Outreach Crisis Specialist, Fairhope

AltaPointe Health•Fairhope, AL

About The Position

The Outreach Crisis Specialist responds to crisis calls and provides crisis services in the community, including consumers’ homes. The role assesses crisis situations, determines appropriate responses, works to de-escalate or resolve crises, and coordinates referrals, placements, and follow-up care with AltaPointe teams and community partners. The specialist may provide clinical assessments, treatment planning, therapy, safety planning, advocacy, and discharge planning as needed. The position also maintains clinical records and manages a caseload in accordance with AltaPointe policies and productivity standards. It requires courteous, compassionate, and respectful engagement with consumers, families, co-workers, and outside agencies, as well as participation in supervision, staff education, performance improvement activities, and other assigned administrative duties.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a mental health discipline, or RN or LPN with at least 2 years of experience working with psychiatric disorders or crisis situations.
Knowledge of psychiatric disorders in the adult population; this adult specialty knowledge must be attained within six months of employment.
Knowledge of cultural diversity, behavior management, crisis intervention, interventions for acute psychotic consumers, and non-violent crisis intervention practices.
Knowledge of psychiatric rehabilitation principles and educational methods appropriate to adults with severe and persistent psychiatric disorders.
Knowledge of AltaPointe services and continuum of care, appropriate service codes and billing procedures, and community resources.
Basic knowledge of addiction and Senior Adult issues for referral purposes.
Current license and renewal requirements, including continuing education, if applicable.

Responsibilities

Respond to crisis calls in a timely manner and help initiate and implement crisis team services.
Make face-to-face visits following calls to Access To Care or the Outreach Liaison, including visits in the community and consumers’ homes.
Recognize crisis states, de-escalate or resolve situations, and determine the appropriate level of response.
Transport consumers to services on a limited basis.
Educate families about de-escalating crises, including safety planning.
Coordinate with Access To Care and AltaPointe staff to support consumer placement in services.
Follow up with consumers in Adult Outpatient Programs who may be decompensating or at high risk.
Visit consumers’ homes as needed to ensure medication compliance.
Communicate with consumers’ treatment teams using appropriate methods and triage calls from multiple referral sources.
Assess medical needs, help consumers seek treatment, and secure emergency medical services or law enforcement when needed.
Conduct clinical assessments and use assessment data to support a DSM IV diagnosis as needed.
Develop treatment plans with consumers and families as appropriate, and provide individual, group, or family therapy as needed.
Collaborate with treatment team members, law enforcement, emergency medical services, court personnel, and outside sources in delivering clinical services.
Advocate for consumers to secure community resources and evaluate discharge planning or movement to a less restrictive environment.
Follow professional ethics and apply adult-specific competencies.
Seek clinical supervision and consultation, accept suggestions for improvement, and work to enhance clinical skills.
Complete timely and clinically comprehensive documentation, including crisis resolutions, follow-up linkages, assessments, treatment goals, services, case disposition, closings, follow-up, and referrals.
Learn and use the Avatar electronic health record, keep the Avatar To Do list maintained, and complete documentation before the end of the shift.
Manage and monitor caseloads according to consumer needs and meet AltaPointe productivity standards.
Treat consumers with dignity, compassion, respect, and sensitivity to their needs, privacy, confidentiality, and individual differences.
Participate in performance improvement activities and AltaPointe committees as required.
Complete assigned tasks in a timely manner, access appropriate community resources, and follow AltaPointe policies and procedures.
Maintain a current license and renewal requirements if applicable, attend required in-services and workshops, and participate in ongoing staff education.