Supervising Crisis Intervention Specialist

County of Mendocino • Ukiah, CA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position provides supervision, oversight, and consultation for Mobile Crisis Response, Mobile Outreach and Prevention Services, Jail Services, Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), and Mental Health CalWORKs programs. Under general direction, supervises and coordinates crisis intervention services, including daily program operations, staff supervision, and field-based response. Provides guidance and support to crisis teams, manages complex or high-risk cases, ensures compliance with laws and protocols, and collaborates with community partners. This position is part of a 24/7 on-call response team, responding to behavioral health and substance-related crises throughout Mendocino County. Supervisor Academy is mandatory for all supervisors and consists of nine courses that must be completed within two years. Participation is required and completed during work hours.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and five (5) years of experience in a mental health setting, including at least one (1) year of experience in field-based services as a specialist in the fields of mental health and substance use outreach and services.
• Up to two (2) years of graduate professional education may be substituted for the experience requirement on a year-for-year basis.
• Up to two (2) years of post-associate degree experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree, in addition to the required five (5) years in a mental health setting.
• One (1) year experience as Crisis Intervention Specialist with the County of Mendocino.
• Valid Driver’s License
• 5150/5585 Certifications
• Knowledge of principles and practices of leadership, supervision, staff development, and performance management in a behavioral health or crisis intervention setting.
• Knowledge of methods for fostering a high-performing, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive team environment.
• Knowledge of advanced crisis intervention, de-escalation, and therapeutic models applicable in diverse community settings.
• Knowledge of best practices for managing complex, high-risk, or multi-agency crisis response situations.
• Knowledge of roles, responsibilities, and operational protocols of law enforcement, first responders, and partner agencies.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and professional standards governing behavioral health services, involuntary holds, and client rights.
• Knowledge of behavioral health terminology and psychiatric disorders.
• Knowledge of California Welfare & Institutions Code (5150 and 5585) on involuntary behavioral health holds.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, program development, evaluation, and quality improvement in behavioral health programs.
• Knowledge of available community resources and systems of care, including strategies for interagency coordination.
• Knowledge of principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion as applied to service delivery, staff supervision, and policy development.
• Skill in leading, supervising, mentoring, and evaluating multidisciplinary teams in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment.
• Skill in making timely, sound decisions in complex and high-pressure situations.
• Skill in de-escalating and resolving conflict effectively.
• Skill in facilitating collaboration among law enforcement, healthcare providers, social service agencies, and community organizations.
• Skill in designing and implementing effective protocols, workflows, and performance metrics.
• Skill in managing sensitive information with discretion, diplomacy, and in compliance with privacy laws.
• Skill in communicating effectively in writing and verbally with diverse audiences, including the public, partner agencies, and governing bodies.
• Skill in analyzing program data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for service enhancement.
• Skill in resolving conflicts, mediating disputes, and maintaining professional composure during emergencies.
• Ability to work evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call during emergencies as needed; Schedule/hours availability vary depending on the department’s needs.
• Ability to maintain mental capacity, which allows the ability to exercise sound judgment and rational thinking under varied circumstances.
• Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception required for making observation and judgment regarding client behavior.
• Requires the ability to exert physical effort in an emergency as well as sedentary to light work involving moving from one area of the office to another.
• Effectively deal with personal danger; think and act quickly in emergencies.
• Capable of building and maintaining collaborative working relationships with public safety personnel to support joint operations and response efforts.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to: stand, walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; speak and hear; and push, pull, move, or lift above and below the neck objects weighing up to 30 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Mendocino County employees with at least six (6) months of regular, full-time continuous employment or equivalent permanent part-time service.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates and supervises other Crisis Intervention Specialist or Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist engaged in mental health and behavioral health settings.
• Perform triage to determine crisis intervention priorities; provide crisis counseling and interventions, including mobile crisis intervention.
• Support daily operations of Crisis Intervention Specialists; establish rapport with individuals experiencing behavioral health crisis, co-occurring disorders and/or traumas.
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule to ensure 24/7 crisis response coverage, providing timely on-site or remote support to individuals in crisis.
• Advise on behavioral health-related service calls pertaining to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5150 and 5585.
• Serve as a liaison between law enforcement, other county departments, the public, and private community-based organizations that provide behavioral health, crisis intervention, and homeless and supportive housing services.
• Carry and maintain a police radio to ensure real-time communication with dispatch, law enforcement, and emergency personnel during crisis response; perform routine checks on assigned equipment (police radio, smartphone) and promptly report any malfunction or issues to ensure operational readiness.
• Observe and report client's behavior; assess client's psychiatric and psychosocial needs; determine treatment objectives.
• Conduct assessments to determine the need for voluntary and involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in accordance with applicable laws and guidelines; document assessments and maintain statistics related to crisis services.
• Collaborate with hospitals, social service providers and other local agencies to coordinate referrals; ensure effective discharge planning and promote continuity of care countywide.
• Conduct daily briefing and debriefing meetings with Crisis Intervention Specialists.
• Provide guidance and on-scene support to Crisis Intervention Specialists responding to individuals in severe distress due to behavioral health issues, trauma, and/or substance use.
• Participate in regular planning meetings with the Program Manager and other leadership staff.
• Conduct comprehensive bio-psycho-social evaluations addressing client functioning, support networks, housing stability, and behavioral health needs.
• Facilitate and implement supportive practices for Crisis Intervention Specialists to reduce compassion fatigue and secondary trauma.
• Establish, revise, and maintain protocols for Crisis Intervention Specialists, train staff in response standards and procedures.
• Develop case management protocols; train and support staff in maintaining timely, accurate case documentation within the electronic database.
• Support the Program Manager in developing and implementing trauma-informed, equitable policies and protocols that ensure culturally relevant and effective care.
• Respond in the field when Crisis Intervention Specialists are unavailable; participate in after-hours incident response as needed.
• Provide telephone crisis counseling for clients, and crisis consultation for local agencies.
• Create and oversee an internship program to support Crisis Intervention Specialist operations and strengthen workforce development in homeless and behavioral health services countywide.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Supervisor Academy is mandatory for all supervisors and consists of nine courses that must be completed within two years. Participation is required and completed during work hours.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager