Earlier Mental Health Response Clinician - Crisis Team

Whakarongorau Aotearoa

1d•Remote

About The Position

As an Earlier Mental Health Response Clinician, you’ll be the first point of professional support for people experiencing mental distress, including referrals from Police, Ambulance, crisis mental health support requests and frontline workers seeking expert advice. You’ll use your clinical crisis mental health expertise to efficiently triage calls, assess risk and mental health, provide immediate, culturally responsive support, and guide callers toward safe and effective next steps based on the application of a validated clinical triage tool. You’ll collaborate closely with crisis teams and external partners, ensure accurate documentation, and may step into shift coordination as your confidence grows. This is impactful, fast-paced mahi where your skills directly support the immediate mental wellbeing and safety of individuals and whānau across Aotearoa.

Requirements

5+ years’ experience in working in an Acute Mental Health setting i.e. Crisis Team, liaison Psychiatry, In-patient Mental Health or Triage team
Registered with the NZ Professional Registration Board & hold a current Annual Practising Certificate
Experience of delivering triage and interventions, within mental health settings via the telephone and can use tools as part of this process
Experience in working with suicide and risk, and can effectively undertake risk assessment and management
Confident and competent using multiple IT systems, documenting accurately, managing workload responsibly, and engaging in reflective practice and supervision.
Excellent clinical judgement in mental health triage, suicide risk assessment, intervention planning and telephone-based support.
Ability to build rapport quickly and deliver calm, recovery-focused, person-centred support to callers in distress.
Able to work efficiently and with highly effective communication skills
Strong cultural competence, with practical application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and culturally safe practice.

Nice To Haves

Ideally have had DAO experience

Responsibilities

Efficiently deliver high-quality mental health telephone triage, deescalation interventions and support planning for callers, ensuring safety, dignity and cultural responsiveness.
Build rapport quickly with service users and whānau, working collaboratively to create effective support plans and referrals.
Work closely with Police, Ambulance, crisis teams and other frontline partners to ensure seamless handover, communication and outcomes applying the ISBAR model
Maintain accurate, professional documentation in line with regulatory and organisational standards.
Ensure that consult documents reach the correct clinical team quickly, to support continuity of care.
Use clinical guidelines, decision-support tools and technology effectively to support safe clinical practice, including acting as shift coordinator when required.