates the knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

Special Requirements

• 1. Availability to work flexible hours (evenings, nights, weekends).
• 2. Ability to obtain a CPR/First Aid Certification
• 3. Applicant must successfully pass required background checks prior to an offer of employment.
• 4. Applicant must successfully pass the polygraph exam.
• 5. Valid Washington State Driver's License.
• 6. Must have an acceptable driving record. (required to provide current driving abstract)
• 7. Applicant must submit a cover letter and a resume with the application.

Contacts

• 1. Crisis Response Specialists will have various interpersonal contacts, including other City employees, the business community, other governmental agencies, and/or the general public.
• 2. Contacts with other City employees may be for the purpose of supervision, information sharing, and/or work coordination.
• 3. Requires working with individuals with chronic mental health issues, chemical dependency issues and often medical conditions.
• 4. Contacts with the business community are often for the purpose of information sharing but may include problem resolution relating to the program.
• 5. Contacts with the general public are usually for the purpose of information sharing.
• 6. Some contacts may be difficult, requiring the Crisis Response Specialist to use tact and courtesy when explaining City programs, policies and procedures.
• 7. The Crisis Response Specialist will always have other City staff to use as a resource in problem resolution.

Supervision

• 1. Does not supervise City employees. May occasionally direct the activities of volunteers.

Accountability

• 1. The Crisis Response Specialist is accountable for the timely, effective, and professional completion of all assignments.

Working Conditions

• 1. Crisis Response Specialists work primarily in the field.
• 2. Field work may include performing duties in hazardous areas, such as street surfaces, rights-of-way, medians, homeless encampments, alleys, wooded areas, confined spaces, and around potential biohazards such as used needles and human waste.
• 3. Some assignments will be outdoors, requiring work in inclement weather at dirty, wet, noisy, or cramped work sites.
• 4. The employee is required to walk long distances.
• 5. This position involves exposure to customers in varying degrees of emotional distress and physical/verbal conflict.
• 6. Interpersonal contacts may be under verbally hostile circumstances.
• 7. This position requires the physical ability to perform manual tasks and mobility to navigate all types of surfaces and terrain.

Union: Teamsters

Compensation (minimum-maximum): $74,621.82 - $90,702.82

Exempt: No

The City of Olympia is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse workforce. Women, people of color, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

The City of Olympia provides competitive pay, great benefits, and supports work-life balance.

We are an equal opportunity employer strongly committed to honoring diversity, equity and belonging within our workforce and community.

Olympia is a vibrant, healthy and beautiful Capital City and a great place to work, live and play.

The City of Olympia provides competitive pay, great benefits, and supports work-life balance. We are an equal opportunity employer strongly committed to honoring diversity, equity and belonging within our workforce and community. Please consider bringing your talents to the City of Olympia, where we value compassion, integrity and effectiveness in our work to make a difference every day.