Police Based Co-Responder

About the Role

At Jefferson Center, we are passionate about building a community where mental health matters and equitable care is accessible to all races, ethnicities, abilities, socioeconomic statuses, ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, religions, cultures, and languages. The Police Based Co-Responder will provide early intervention assessment, referrals, and clinical case management services to individuals identified by the contracted police department as possibly having mental health issues. This role involves collaboration with various networks within Jefferson Center for Mental Health and external agencies to deliver training, education, and transition services.

Responsibilities

• Accompany officers on mental health-related calls in the community.
• Triage, provide crisis intervention, assess needs, and link individuals with resources and treatment.
• Assess all referrals to determine appropriateness for services at Jefferson Center.
• Provide case management services, including linking to services, monitoring, follow-up, and crisis management for consumers.
• Deliver services in office-based, community-based, or in-home settings as needed.
• Make appropriate referrals and act as a liaison with community agencies, service providers, and natural support systems.
• Provide in-reach and outreach at designated facilities as assigned.
• Collaborate with consumers, family members, and significant others to identify strengths, needs, and treatment plans.
• Assist in developing community-based resources for social, vocational, and leisure skills.
• Maintain communication and links with other Jefferson Center programs (e.g., Access, Inpatient, Outpatient, Navigation, and Wellness).
• Coordinate emergency services when clinically indicated or medically necessary, including risk/lethality assessments and inpatient admissions.
• Assist with resource acquisition and applications for benefits/entitlements in collaboration with the Benefits/Navigation Team.
• Support consumers with basic needs such as housing, food, clothing, medical/dental care, legal, vocational, and psychiatric services.
• Provide ongoing training and educational opportunities for officers to increase awareness of de-escalation, mental health, and intervention techniques.
• Educate family members to assist clients and themselves.
• Participate in team meetings, clinical staffings, and clinical consultation as scheduled.
• Adhere to clinical practice guidelines, Jefferson Center, and State Division of Mental Health standards for service delivery.
• Provide training and onboarding to new hires as requested by a supervisor.
• Manage and maintain accurate and timely data collection and documentation.
• Work with the management team on reports and presentations as assigned.
• Submit 90% of all Progress-to-Date forms within 3 working days (team-specific).
• Complete 95% of all paperwork by the due date.
• Satisfactorily complete 90% of peer review charts needing corrections within 14 calendar days.
• Complete 95% of case closings within 90 days after the last contact.

Professional Growth and Development

• Attend mandatory in-services and comply with individualized training plans.
• Participate in supervision with a prepared agenda, report high-risk cases, and utilize feedback for problem-solving.
• Promote dignity and respect through language and behavior with consumers, staff, and external customers.
• Strive for self-improvement and learn new skills to benefit consumers and Jefferson Center.
• Attend supervision at agreed-upon times and intervals.
• Exhibit enthusiasm, courtesy, adaptability, flexibility, and cooperation in the work environment.
• Maintain effective interpersonal relations with consumers, peers, management, and the public.
• Demonstrate cultural competency and awareness in working with diverse caseloads.
• Respond effectively to client needs, initiate positive interactions, and maintain timely communication.
• Work cooperatively with other community agencies as appropriate and agreed upon with a supervisor.
• Volunteer to work on Jefferson Center committees.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in a related field, plus one to two years of related experience and/or training.
• Licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT) preferred but not required; must be license-eligible.
• Active Driver’s License and acceptable Motor Vehicle Report required.

Pay

• Salary Grade 51 (Master’s Unlicensed Clinician): $57,000 - $64,000 (paid hourly).
• Salary Grade 52 (Licensed Clinician - LCSW, LMFT, LPC): $70,000 – $77,200 (paid salaried).

Jefferson Center pay is based on various factors, including education level, licensure level, and years of relative experience. The salary range listed above is based on 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week).