Mobile Crisis Counselor

BestCare Treatment Services•Madras, OR

About The Position

The Mobile Crisis Counselor responds to crisis calls alongside a Mobile Crisis Peer, assesses clients’ situations to determine service needs, eligibility, and appropriateness of services, and makes referrals or coordinates with other agencies to obtain services for clients and their families. The counselor provides guidance and direction to the designated Peer team member in accordance with BestCare policies and procedures, applicable regulations, and best practices. The role provides crisis and risk assessment and intervention as part of BestCare’s mobile crisis response, including after-hours response. It involves responding to people experiencing mental health crises within the County, gathering information to assess risks of harm to self or others, making safety-planning and level-of-care recommendations, and coordinating with treatment providers, emergency departments, and community partners. The counselor also reviews the Peer team member’s crisis documentation, completes required records and follow-up, and helps connect clients with treatment, social services, respite, or higher levels of care. The work may take place in an ambiguous and frequently changing environment. The counselor must respect client rights, maintain professional boundaries and ethics, comply with mandatory abuse reporting laws and 42 CFR and HIPAA requirements, and complete documentation within agency timelines. The position also calls for serving as a role model, sharing relevant life experience appropriately, and helping clients recognize and use their abilities, strengths, and assets.

Requirements

Master’s degree in an accepted behavioral health field.
Must meet the Oregon Administrative Rules definition of a peer: an individual with similar life experience, either as a current or former recipient of addiction or mental health services, or as a family member of such an individual.
For individuals in recovery from substance-use disorder, continuous recovery for the two years preceding hire.
QMHP-C or LPC/LCSW required, or registration for QMHP-R or PCA/CSWA within one week of hire and ability and commitment to obtain the credential within six months or two years, respectively.
Maintain a valid Oregon driver license or be able to obtain one upon hire, and be insurable under the organization’s auto liability coverage policy. Minimum age 21; no Type A violations in the past three years or three or more Type B violations.
Reliable vehicle with adequate insurance for travel as needed.
Current CPR and First Aid certifications, or obtain them within three months of hiring.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

Respond to crisis calls with the Mobile Crisis Peer and assess client service needs, eligibility, and appropriateness of services.
Make referrals and coordinate with other agencies to obtain services for clients and their families.
Provide guidance and direction to the designated Peer team member in alignment with BestCare policies and procedures, regulations, and best practices.
Provide crisis and risk assessment and intervention services for mobile crisis response, including after-hours response.
Provide immediate mobile response to individuals experiencing mental health crises within the County.
Gather information from clients and collateral sources to assess risk of harm to self or others, and recommend safety planning or a higher level of care as needed.
Assess personal safety in the environment and request law enforcement support when appropriate.
Guide the Peer team member in completing comprehensive safety plans for each client.
Provide assessments, recommendations, and case consultation to treatment providers and emergency departments as appropriate.
Provide information and facilitate connections to mental health treatment and other social services.
Respect client rights and responsibilities and maintain professional boundaries and ethics.
Follow mandatory abuse reporting laws and 42 CFR and HIPAA requirements.
Maintain electronic health records and ancillary records in compliance with agency policies, program procedures, and local, state, and federal regulations; complete documentation within agency timelines.
Review and approve crisis documentation completed by the Peer team member.
Collaborate with team members and community partners, and communicate with mental health providers.
Complete appropriate client follow-up.
Assist with referrals to respite or other higher levels of care as necessary.
Act as a role model to clients, inspire hope, and share life experiences as appropriate.
Telephone clients who need support and may be struggling, prone to self-harm or suicidality, or prone to making poor decisions.
Identify clients’ abilities, strengths, and assets and help them recognize and use them.
Perform other related duties as assigned.