Crisis Response Specialist - Night

Location: Midland

Salary: $20.65 per hour. Sign-on bonus may be available.

About the Role

The Crisis Response Specialist is responsible for evening, weekend, and holiday response to mental health crisis calls from Law Enforcement, Emergency Room, and the PermiaCare Crisis Hotline. This position provides emergency services to individuals in the community by defining presenting complaints, obtaining relevant medical history, assessing needed interventions, and initiating appropriate crisis intervention services. The role involves resolving crisis situations, filing emergency detention orders, and facilitating entrance into Crisis respite facilities when appropriate. The Crisis Response Specialist ensures persons in crisis are treated in the least restrictive and most appropriate environment and develops positive working relationships with law enforcement, hospital personnel, and the judiciary.

This position works on a 5 days on, 5 days off rotation as set by the supervisor and reports to the Crisis Response Worker (Daytime) at 8:00 am Monday through Friday to coordinate transfer of crisis situations. The role requires working independently under limited supervision, with major activities reported through periodic meetings. While on duty, the specialist must remain within the county but may work from a location of their choice.

Responsibilities

• Serve on crisis rotation as scheduled.
• Respond, by phone, to all crisis calls within 10 minutes.
• Make face-to-face responses, when indicated, within 1 hour.
• Provide intervention that ensures the least restrictive setting.
• File Emergency Detention applications appropriately.
• Exercise clinical judgment in crisis situations.
• Serve as a fill-in for daytime crisis workers when needed.
• Provide follow-up for individuals who were treated for crisis.
• Complete all crisis logs and service documentation before ending shift.
• Remain compliant with Medicaid and State documentation standards.
• Complete documentation necessary to assign contact or registered status (as indicated) to all non-PermiaCare clients.
• Scan and upload documentation into EHR.
• Maintain utilization data on services provided as assigned by supervisor.
• Apply Medicaid covered services for this position, including proper application and coding.
• Work with all members of the Crisis Services team to ensure quality and appropriate use of services for persons in crisis.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with law enforcement, judiciary, and hospital personnel.
• Provide assessments to Crisis Response Specialist (Daytime) prior to end of shift consistently.
• Participate in quality assurance and utilization review process.
• Discharge clients as needed.
• Provide high-quality support for vulnerable individuals.
• Develop and maintain supportive relationships with patients.
• Identify and assess the risk of suicide or self-harming behavior and provide appropriate intervention.
• Advocate and assist in accessing community resources.
• Develop intervention plans.
• Maintain accurate documentation.
• Provide follow-up and aftercare services.
• Meet unit performance measures or targets.
• Maintain assigned caseload of individuals with mental illness.
• Coordinate services to designated caseload.
• Enter accurate and appropriate documentation of services within the required timeframe.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive records and treatment information in compliance with HIPAA and other regulations.
• Maintain regular and reliable physical on-site attendance.
• Comply with the Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation policy and reporting requirements.
• Adhere to the Code of Conduct and Standards of Behavior policy requirements.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with individuals served, their families, supervisors, co-workers, and visitors.
• Communicate regularly with supervisor.
• Maintain a safe and clean working environment.
• Perform all work functions and interactions using a trauma-informed approach.
• Display professionalism when representing PermiaCare in the community.
• Maintain compliance with legal requirements and company policies.
• Complete all assigned training prior to the due date.
• Other duties as assigned.

Marginal Duties

• Fill in for other mental health staff as needed.
• Provide translation, if applicable.
• Participate in team meetings or staffings.
• Participate in community activities and/or attend community meetings as needed.
• Participate in workgroups and committees as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in psychology, social work, medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, counseling, sociology, human growth and development, physician assistance, gerontology, special education, educational psychology, early childhood education, early childhood intervention, or a bachelor's degree with at least 30 hours of coursework in the previous fields.
• At least 1 year of experience in the mental health field preferred.
• Must maintain a valid Texas Driver's license, auto liability insurance, and a driving record acceptable to PermiaCare's insurance requirements.
• Must pass criminal history and background checks as well as a pre-employment drug screen.
• Must obtain QMHP certification within 6 months.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of mental illness and treatment.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
• Ability to handle stressful and emotionally charged situations while remaining calm and professional.
• Ability to provide emotional support to clients.
• Knowledge of HIPAA and ability to protect confidentiality.
• Effective multi-tasking and organizational skills.
• Ability to express self clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Effective time management skills.
• Exceptional customer service skills, including a positive attitude.
• Cultural sensitivity.
• Dependable attendance and punctuality.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed theories, principles, and practices.
• Flexibility and adaptability to different work environments.
• Excellent computer skills, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Strong reading, comprehension, reasoning, and analytical skills.
• Ability to coordinate with various inter-agency personnel.
• Ability to fulfill PMAB and CPR/First Aid requirements.
• Ability to work independently.
• Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport with individuals, including co-workers.
• Ability to display comfort in interacting with individuals of diverse cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds.
• Ability to acquire and utilize new skills as required by the job.
• Ability to work cooperatively and productively with supervisors, individuals, co-workers, and groups at all levels.
• Ability to maintain highly confidential information.
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
• Ability to plan and schedule work and implement directives without constant supervision.
• Model professionalism by appropriate dress, language, ethics, and work habits.
• Ability to drive a personal and/or company vehicle, including travel to agency program sites, community and residential sites, and locations outside the PermiaCare catchment area.
• This position may require transport of agency individuals and/or individuals served.

Physical Requirements

• Light lifting, under 15 lbs.
• Light carrying, under 15 lbs.
• Walking, standing, and sitting.
• Operating office equipment and motor vehicles.
• Ability to see, hear (with aid), write, count, read, and tell time.
• Driving required; may require some travel after hours and overnight.

Worksite Conditions

• Travel required.
• Inside work environment.
• Long or irregular work hours.
• Working closely with others and working alone.