Mobile Crisis Certified Peer Specialist

University of Utah Health•Salt Lake City, UT

132d

About The Position

University of Utah Health is seeking a patient-focused Mobile Crisis Certified Peer Specialist to provide on-demand, in-person behavioral health crisis response to Salt Lake County residents. The role includes crisis intervention, de-escalation, suicide risk assessment, and connection to behavioral health resources. Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) peers and certified crisis workers engage with community stakeholders, including law enforcement, fire and EMS, shelters, businesses, and private citizens. Responses are dispatched through the Utah Crisis Line (988) and 911 partners for immediate deployment. Staff operate in teams of two for community safety and billing purposes, serving as behavioral health first responders with the goal of avoiding law enforcement or EMS response to behavioral health emergencies unless a physical safety concern is present. The specialist works in partnership with and under the on-scene supervision of a master’s-level mental health clinician, such as a Certified Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, or Clinical Mental Health Counselor. The role requires trauma-informed interactions, collaboration with patients and people at the scene, coordination with community resources, and adherence to crisis response protocols. The position also includes safety training and community outreach, which may occur in locations not intended for human habitation. University of Utah Health is an integrated academic healthcare system with five hospitals, eleven community health centers, more than 1,600 providers, and a health plan serving over 200,000 members. Its operations include clinical care, research, and education.

Requirements

Obtain Certified Peer Specialist or Certified Family Peer Support Specialist certification within one year of hire.
Hold one of the following: current Family Peer Support Specialist certification issued through the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, or Certified Peer Specialist certification.
Meet any additional license requirements determined by the hiring department.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
Strong organizational and follow-through skills.
Demonstrated human-relations skills and effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and solve problems.
Knowledge of community resources, discharge planning, and crisis de-escalation.
Knowledge of life-span growth and development principles and ability to assess data regarding a patient's status.
Interpersonal skills to build patient trust and respond appropriately in a crisis situation.
Knowledge of HIPAA and ability to comply with its requirements.
Demonstrated effective de-escalation techniques and crisis-intervention skills.
Ability to meet the physical and working-condition requirements, with or without accommodation, including intermediate work that may exert up to 50 pounds and may consistently require lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving objects while providing patient care.
Manual dexterity, balance, eyesight, and hearing sufficient for the role.
Ability to perform the listed physical activities: listening, manual dexterity, near vision, speaking, and walking.

Nice To Haves

Two to four years of experience in the field or a related area.
Bilingual skills.

Responsibilities

Assess the environment for safety, health and wellbeing, and the mental status of individuals in crisis to determine appropriate crisis or emergency interventions under the supervision of and in collaboration with a master’s-level mental health clinician.
Engage with patients, family members, friends, other first responders, and others at the scene to coordinate crisis intervention and collaborative emergency care.
Coordinate care with appropriate community partners and resources, including law enforcement and EMS.
Triage and prioritize community responses based on the acuity of behavioral health emergencies.
Offer individualized resources and support, and make follow-up calls to help mitigate future behavioral health crises.
Follow behavior-management, de-escalation, and crisis-intervention protocols and procedures.
Ensure client interactions are trauma-informed and consistent with best practices.
Demonstrate sensitivity and competency regarding individual client needs and cultural awareness.
Attend safety training involving local law enforcement and/or University of Utah Health Safety and Security, including training in situational awareness, risk assessment, and responses to potential weapons or illegal substances at a scene.
Use lived experience with mental health challenges, co-occurring disorders, and/or substance use when appropriate and applicable, within professional boundaries and in accordance with peer support certification eligibility and training.