Crisis Intervention Specialist

About the role

This position provides mandated mobile crisis services and is field based. The current vacancies are in Ukiah and Fort Bragg. The list developed from this recruitment will be used for a limited period to fill open and promotional, regular full-time, and part-time positions throughout the County, should they occur.

Responsibilities

• Provide crisis intervention response in lieu of law enforcement when community members are undergoing a behavioral health crisis.
• When appropriate, avoid using involuntary psychiatric hospitalization by providing alternative treatment resources which may include consultation, crisis intervention and referral to brief treatment and/or diversion or other voluntary crisis services as available.
• Be part of a rotating on-call schedule to ensure 24/7 crisis response coverage, providing timely on-site or remote support to individuals in crisis.
• Carry and maintain a police radio to ensure real-time communication with dispatch, law enforcement, and emergency personnel during crisis response; perform routine checks on assigned equipment (police radio, smartphone) and promptly report any malfunction or issues to ensure operational readiness.
• Give advice on behavioral health-related service calls pertaining to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5150 and 5585.
• Serve as a liaison between the Police Department, other departments in the community, the public, and private community-based organizations that provide behavioral health, crisis intervention, and homeless and supportive housing services.
• Conduct assessments to determine the need for voluntary and involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in accordance with applicable laws and guidelines; document assessments and maintain statistics related to crisis services.
• Provide discharge planning, referrals, and follow-up consultation to behavioral health treatment programs or facilities; provide case finding consultation, evaluation and referral services.
• Consult with behavioral health and medical professionals, supervisors, and staff regarding client’s status and disposition.
• Write chart notes in accordance with professional standards, state regulations, and department protocol, and ensure proper filing is submitted.
• Observe and document client's behavior; assess client's psychiatric and psychosocial needs and identify appropriate treatment goals and objectives.
• Develop lines of communication between the County and the community by explaining programs; provide information and advice to law enforcement agencies, community organizations and the general public.
• Collaborate with families to help them navigate and cope with the client’s difficulties.
• Provide telephone crisis counseling for clients and crisis consultation for local agencies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

  Requirements

  • Must meet California Code of Regulations Title IX, 630 requirements for Rehabilitation Specialist: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and four (4) years of experience in a mental health setting, including at least one (1) year of experience in field-based services as a specialist in the fields of mental health and substance use outreach and services. Up to two (2) years of graduate professional education may be substituted for the experience requirement on a year-for-year basis. OR Up to two (2) years of post-associate degree clinical experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree, in addition to the required four (4) years in a mental health setting.
  • Valid Driver’s License.
  • 5150/5585 Certifications.
  • Knowledge Of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Experience with applying racial equity lens, including organizational assessments, practices, or policies. Principles and practices of supporting individuals in crisis or dangerous situations. Demonstrates understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and protocols of law enforcement and first responder agencies. Behavioral health terminology and psychiatric disorders, and applicable treatments. DSM IV Diagnostic Criteria. California Welfare & Institutions Code (5150, 5585) on involuntary behavioral health holds. Laws and regulations affecting the detention, counseling or referral of clients. Recordkeeping, report preparation, filing methods, and records management techniques. Effects of alcohol and drugs. Available community resources and referral sources. Crisis intervention principles, methods, and techniques. Methods and techniques of individual, group, and family counseling. Medical chart documentation procedures. Various therapeutic models. Community resources, services, and organizations.
  • Skills: Exercising initiative, sound judgment, and independent decision-making. De-escalating and resolving conflict effectively. Counseling and adherence to established therapeutic processes and procedures. Performing case management. Working within deadlines, managing multiple assignments, and setting appropriate priorities. Effectively communicating and coordinating with law enforcement and first responders in high-pressure or emergency situations. Listening and communicating effectively; remaining calm under pressure; and maintaining a friendly disposition. Applying principles and practices of program development, implementation, and evaluation within a government or social service context. Managing sensitive information with discretion, diplomacy, and compliance with privacy laws. Protecting client’s rights and providing advocacy for those with serious mental health or substance use conditions. Preparing detailed assessments and documentation and maintaining accurate client records in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
  • Mental And Physical Abilities: Capable of working evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call during emergencies as needed. Ability to maintain the mental capacity necessary to exercise sound judgment and rational thinking in a variety of circumstances. Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception required to make accurate observations and judgments regarding client behavior. Requires the ability to exert physical effort in emergencies, as well as perform sedentary to light work involving movement between office areas. Effectively managing personal risk and responding quickly and calmly in emergencies. Capable of building and maintaining collaborative working relationships with public safety personnel to support joint operations and response efforts. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others. Dealing with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to: stand, walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; speak and hear; and push, pull, move, or lift above and below the neck objects weighing up to 30 pounds.