Co-Responding Clinician (Personal Services)

General Purpose
CoResponders respond to mental health related calls with law enforcement to provide crisis de-escalation, intervention, assessment, and linkage to appropriate services. Co-Responders need to approach situations with not only the tools to de-escalate emergency situations, but also the ability to begin engaging individuals with strengths-based, person-centered approaches that provide necessary skills and support needed to avoid future escalations.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

Provides telephone and short-term face-to-face interventions to help stabilize people in crisis and prevent further criminal justice involvement, or hospitalization when possible.
Provides comprehensive emergency client evaluations.
Assesses client's behavioral health status and provides evidence-based intervention strategies.
Provides risk assessment and intervention as part of the interdisciplinary team.
Makes appropriate level of care decisions on scene.
Refers to Mobile Crisis Clinicians or Crisis Care Managers for follow up as needed.
Works as part of a team of clinicians, specialists, aids, case managers and psychiatric providers.
Documents all patient contacts and other clinical information in the health record system.
Provides community-based crisis assessment and intervention.
Provides community outreach and education.
Provides flexibility and accommodation as needed.
Serves as an information resource to clinical team.
Participates in job-related training sessions and seminars.
Attends required staff meetings.
Maintains prompt and regular attendance.
Transports or arranges for transportation as needed.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Ability:

Possesses excellent organizational skills.
Possesses knowledge of specific medical/psychiatric illnesses, procedures and treatments.
Possesses excellent interpersonal and team skills.
Ability to provide rapid clinical psychosocial assessments and treatment/management.
Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and competency in age specific behaviors
Knowledge of community resources.
Ability to advocate/negotiate systems for patients.
Ability to gather and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations.
Ability to prioritize decisions based upon multiple criteria and identifiable standards.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively verbally and in writing.
Ability to maintain objectivity and confidentiality.
Ability to use reliable personal transportation and a clean driving record.
Ability to work flexible shifts based on community need.

Education or Formal Training:

Master's degree in social work, clinical psychology, or closely related field.
Colorado license preferred (LPC, LCSW, LAC, LMFT).

Experience:

Experience working with those who have mental illness and substance use disorders.
Experience completing psychiatric crisis assessments and formulating treatment plans; doing at-risk assessments, crisis intervention, and brief therapy.

Working Conditions and Other Conditions of Employment
Working Environment:
This job operates in a fast-paced, professional office environment and routinely requires the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers. The position may require travel to conferences, meetings and branch locations on a regular or intermittent basis. Work may involve moderate exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises. In the health center environment, there is potential for contact with blood-borne pathogens and communicable diseases, as well as potential for contact with dissatisfied or abusive individuals. There could be interaction with persons who are mentally ill, disabled, elderly and emotionally upset.
Physical Activities:
These are representative of those which must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
This is a largely sedentary role but can involve standing or sitting for extended periods of time, bending at the waist, and using hands and fingers to handle and file papers or operate assigned equipment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. Employee may also have to lift 10 to 25 lbs. unassisted.
Conditions of Employment:

Annual TB screen, federally required drug screening, and Influenza vaccination or compliance with policy and procedure.
Required possession of a valid state driver's license.
Successful candidate must submit to and pass, post-offer drug screen.