Project Manager - Day Shift, MRRCT

DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long-term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time.

The Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team (MRRCT or “Meerkat”) at DESC is a county-funded program responsible for addressing the imminent and emergent needs of community members in crisis in the central region of King County, primarily covering the entirety of Seattle. DESC is uniquely positioned to connect people in crisis to the important support and survival services they may need to overcome and prevent future occurrences of crisis, behavioral health distress, or other instabilities in our community.

About the role

The MRRCT Day Shift Project Manager oversees a highly motivated and effective crisis response outreach team, including Clinical Supervisors, Mental Health Professional Outreach Specialists, Certified Peer Outreach Specialists, and Behavioral Health Outreach Specialists. This team responds to crisis needs of community members throughout the central region of King County, as dispatched by Crisis Connections/988, and provides follow-up care or recommendations as clinically appropriate.

The Project Manager ensures collaborative and engaging connections with law enforcement, fire/medics, designated community responders, emergency room staff, crisis connections dispatch team, and other community partners.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day shift and flex shift operations of the program in continuity with swing and night shift programming, implementing shift work as described in King County’s Provider Manual.
• Manage and provide oversight of 24/7 scheduling for MRRCT services.
• Oversee hiring functions to ensure full staffing across all shifts and position types.
• Work flexible hours as required by program and staffing needs, including evenings, weekends, or holidays, sharing on-call duties and covering shifts as necessary.
• Assure continuity of services with other DESC programming as necessary.
• Participate in verbal de-escalation and supportive restraints in emergent situations, assisting staff to maintain a safe, secure environment.
• Monitor MRRCT fleet vehicles for good working conditions, collaborating with DESC’s Fleet Manager, and ensure vehicle and driver safety policies are followed.
• Ensure MRRCT operates in compliance with contract, licensing, and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate data collection and reporting to King County in conjunction with DESC's Data Systems Administrator.
• Oversee quality assurance of clinical documentation, ensuring staff maintain current and complete clinical records compliant with agency policies and contract requirements.
• Provide routine administrative and clinical supervision to three Clinical Shift Supervisors, including performance evaluations and maintaining supporting documentation.
• Train MRRCT staff in relevant skills and procedures meeting agency and contract requirements.
• Provide crisis intervention and other relevant training.
• Conduct multi-axial assessments, substance use disorder (SUD) assessments, crisis intervention, stabilization, and meaningful engagement to adults referred to MRRCT in the field as necessary.
• Assure program development aligns with principles of recovery-based services and mentor staff on conducting work within a Recovery framework.
• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings, in-service trainings, clinical reviews, and case conferences.
• Maintain strong knowledge of the collective bargaining agreement and assure compliance.
• Provide clinical consultation for evaluating psychiatric, substance use, and housing needs of clients, advocating for access to the most effective community resources.
• Act as point person for coordination and problem-solving with partnering organizations, including law enforcement, criminal legal system, healthcare facilities, behavioral health agencies, and other human service organizations.
• Participate in routine meetings and check-ins with community partners, funders, and others as required.
• Develop expertise and strong working relationships with referral sources and providers of mental health treatment, substance use treatment, housing services, and benefits programs.
• Share on-call administrative and supervisory duties with the Mobile Response Division in emergent situations.
• Assist program staff as necessary when available and on-site at DESC locations.

Requirements

• Eligible for a Licensed AAC credential or any other superseding credential meeting RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional, including independently conducting mental health assessments and making diagnoses.
• Two or more years' experience in community-based behavioral health services.
• Experience working with adults experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and/or substance use disorders.
• Current Washington State driver’s license, insurable driving record, and ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle for agency-related business.
• Ability to pass a Washington State criminal background check.
• Familiarity with Recovery Principles, Crisis Intervention and Stabilization, Integrated Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders, Intensive Case Management, Illness Management, and relevant Evidence-based/Emerging best practices.
• Knowledge of Harm Reduction strategies and strong working knowledge of DSM 5.
• Ability to assess situations quickly and respond appropriately and calmly to mental health and/or substance use disorder crises to ensure client safety.
• Willingness to understand each client’s unique circumstances and incorporate their preferences and goals into crisis response.
• Assist clients in accessing internal resources to reinforce their ability to resolve crises independently.
• Identify unmet needs that may contribute to recurrent crises.
• Strong understanding of recovery and resilience, client partnerships, client choice, and balancing protection from harm with personal dignity.
• Strong communication and writing skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Able and willing to provide community outreach anywhere in King County, at times with no first responders present.
• Ability to communicate with and supervise staff from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behaviors.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.

Preferred Qualifications

• One or more years' supervisory experience.
• Licensed Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Washington State.
• Qualified to provide Department of Health Approved Supervision to LICSW, LMFT, and/or LMHC candidates.
• Bilingual in Spanish/English.
• Crisis Outreach and/or Crisis Intervention experience.
• Bi-cultural background/experience and/or qualification as an Ethnic Minority, DD, or Geriatric Mental Health Specialist (per WAC 388-865-0150 definition).
• Demonstrated ability to be positive in empathetic responses to all persons, value meaningful client engagement, and acquire necessary crisis worker knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
• Ability to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and potentially stressful environment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Sit, drive, walk, stand, and communicate with other employees and vendors.
• Lift and carry items weighing up to 10 pounds.
• Operate computer hardware systems.
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather.
• Manage considerable stress.

Schedule

Day shift: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Days off: Saturday, Sunday

Flexible hours required, including evenings, weekends, or holidays, to meet program and staffing needs.

Benefits

• Medical insurance (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• ORCA card subsidy
• Paid Time Off (34 days per year)
• Retirement Plan