Mental Health Crisis Co-Responder - NE

About the Role

Under the general administrative direction of the Mental Health Coordinator of the Omaha Police Department (OPD), the incumbent provides immediate crisis intervention, clinical case management services, and assistance to citizens and/or their families with a goal of promoting overall stability, minimizing interaction with law enforcement, emergency mental health hospitalization, and incarcerations. These citizens and/or their families may experience issues such as homelessness, substance use, mental and/or chronic health illnesses, domestic violence, employment challenges, poverty, being a victim of crime, and access to basic necessities.

The role requires close collaboration with the entire OPD team, engagement with external service providers, and the ability to work positively and professionally with the general public. Work is performed with considerable independence, with general supervision from an assigned supervisor.

Responsibilities

• Provides clinical and intensive case management services, including behavioral risk assessments, clinical/crisis counseling, crisis intervention, consultation, support, information, and appropriate referrals to other community agencies.
• Acts as a bridge between individuals, the department, community agencies, and other helping professionals to coordinate services and determine the best route of care.
• Documents and monitors interactions with individuals, routinely assessing responses to interventions and providing follow-up and outreach as needed.
• Prepares and retains timely correspondence, reports, individual progress notes, and other documentation.
• Provides intervention in response to crises to reduce symptoms and avoid admission to restrictive environments, ensuring appropriate service referrals are completed.
• Develops short-term treatment and intervention plans to assist individuals in single or multiple areas of focus.
• Assists with voluntary and involuntary hospital admission processes, including providing law enforcement recommendations for diversion or higher levels of care.
• Supports individuals in crisis to ensure statutory criteria are met and aids in involuntary placement based on state statute, including completing all associated documentation.
• Participates in diversionary efforts to decrease unnecessary law enforcement contact with individuals needing mental health assistance.
• Provides guidance and recommendations on interventions based on mental health symptomology during critical incidents with law enforcement.
• Provides debriefing to responders following traumatic incidents as requested by the department.
• Assists, educates, informs, and empowers under-represented populations, including vulnerable communities, refugees, and immigrant populations.
• Participates in staff meetings, interdisciplinary team meetings, and other meetings as assigned.
• Engages in training efforts and education for law enforcement and other city departments, providing formal/informal training as needed.
• Rides with or meets officers to assist in a co-responder model serving those in crisis and working with top utilizers of 911 services.
• Maintains regular job attendance in accordance with a schedule established by the supervisor.
• Performs other duties as assigned or as the situation dictates within the scope of this classification.

Youth Crisis Division (specific duties)

• Attends community meetings and serves as an advocate for youth in crisis who overlap with the OPD.
• Assists School Resource Officers (SROs) with complex cases regarding youth in crisis within the school system and the community.
• Prioritizes response to youth-specific calls for service city-wide.
• Acts as a liaison between youth-involved community agencies (e.g., public school systems, Department of Health and Human Services, Project Harmony, Child Saving Institute) to advocate for treatment needs and divert youth from system involvement.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or Human Services.
• Three (3) years of related work experience, including assessing the physical, mental, social, and economic needs of a diverse population, and field work experience with individuals who experience substance use or mental illness.
• License as a Mental Health Practitioner preferred (provisional license accepted).
• Valid motor vehicle operator’s license from the time of appointment.
• Availability to work flexible hours, including weekends, evenings, and potential call-ins during emergency situations requiring co-responder assistance.

Skills

• Knowledge of and ability to operate computers or other technology using standard or customized software applications.
• Knowledge of current principles and practices of mental health administration.
• Knowledge of public and private healthcare entities, including advocacy groups involved in mental health and substance abuse.
• Knowledge of current trends in prevention and treatment of mental illness and substance abuse-related state statutes, and skill in providing related assessments.
• Effective time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Ability to demonstrate independent judgment to assess and meet citizen needs.
• Ability to engage in meaningful, outcome-oriented dialogue with citizens, families, community agencies, and professional schools to coordinate care.
• Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries while providing adequate services to meet citizen needs.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, and diversity issues.
• Ability to understand written and oral instructions, and demonstrate interpersonal, active listening, and critical analysis skills.
• Ability to adhere to safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with city employees, mental health providers, consumers, and the public.
• Ability to present information to groups and individuals via presentations or written materials.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, the public, advocacy groups, and community partners in law enforcement and mental health.
• Ability to learn and adapt to advances in computer and electronics technology and software.
• Ability to perform assignments accurately and with proper detail in a timely manner.
• Physical ability to sit 76–100% of the time, stand and walk 26–50% of the time, and reach, bend, stoop, push, and pull up to 25% of the time.
• Ability to move objects weighing up to ten (10) pounds up to 33% of the time.

Benefits

• Forty-hour work week.
• Paid leave per year: twelve days vacation, five days management leave, fifteen days sick leave, and fifteen holidays.
• Employee group health insurance, including major medical, vision, and dental coverage for individuals or families.
• Defined benefit pension plan, plus Social Security.

See hr.cityofomaha.org for detailed information.

Pay

$60,944 annually with step increases to $86,465.60.

Conditions of Employment

• Candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, permanent residence, or authorization to work without sponsorship.
• The City of Omaha reserves the right to conduct pre-employment inquiries, including verification of employment history, educational attainment, driving record, credit history, criminal convictions, and medical/psychological/functional capacity tests.
• Failure to provide requested information truthfully, timely, and accurately may result in disqualification or termination.