Crisis Outreach Specialist - Swing Shift

Downtown Emergency Service Center•Seattle, WA

12h•Onsite

About The Position

As a member of DESC's Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team (MRRCT), you will be on the front lines responding to adults in the community experiencing mental health or substance use crises, as dispatched by Crisis Connections (988). You will work in a team alongside other skilled colleagues, including Mental Health Professionals and Certified Peer Counselors. Teams of two will assist individuals wherever they are in the community in identifying appropriate therapeutic options and next steps to resolve their crisis, while avoiding unnecessary usage of emergency rooms or other non-therapeutic settings like jail. The team works throughout the central region of King County, primarily Seattle, in a wide variety of community settings every day throughout the year, and in all types of weather. 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.

Requirements

Ability to meet Washington Department of Health requirements for registration as a Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) or any other superseding credential.
Relevant Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related behavioral science, OR Associate's degree and two years' experience in mental health or related fields.
Interest in working with clients who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health/substance use disorder programs.
Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business.
A current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record are required.
Be able to pass a Washington State Criminal background check.
Experience and skills in working with mentally ill individuals who are difficult to engage and may resist services.
Familiar with Recovery Principles, Crisis Intervention and Stabilization, Integrated Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders, Intensive Case Management, Illness Management, Trauma-Informed Treatment, and relevant Evidenced based/Emerging best practices.
Knowledge of Harm Reduction strategies.
Strong working knowledge of DSM IV (and its successor).
Be able to assess situations quickly and respond appropriately to any type of mental health and/or chemical dependency crisis to ensure the physical and psychological safety of clients.
Be willing to seek to understand each client's unique circumstances and personal preferences and goals and incorporate them into the crisis response to help the client regain a sense of control.
Assist clients in accessing internal resources to reinforce the client's ability to resolve crisis on their own.
Assist clients in identifying unmet needs that may be causing them to have recurrent crisis.
Have a strong understanding of recovery and resilience, the value of client partnerships and client choice, and the balance between protection from harm and personal dignity.
Possess strong communication and writing skills.
Able and willing to provide community outreach anywhere in King County from which a referral may originate.
Familiar with King County crisis response system, other relevant community resources, and methods of access.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.
Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for program participants.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish/English (fluent).
Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as social work or psychology.
Meet criteria as a Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP).
Strong applicants are able to demonstrate the ability to be positive in their empathetic responses to all persons; understand the value of meaningful and deep client engagement; have the potential to acquire the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills of an effective crisis worker; and value a nonjudgmental response to sensitive issues.
Candidates should be able to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and potentially stressful environment.

Responsibilities

Perform timely outreach services to individuals needing crisis intervention services, assessment, referral, and linkage to needed services, in response to and cooperation with Crisis Connections and other referents.
Conduct meaningful engagement to provide observation for multi-axial assessments, and substance use disorder assessments as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
Engage in crisis intervention, stabilization, and related activities.
Establish and implement a plan to successfully engage clients in relevant services and other resources.
Provide follow-up services aimed at establishing linkage to services for program participants, as needed.
Complete all data collection and documentation required.
Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with programs providing services for the population served.
Comply with all agency policies and procedures, and relevant titles of the Washington Administrative Code and Revised Code of Washington.
Advocate for clients' access to community resources and services, ensuring that clients' needs are met and rights maintained; consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care.
Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for clients on caseload.
Provide support to other DESC staff and programs around client crisis situations, including consultation and in-person responses to help assess and prevent emerging crisis events.
Participate in verbal de-escalation and be able and willing to assist other staff as needed to maintain a safe, secure environment.
Other duties as assigned.