Mental Health Consultant - Acute Care Coordinator, Behavioral Health Division Crisis Call Center

Multnomah County•Portland, OR

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Acute Care Coordinator in the Behavioral Health Division Crisis Call Center provides crisis intervention, triage, and care coordination for callers on the Multnomah and Washington County Crisis Lines. The 24-hour Call Center serves as a hub for mental health services across Multnomah and Washington Counties, handling approximately 75,000 calls annually and operating by phone across multiple crisis, referral, and transfer lines. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions with routine telework, including regular, swing, and graveyard shifts. Employees must reside in Oregon or Washington. The specified position is .88 FTE, Wednesday through Friday and alternating Saturdays, from 5:00 PM to 3:30 AM; some in-person meetings and trainings are required. The position is hourly, union-represented, non-exempt, and eligible for overtime. The Acute Care Coordinator assesses callers’ needs, provides immediate crisis support, coordinates access to emergency and crisis services, and connects people with community mental health providers. The role also provides short-term follow-up and case coordination for callers with urgent or complex needs, documents clinical and community contacts, and offers consultation and policy guidance to fellow clinicians. Work requires managing phone and computer systems simultaneously while making timely clinical decisions and documenting interactions. The role requires a relevant graduate degree and current QMHP-R certification and/or qualifying professional licensure. A background investigation, which may include fingerprinting, is required. The role emphasizes culturally responsive, trauma-informed, equitable, and empathetic service to people experiencing mental health crises and barriers to opportunity.

Requirements

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a mental health field, with major coursework in social science or a related field demonstrating capacity for required knowledge and skills and meeting QMHP-R credentialing requirements under Oregon Administrative Rules and MHACBO requirements.
Current QMHP-R certification and/or qualifying licensure, such as LPC, LCSW, LMFT, CSWA, LPC Associate, or PhD, as specified in the posting.
A background investigation is required and may include fingerprinting.
Must reside in Oregon or Washington while employed in the telework arrangement.
Ability to manage phone and computer technology simultaneously, including proficient touch typing without looking at the fingers, while making rapid clinical decisions and documenting concurrently.
Applicants must submit a completed online application, a resume demonstrating minimum qualifications, a cover letter addressing work with diverse vulnerable populations and crisis intervention/risk assessment, reasons for interest and qualification, and a copy of Oregon licensure and/or QMHP-R certification with its status.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of cultural, racial, and ethnic factors affecting mental health and treatment, including systemic advantage or disadvantage, acculturation, immigrant-family challenges, trauma related to immigration, war, separation, detention or refugee camps, generational trauma, and other factors affecting non-dominant cultures.
Respect for and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity.
Ability to apply an equity, intersectional, and anti-racist lens.
Ability to provide information and referrals to community mental health providers.
Crisis intervention experience, including risk assessment for clients who may be involved in potentially life-threatening situations.
Advanced skills in managing sensitive information and supporting the community.
Knowledge of the cultures, customs, and social experiences of communities experiencing marginalization and barriers to opportunity.
Good judgment, diplomacy, and tact when handling sensitive, complex, confidential information and situations, and a professional, empathetic approach with individuals, partners, and communities.

Responsibilities

Provide phone crisis intervention, risk assessment, and solution-focused support for clients experiencing potentially life-threatening situations or mental health crises, including panic, depression, agitation, or delusional thinking.
Facilitate access to emergency and crisis services, coordinating with 911, mobile outreach, and partner agencies.
Manage phone and computer technology simultaneously while making rapid clinical decisions, following policies, and documenting interactions during caller support.
Provide short-term case coordination and follow-up for callers with urgent or complex needs, including people with specialized health-care needs.
Coordinate with community corrections agencies, police, substance-use treatment providers, mental health providers, hospital emergency departments, and residential facilities to ensure needs are addressed.
Document member, provider, and community contacts and clinical reviews, including symptoms, interventions, goals, and plans for next review.
Upload crisis alerts received from community providers and police reports, and provide specially requested outreach to clients.
Provide information and directive support to fellow clinicians regarding client resources and clarification of policies and procedures.
Triage callers on the Multnomah and Washington County Crisis Lines, coordinate care across the mental health system, and provide information and referrals to community mental health providers.
Complete required application materials and participate in the recruitment screening and selection process.