Crisis Specialist

Community Health Associates; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Health Associates seeks a Mental Health Crisis Specialist to provide on/off site crisis intervention, stabilization, assessments, and short-term case management 24/7 for adults, children and adolescents in crisis. The role aims to reduce hospital or jail diversion, support in-home stabilization, and enhance safety with suicide prevention.

The position requires crisis intervention in the ROC Center and community settings, collaboration with partner agencies, documentation, and ongoing

Qualifications

• High school Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor’s degree in behavioral health field or four years related experience or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to respond to callers with patience and nonjudgmental attitude.
• Ability to work in a team, strong interpersonal skills, and positive attitude.
• Ability to follow clinical and office protocols and procedures; multi-task and computer literate.
• Customer service, clinic or center, or social service experience preferred.
• Reliable transportation, Arizona driver’s license, and current personal automobile insurance required.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term crisis intervention services in the community or the ROC Center for adults, children, and adolescents, including intake, outreach, lethality monitoring, linkage, and follow-up.
• Provide mental health evaluations and assist in assessment for involuntary transport.
• Provide short term case management including crisis planning and coordination of services.
• Collaborate with partner agencies to develop appropriate services for families.
• Assess suicide lethality or dangerousness and mental status as required.
• Complete all required charting, casework, and documentation on a timely basis.
• Maintain knowledge of local resources to provide referral and linkage for members served.
• Attend and participate in clinical supervision, training, staff meetings, and case conferences.
• Assist in coverage in other agency programs during emergencies or staff shortages.
• Engage in agency or community projects that contribute to the mission.
• Maintain and increase skills through training.
• Provide marketing and educational presentations to the community or staff training.
• Assist in training of new staff and students.
• Assume call and back-up responsibilities as needed.
• Maintain a valid Arizona Driver’s License and access to a vehicle.
• Work as a team member to provide a safe/positive environment.
• Secure and maintain necessary certification and licensing as directed.
• Participate in weekly Crisis Provider Meetings and Quality Circles.
• Special assignments and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Excellent communication

Problem solving

Teamwork

Interpersonal skills

Multi-tasking

Computer literacy

Customer service

Education

High school Diploma or GED

Bachelor’s degree in behavioral health

Four years related experience or training

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Job description

The Mental Health Crisis Specialist is responsible for providing on/off site crisis intervention and stabilization, assessments and short-term case management to adults, children, and adolescents in crisis or emergency mental health situations 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. The primary goals of the Crisis Team are hospital or jail diversion, in home stabilization, member safety, and suicide prevention, and other tasks relating to this goal as required.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provide short-term crisis intervention services in the community or the ‘ROC” Center for adults, children, and adolescents, which include intake, outreach visits, telephone lethality monitoring, linkage, and follow-up services where applicable.
• Provide mental health evaluations and assist in the assessment for the need for involuntary transport by Law Enforcement to the local Title 36 Contracted Agency.
• Provide short term case management to include crisis planning, behavior modification, and the coordination of individualized services specific to family needs.
• Collaborate and work effectively with partner agencies to develop appropriate service provisions for identified families.
• Provide assessment to determine suicide lethality or dangerousness to others, mental status, and other behavioral, cognitive and/or affective indicators as required.
• Complete all required charting, casework, documentation, and other computer entries, on a timely basis.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the mental health, developmentally disabled, social service and wrap system in assigned County to provide appropriate referral and linkage for members served.
• Attend and participate in all required clinical supervisions, training, staff meetings, and case conferences, as indicated by the Director.
• Assist in providing coverage in other agency programs in emergency situations or staff shortage situations as required by agency managers.
• Engage in agency or community projects or work groups that contribute to the agency and/or program mission.
• Maintain and increase skills in the field through training in the agency and/or the community.
• Provide marketing and/or educational presentations to the community, or training to other agency staff, as assigned by the Director.
• Assist in the training of new staff and students, as assigned by a supervisor.
• Assume call and back-up responsibilities, consistent with program needs.
• Maintain a valid Arizona Driver’s License and have access to a usable vehicle.
• Work as a team member to provide safe/positive work environment for members, staff and the public.
• Secure and maintain all necessary certification and professional licensing as directed by profession.
• Participate in weekly Crisis Provider Meetings and Quality Circles.
• Special assignments, projects, and other duties assigned.

Minimum Qualifications Required to Perform Job:

High school Diploma or GED required. Bachelor’s degree in behavioral health field or four years related experience or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience in behavioral health care to qualify as a behavioral health technician. Requires excellent communication skills, including ability to respond to callers/members with patience, objectivity and a nonjudgmental attitude. Demonstrated ability to solve problem. Knowledge of or ability to learn about community resources and agency services. Ability to work well in a team, good interpersonal skills, and positive attitude. Ability to follow clinical and office protocols and procedures. Ability to multi-task and computer literate. Customer service, clinic or center, or social service experience preferred.

Reliable transportation, clean driving records, Arizona driver’s license, and current personal automobile insurance required.

Special At-Risk Population Competencies:

SMI

• Demonstrate knowledge of the special needs of the SMI population.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the safety, risk and infection control practices pertinent to the work environment and can convey that knowledge to the SMI member.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of instruction/training.
• Demonstrate knowledge and/or ability to employ appropriate motivation techniques with SMI members.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the community resources typically needed by the SMI population.

Substance Abuse

• Demonstrate understanding of the comprehensive psycho/social influences and effects of dependencies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of natural history and clinical basis of dependence.
• Knowledgeable about available treatment resources and their appropriate uses.

Child/Family & Peer Support

• Demonstrate knowledge of the behavioral health needs of children, youth and families with are able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of the safety, risk, and infection control practices pertinent to the working with children.
• Demonstrate knowledge and/or ability to employ behavioral management techniques with children and youth.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the community resources to build assistance with development of external support systems for families.

Cultural Competency & Skills:

Must understand cultural competency and apply principles to all services delivered. Skills necessary to engage and work with others from diverse ethnic and cultural groups. Ability to demonstrate efforts to comprehend the needs of Bilingual; English/Spanish speaking members.

Conditions & Equipment:

Position requires work to be done independently. Policies and procedures govern all decision making required by this position. Position involves interaction with community representatives, peers, managers, coordinators, and other Administrators. Working conditions include the responsibility of company equipment including operation includes computer, copy machine, postage meter, phone, and fax.

Reasonable Accommodations:

The corporation strictly adheres to the requirements of the Americans with disabilities act (42 U.S.C. sections 12101 et seq.). While the corporation strives to appreciate the special needs of its disabled employees and provide the necessary, reasonable accommodations, it remains the responsibility of each employee subject to the provisions of the act to promptly and effectively communicate to the corporation the need for accommodation in writing.