Mental Health Advocate

Carbondale, City of•Carbondale, IL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a full-time professional position in the City's Police Department. The Police Mental Health Advocate (PMHA) provides administrative oversight for the Crisis Services, and additionally, direct services to individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis; participates in the delivery of Crisis Services to those individuals; is responsible for providing face-to-face crisis response and assessment to individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis; provides support and linkage to other area resources with follow-up contact with the individual, and performs other responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

Must be able to pass a law enforcement background check and obtain a fingerprint clearance card
Must pass required drug test
Must have experience in de-escalating clients in crisis situations
Must be able to work in a fast paced, team environment
Must understand, formulate and implement all aspects of Crisis Services
Must be a team oriented worker
Must demonstrate self-motivation
Must have excellent communication and listening skills
Must have a working knowledge of individual, group, family, and crisis treatment approaches and their application to clients with emotional, behavioral and/or substance use disorder problems
Must be able to provide services in the Police Department, mental health center settings, schools, jails, emergency rooms, in the community and client homes. This may necessitate travel within the community.
Must be able to help others achieve paths to well-being
Must use professional and mature judgment in problem resolution and formulate appropriate crisis and de-escalation intervention.
Master’s Degree in a Human Services related field
Experience working in a mental health setting.

Nice To Haves

Associate or independent licensure as an LAC/LPC or LCSW strongly preferred
One-year behavioral health or law enforcement and crisis experience preferred

Responsibilities

Assists the Carbondale Police Department (CPD) whenever they come into contact with suspected persons with a mental illness or substance use disorder (SUD).
Assists CPD staff to prevent unnecessary hospitalization and/or reduce CPD use of force incidents involving persons suffering from mental illness, behavioral health symptoms or SUD.
Responds to calls when dispatched or requested by CPD officers, conducts assessments, offers effective and efficient interventions, and coordinates care to enhance CPD services.
Assesses residents’ treatment needs related to psychiatric, medical, social, and emotional care and follow-up after the event for 72 hours and beyond to ensure engagement and access to services.
Adheres to professionally recognized ethical standards of care.
Works effectively in Crisis Service delivery dealing with individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
Helps determine when to involve medical personnel when medical safety is an issue.
Exercises sound clinical judgment in determining a person’s ability to remain safely in the Community.
Develops and maintains a case management system for identifying individuals in the community with mental illness that are frequently contacted by law enforcement who have no working system of treatment in place.
Tracks cases of persons with mental illness who are referred to other agencies, and provides information on potential threats that exist to the community and the individual (i.e., family members, community members) and corporate (i.e. businesses, places of worship, medical facilities) levels.
Works with outside agencies, and with the Carbondale Police Department’s training unit to generate and implement training to police officers and telecommunicators in dealing with mental health issues.
Seeks out and implements grants concerning mental health response and training for PMHA partners.
Identifies ways to measure the performance of agency responses to mental health issues in Carbondale, and presents ideas to improve services to City and crisis care administrators.
Coordinates as needed with officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys and family members to conduct civil commitment proceedings when necessary.
May be assigned to community consultation and education projects