First Responder Behavioral Health Liaison - Emotional Support Center

Hill Country MHDD; Kerrville (TX); On-site; USD 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PPO health insurance

PPO dental plan & vision insurance

401(a) plan with 8% match

457/403(b) plan

Paid time off & paid sick time

Job summary

Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers is seeking a First Responder Behavioral Health Liaison (QMHP) to build trusted relationships with first responders and public-safety partners. The role provides non-clinical emotional support, psychoeducation, screening, resource navigation, and coordinated referrals to promote responder wellness and access to care.

The position emphasizes trauma-informed care, confidentiality, boundaries, and collaboration with licensed staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, counseling or related human services field.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in mental health settings providing community-based behavioral health screening, non-clinical support and care coordination.
• CPR certification and Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behavior training completed within first 3 months of employment.
• Texas driver’s license and auto insurance.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain trusted partnerships with first responders, public-safety agencies and responder-serving organizations.
• Provide confidential, trauma-informed, non-clinical emotional support and psychoeducation.
• Conduct agency-approved behavioral health screenings and coordinate referrals and warm handoffs.
• Deliver responder-focused wellness programming addressing stress, trauma exposure and resilience.
• Ensure confidentiality and professional boundaries while following crisis procedures when needed.
• Document outreach, screenings, referrals, and follow-up in program records.

Skills

Non-clinical support

Care coordination

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, counseling

Job description

Help us help others:

The First Responder Behavioral Health Liaison is a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) who builds trusted relationships with first responders and public-safety partners throughout the county served. The position provides non-clinical emotional support, psychoeducation, screening, resource navigation, and coordinated referrals to promote responder wellness and access to proper care.

All MHDD employees commit to our mission TO EMPOWER PEOPLE-FOSTER HOPE-SUPPORT CHOICE-CELEBRATE SUCCESS.

You will get to:

• Build and maintain trusted partnerships with first responders, public-safety agencies, and responder-serving organizations through consistent outreach, engagement, education, and follow-up. Creates and maintains a responder engagement plan, conducting regular contacts and follow up.
• Provide confidential, trauma-informed, non-clinical emotional support, psychoeducation, coping-skills assistance, and resource navigation to first responders and dispatch personnel.
• Conduct agency-approved behavioral health screenings within established training and scope and facilitates proper referrals and warm handoffs to behavioral health, crisis, substance-use, medical, veteran, and community resources.
• Provide responder-focused education and wellness programming addressing stress, trauma exposure, grief, resilience, burnout, suicide prevention, substance-use risk, and other behavioral health needs.
• Promote continuity of care through proper follow-up while maintaining confidentiality, consent requirements, and professional boundaries.
• Recognize potential crisis needs and follow established procedures for referral to appropriate crisis or emergency services without functioning as an independent crisis responder.
• Maintain the boundaries of a non-licensed QMHP role and does not provide psychotherapy, clinical diagnosis, fitness-for-duty determinations, formal critical incident debriefing, or operational emergency response. Consults supervisory or licensed clinical staff when needs are unclear.
• Serve as an ESC point of contact for responder partners, represent the program in outreach and educational activities, and identify emerging needs and service gaps for ESC leadership.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of outreach, screenings, referrals, follow-up, services, and partnership activities in accordance with program requirements.
• Participate in supervision, multidisciplinary collaboration, required training, data collection, and program evaluation, and perform other duties consistent with the position's scope.
• Represent the ESC (Emotional Support Center) at scheduled meetings, programs and events. Identify service gaps and responder community needs and communicate them to ESC leadership.

You'll definitely need:

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, counseling, or other degree with human services concentration. Meet credentialing requirements as Qualified Mental health Professional (QMHP).
• Minimum 2 years of experience working in a mental health setting providing community-based behavioral health screening, non-clinical support and care coordination services. Experience working in a first-responder or public safety agency preferred.
• Complete and maintain both CPR certification and Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behavior training within the first 3 months of employment.
• Maintain valid Texas state Driver's License and auto insurance.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred

We're excited to provide:

• PPO health insurance plan with the option to add dependents.
• PPO dental plan and vision insurance options for healthy teeth and eyes.
• 401(a) plan, employer matches your contributions dollar for dollar up to 8% of your salary. You are 100% vested after 3 years of service.
• 457/403(b) plan, employees are immediately eligible to contribute pre-tax earnings.
• An authentic and caring environment where folks care about each other and want to do good in the world.

Generous paid time off for fun and vacations, and paid sick time for when you're under the weather.