Crisis Specialist

Job description

The Crisis Specialist works alongside a team of professionals to provide guidance and support to individuals who are in a mental health or substance use crisis. Responsible for the care of clients being served through Grassroots’ Mobile Crisis Team, Urgent Care Walk-In Crisis Center, and Substance Use Disorder programs. Position involves meeting face-to-face with individuals both in the office and the community to assist individuals with mental health and/or substance use related concerns. Position involves providing emotional support, de-escalation, scheduling appointments, completing warm hand offs, providing resources/referrals, and following up with clients. This position is responsible for providing supportive services to help individuals regain a sense of safety, return to their normal level of functioning, and/or access ongoing treatment services as needed. The Crisis Specialist is responsible for providing excellent service by applying reflective listening and motivational interviewing skills. This position has the special training and skills to interact both face-to-face and via phone, to understand clients’ unique circumstances and needs, render immediate emotional support, provide options for ongoing support/treatment and follow up to ensure needs are being met.

The following shifts are needed:

• Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm
• Monday - Friday 12:00am - 8:00am

Primary Responsibilities:

• Responds to requests for mobile response in the community alongside a clinician to provide services to individuals experiencing mental/behavioral health crisis.
• Responds to individuals presenting to the agency for support with mental/behavioral health crisis.
• Triages walk-in clients to determine client needs and identify the most appropriate level of intervention.
• Works with clients, their existing supports, and other Crisis team members to determine how to best achieve stabilization of the crisis.
• Participates in the intervention process by utilizing motivational interviewing, harm reduction counseling, and partnering in referral to ongoing treatment by offering warm handoffs to external providers.
• Provides recovery education to clients for every phase of the recovery journey to include pre-recovery engagement, recovery initiation, recovery stabilization, and recovery maintenance.
• Assists clients in articulating personal goals for recovery and works with their existing support to determine the steps needed in order to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.
• Assists clients in locating and joining self-help/mutual support groups.
• Identifies internal and external barriers to full participation in community resources as needed, and develops strategies to overcome those barriers including, but not limited to, applying for health insurance, seeking grant funding for treatment services, collaborating with clients’ natural supports, and/or seeking consult to coordinate psychiatric or medical evaluation.
• Assists clients in linking to service providers based on their identified needs.
• Provides follow-up to ensure clients are appropriately linked to services.
• Provides family members, community members, or other interested parties with information about available services or programs, making appropriate referrals when necessary.
• Maintains client records and documentation in appropriate files and databases.
• Assists with monthly data monitoring and follow through on client outcomes by reviewing the pre-screens completed by all Grassroots walk-in clients.
• Participates in harm reduction efforts, including maintaining a supply of harm reduction kits onsite.
• Monitors onsite inventory of client supplies to minimize barriers to treatment and ensure that clients’ needs are met during the stabilization process.
• Completes client satisfaction surveys.
• Respects each client’s privacy rights under HIPAA and other applicable laws and regulations during the provision of services.
• Arrives for shift on time and properly attired.
• Attends weekly supervision.
• Completes all training as required by Grassroots and under COMAR.

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Other duties as assigned, required or needed.

Agency-wide Responsibilities:

• Participates in supervision, in-service training, and staff meetings.
• Maintains good working relationships with co-workers and positively contributes to group morale.
• Completes all administrative duties including time sheets, leave requests, etc.
• Participates in special task forces, committees, or special projects as needed.
• Uses appropriate channels of communication to resolve conflicts with other staff.
• Interacts with staff, clients, and visitors in a professional and courteous manner.

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma, some college preferred.
• Knowledge of the recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes
• Completes required educational training set by COMAR.

PREFERRED:

• Lived experience with mental health and/or substance use disorder with at least 2 years in recovery
• Associate’s degree or higher in a health/human services/substance use disorder related field.

Skills and Abilities:

• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Computer skills with various software and the internet.
• Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Knowledge of community resources.

Work Conditions:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard.
• Must be able to lift 25lbs.
• Must be willing to use company vehicle for company-related transportation, including responding to clients in the community, obtaining medications from the pharmacy, and attending community meetings.
• Works some holiday shifts during the year.
• Shared office space.
• Occasionally required to come in outside of regular business hours for coverage needs.

Supplemental Grassroots Rewards & Incentives:

• Grassroots offers to pay 100% of the expenses for its employees wishing to take advantage in the following areas:
• Licensure and/or Renewal (ex. Clinical, Nursing, Medical, etc.)
• CEUs
• Professional Trainings and/or Conferences
• Field Certifications
• Automatic wage increases for Certifications achieved while employed.
• $250 Hiring Bonus for full completion of Onboarding and HR trainings. – w/stipulation that they are completed as scheduled by Grassroots.
• $500 Retention Bonus – w/ stipulation that the employee is in positive standing and meets probation.
• Small Loan Option at 0% Interest for 1 year
• We do not offer Tuition Reimbursement. This is strictly funding available for professional development and/or training.

**All incentives and/rewards are subject to the employee meeting the required policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, agency’s 3-month probationary period, performance metrics, and/or signed agreements prior to registration and authorization by Grassroots leadership**

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $23.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Medical Specialty:

• Addiction Medicine
• Psychiatry

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Every weekend
• Monday to Friday
• Overnight shift

Work Location: In person

Salary : $23