Jail Diversion Coordinator

The Eliot Center is seeking a dynamic, organized and self-motivated leader in the role of Jail Diversion Coordinator.  This position works with the Lynn Police Department assisting individuals, including adults, adolescents, children, and families who are dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues to ensure diversion from the criminal justice system to treatment providers. Candidates will have experience working within the criminal justice system and/or with individuals with mental illness with forensic involvement. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to develop community connections with other providers, stakeholders, police departments and family members.

Responsibilities:

• Promote hope and empowerment through meetings and support with consumers. Empower consumers to exercise autonomy in all aspects of their life.
• Assist consumers with identifying choices and developing skills in self advocacy.

• Provide side by side interventions to consumers that focus on problem solving, skills training, modeling behavior, optimism and encouragement focused on treatment for mental illness and/or substance abuse.

• Develop and manage a referral base with the police department and the local mental health and substance abuse community in order to develop a population to provide services, ensuring diversion of individuals from criminal justice system to treatment providers

• Develop Action Plans for each consumer in which a sustained clinical relationship is developed.

• Ensure that treatment goals are culturally competent, strength based, realistic, attainable and promote recovery.

• Provide co-response for police officers when they have identified individuals in crisis or in need of developing diversion plans.

• Ensure that consumer’s strengths and motivations are central to goals and interventions.

• Assist consumers in being fully integrated in their communities by supporting them in the use of community resources, encouraging them in establishing memberships within their communities, and reducing stigma within the community through education.

• Ensure that consumers are treated with dignity and respect in accordance with ECHS’ Human Rights policy. Ensure that that the foundations of services compasses empowerment, choices and recovery.

• Promote concepts of health and wellness. Assist consumers with accessing information and services related to medical care, nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation as appropriate.

• Participate in the development of safety plans or crisis management plans to assist clients in maintaining personal safety and the safety of those around them when under increased stress.

• Provide and maintain therapeutic boundaries and a professional relationship with consumers.

• Exercise sound judgment by providing appropriate distance and support that promotes a trusting relationship and places the well being of the consumer first.

• Ensure that the emotional vulnerability of the consumer is not exploited for personal or other interests and act in a manner that cannot be misconstrued by the consumer. This includes but is not limited to the following: sexual exploitation; initiating or pursuing a relationship (friendship, sexual or otherwise); physical, verbal or emotional abuse; financial exploitation; gift giving that is not reasonable or necessary.

• Maintain and adhere to Agency policy/procedures regarding consumer confidentiality. Ensuring that: consumer records are maintained in a locked area and access is limited; clinical conversations occur in an area where the information can not be overheard by others; privileged information regarding a consumer, is not given verbally or otherwise without the consumer’s written consent. Adhere to all HIPAA regulations.

• Ensure consumers are free from neglect and abuse. Report all concerns/suspicions of abuse/neglect to supervisor and the Disabled Persons Protection Commission.

• Ensure the safety of consumers; implementing crisis intervention as necessary. Includes but not limited to: use of deescalating modes of communication/ interaction to ensure consumer’s safety, stability, mental status, and physical health; utilize supervisor and team members for consultation; communicating all pertinent information in a clear and concise manner with particular attention to clinical observations

• Act as on-call support to consumers on rotating basis.

• Assist with issues pertaining to consumer care, medications, psychiatric/medical crises support for consumers. Contacts
  supervisor immediately for any support as needed.

• Obtain and maintain CPR, First Aid, and other training certifications as required by the agency and DMH. Maintain any additional certifications or attend trainings as required by supervisor/division director. Safely transport medications according to agency policy.

• Respect diversity of others by demonstrating and modeling cultural awareness and sensitivity at all times.

Qualifications:

• Must have bachelor’s in psychology, social work or related field and three years experience
• One year of experience working within the criminal justice system and/or with individuals with mental illness with forensic involvement
• Proven ability to develop community connections with other providers, stakeholders, police departments and family members
• Ability to develop individualized interventions and plans for individuals with emotional, mental health and/or substance abuse issues who are in crisis and/or involved with the criminal justice system
• Must have a strong commitment to mental health recovery and substance abuse recovery
• Must have skills to establish supportive relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and/or substance abuse and respect for their preferences for treatment
• Must have valid drivers license and reliable transportation.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and effective, solution focused, problem solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations and cultural groups.

Schedule: Monday- Friday 9am-5pm

Salary: Based on experience

Eliot is committed to identifying and dismantling barriers that prevent people with marginalized racial identities from actualizing their full employment potential, assuming leadership roles, or from fully engaging at all levels in the workplace.