Care Navigation Clinician

City of Durham•Durham, NC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve. In 2022, the Durham Community Safety Department (DCSD) launched four 911 crisis response programs—collectively known as HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams). In 2025, DCSD has added a new division focused on Stabilization Services. This expansion represents an exciting new phase in DCSD’s development—and a thrilling opportunity to pair alternative response programs with stabilization services that can better support Neighbors. DCSD recruits skilled clinicians to support our Care Navigation Team, providing person-centered, trauma informed services to neighbors with behavioral health, social service, and other complex needs. Clinicians play an important role in helping neighbors navigate systems of care, address barriers to services, and build connections to appropriate community-based resources. The Care Navigation Clinician is a full-time, benefits-eligible position that provides clinical assessment, care coordination, and ongoing support to individuals engaged with the Care Navigation Team. This role works collaboratively with neighbors to identify needs, strengths, and goals; develop individualized care plans; and connect individuals to behavioral health care, housing, healthcare, benefits, and other supportive services. The Care Navigation Clinician provides ongoing advocacy for neighbors dealing with concerns related to housing, crisis support, basic needs, and resource connection while coordinating with peer support specialists, community partners, healthcare providers, and other service systems. The clinician also maintains accurate and timely documentation and supports a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and equitable approach that promotes individual choice, stability, self-determination, and meaningful connection to care.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or related human services field.
Provisionally licensed or fully licensed professional within any of the following areas: Licensed or Provisionally Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS/A) Licensed or Provisionally Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC/A) Licensed or Provisionally Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW/A) Licensed or Provisionally Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT/A)
Two years of experience related to assignment.
A track record of demonstrating initiative and sound judgment when handling ambiguity.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, and particularly HIPAA confidentiality, at all times.
Must be able to travel to and from worksite and other locations within Durham
Must be able to walk/stand up to 75% of any assigned shift.
A commitment to and interest in the mission of the department: to enhance public safety through community-centered approaches to prevention and intervention as alternatives to policing and the criminal legal system.
A commitment to equity, which could include having already attended racial equity trainings.

Nice To Haves

Two or more years of crisis response experience.
Experience working with Peer Support Specialists or other individuals with lived experience with behavioral and mental health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises.
Prior experience in outreach/engagement to populations experiencing frequent behavioral and mental health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises.
Strong knowledge and experience with service delivery documentation (including counseling/treatment planning), HIPAA/Confidentiality standards, utilization review, and data management.
Ability to speak two or more languages, with a high priority on Spanish.
Familiarity with Durham health systems and community resources/services for physical health behavioral and mental health, substance use, Intellectual Developmental Disability, family dynamics, sexual/physical abuse, Veterans' Services, vocational rehabilitation, housing, justice involvement, and other services.
Advanced collaboration and interpersonal skills with the ability to build consensus and promote the exchange of information among team members and partners.
A commitment to, knowledge of, and affection for Durham and its communities, which could include living in Durham.

Responsibilities

Complex Case Management: proactively develop and implement care plans to address needs of individuals with barrier needs and advocate for appropriate resources related to housing, basic needs, and resource connection
Clinical Crisis Intervention: Screen and evaluate individuals in crisis, de-escalate situations, and provide therapeutic interventions.
Community Collaboration: Work closely with HEART crisis response, PD, Justice Services, and Health Systems to creatively collaborate on behalf of neighbors that frequently utilize emergency services/are justice involved
Partnership Meetings: Represent Durham Community Safety Department by actively participating in housing, medical, and emergency response case conferencing
Documentation: Reviews and maintains accurate documentation in accordance with local, state and federal regulations and policy
Direct Resource Connection: Provide follow-up support to individuals and others affected, ensuring connection to appropriate services through warm handoffs or direct transport when necessary
Maintain strong knowledge of DSM-5 criteria, particularly for substance use, severe mental illness (SMI/SPMI), and intellectual/developmental disabilities
Professional Development: Participate in supervision, case conferences, trainings, and professional development activities; Contribute to departmental planning and culture, with a focus on effective crisis response
Responder Wellness: Demonstrate resilience, self-care, and wellness practices essential to first responder roles
Performs other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned