Social Worker, Senior - Expanded Response Team

Hennepin County's Behavioral Health area is seeking a Senior Social Worker to join the Expanded Response Team (ERT). The ERT team includes two Social Workers who respond in real-time to urgent 911 calls, embedded within the Brooklyn Center Police Department and dispatched by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. The team responds to a variety of call types deemed urgent by the 911 caller, excluding those flagged as potentially violent or involving weapons, in addition to mobile crisis team requests. The team may respond with or in lieu of patrol officers.

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into this position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus.

About the role

• Develop collaborative relationships with law enforcement, emergency departments, human services, and other community stakeholders/partners.
• Conduct crisis and risk assessments of adults, children, and adolescents in a client’s home or community setting.
• Utilize solution-focused interventions to create culturally informed, person-centered crisis/safety plans with individuals in crisis.
• Facilitate immediate treatment planning, disposition, and coordination of recommendations and services.
• Coordinate placement into facilities providing a higher level of care when individuals are assessed as unsafe to remain in the community.
• Facilitate immediate service coordination with community providers and connect individuals to new and existing supports.
• Provide consultation, support, and resources to police officers responding to behavioral health-related calls.
• Document referrals and case notes using state and county systems (Epic Electronic Records System).
• Transport individuals, as needed, to community providers for stabilization (a vehicle may be provided based on assigned duties).
• Provide short-term follow-up as needed.
• Assist the embedded social worker with file clearance and outreach calls.
• Participate in community engagement events and other assigned duties.

Requirements

One of the following:

• Master's degree or higher in social work or a closely related field with coursework emphasis in areas such as social work methods, human growth and behavior, and principles of social welfare.
• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or human services, plus at least 18 semester (27 quarter) credits of graduate work in the above areas, and three or more years of full-time supervised experience as a social worker.

• Licensed as a Graduate Social Worker by the Minnesota Board of Social Work.
• Valid driver's license, daily access to reliable transportation, and ability to obtain a Hennepin County Driver's Permit.

Skills

• Ability to obtain and maintain Minnesota Criminal Justice Data Network Certification and pass the CJIS Competency Exam within 6 months of employment (annual recertification required).
• Licensed or working toward licensure as a Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LSGW), Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).
• Experience serving individuals living with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders.
• Experience serving individuals involved in the criminal justice system.
• Experience providing case management.
• Experience collaborating with law enforcement to address safety and needs of individuals.
• Experience effectively interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, including efforts toward disparity elimination.
• Knowledge of diversity in cultural and lifestyle experiences, beliefs, and practices relating to health, community, family structure, and disparities.
• Knowledge of county and community resources for mental health, substance use disorder, social services, and basic needs.
• Knowledge of harm reduction principles, trauma-informed care, person-centered thinking, and social determinants of health.
• Knowledge of social work best practices, ethics, race-based disparities, and their impact on community development, social justice, and health outcomes.
• Ability to function well in unpredictable and challenging situations requiring sensitivity, flexibility, resourcefulness, and independent judgment.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and computer skills.
• Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply; those who pass a language assessment may qualify for additional bilingual pay and duties.

Location and hours

This position is located onsite at the Brooklyn Center Police Department, 6645 Humboldt Avenue North, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430, and requires travel throughout Hennepin County. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis; details will be provided upon hire.

Benefits

Hennepin County offers a combination of competitive benefits and a positive workplace culture, including:

• Meaningful work impacting the community.
• Competitive pay.
• Work-life balance.
• A variety of benefits and opportunities for growth.

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