Follow Up Specialist - Emergency Psychiatric Services

Ranked one of Tennessee’s top places to work, MHC is a rare and special place where outstanding company culture is intentional. Where clients and associates are treated the same, as equals.

Mental Health Cooperative, Inc. (MHC) was formed in 1993 to serve individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.  Since then, we have expanded our services to children and adolescents with severe emotional disorders across Middle and East Tennessee.

Our sole purpose is to support and treat those challenged with serious mental illness and poverty. Although based out of Nashville, we serve several communities across middle and East Tennessee with satellite offices in Antioch, Gallatin, Dickson, Columbia, Cleveland, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, and Memphis. 

If you are interested in joining a team that is caring, collaborative, innovative and energizing this might be a great place for you!

Provide enhanced crisis follow-up services, care coordination, and ongoing support to eligible youth and young adults who are at risk for suicide. This position promotes continuity of care by ensuring individuals receive timely follow-up, individualized safety planning, and connections to appropriate behavioral health services and community resources following a crisis or identified risk of suicide.

Job Title: Connect3 Follow Up Specialist (Emergency Psychiatric Services)

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Position Responsibilities: 

• Provide enhanced crisis follow-up and care coordination for eligible youth and young adults at risk for suicide.
• Provide and improve timely linkage to community-based mental health, crisis, and related services.
• Maintain accurate records and adhere to confidentiality requirements.
• Support safety planning and lethal means safety strategies with youth and young adults at risk of suicide and their families to reduce access to means used in suicide.
• Enter information into computer systems.
• Improve continuity of care following crisis contact or WIC/CSU discharge.
• Serve as a resource for information about suicide and suicide prevention for youth and young adults as well as adults who work with youth and young adults.
• Provide supportive resources to families and caregivers of youth and young adults identified as at risk.
• Provide outreach and coordinate with referral partners to support safety planning, follow-up, and referral/linkage to community-based mental health services for youth and young adults presenting with or discharged following suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt.
• Coordinate with youth-serving system partners to support integration of suicide risk screening, assessment, and referral pathways for youth and young adults needing timely connection to community-based mental health services.
• Assist teammates as needed.
• Attend staff meetings.

Other Responsibilities:

• Responsible for attending all mandatory in-services, continuing education and annual health requirements
• Comply with all Corporate Compliance policies, practices and procedures. Report all unethical activities to supervisor, Corporate Compliance Office, Values Hotline number or Human Resource Director
• Comply with all OSHA and safety policies, practices, and procedures.  Report all unsafe practices or accidents to supervisor, Safety Supervisor and/or OSHA Coordinator
• Will be compliant with the relevant regulations concerning the privacy and security of consumer’s protected health information (PHI) as established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve departmental and company goals
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill
• Follow all policies and procedures set by the Agency
• Identifying operational gaps and escalating when needed
• Ability to assess urgency and escalate appropriately
• Calm and composed leadership during critical incidents
• Knowledge of crisis intervention and risk assessment principles
• Ability to coach, mentor, and support staff development

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Mental health professional with specialized training in crisis intervention
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (counseling, psychology, social work)
• One-year mental health experience.

Essential Requirements for the Position:

• Valid Tennessee Driver’s License
• Acceptable Motor Vehicle Report (MVR)
• Acceptable Criminal Background Investigation
• Personal Automobile Insurance

Core Competencies:

Interpersonal Skills

• Demonstrates the ability to work independently, to make critical decisions and to work collaboratively as an integral part of a team (crisis team and agency wide team)
• Assists teammates when needed
• Has the ability to initiate, develop and maintain effective working relationships with Consumers, families, law enforcement and other referral sources.
• Understands and is able to use conflict resolution and negotiation skills in order to defuse difficult situations
• Demonstrates professionalism and empathy with Consumers and referral sources
• Ability to motivate and encourage team performance

Assessment and Intervention Skills

• Ability to evaluate risk factors and potential risk factors during follow-up contact
• Ability to thoroughly and accurately explain and document suicide screening, safety plans, and other supportive resources, as appropriate.
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of community resources and utilizes knowledge to assist Consumers
• Conduct post-suicide intervention

Customer Service

• Internal and external customer service indicative of mutual respect & trust

Compliance & Quality Oversight 

• Monitor calls for standard operating procedures, policies, and clinical guidelines to ensure best practices.  Participate in internal audits and quality improvement initiatives. 

Joint Commission Competencies:

• Consumer Engagement – establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship via effective, appropriate communication and behaviors with consumers.
• Suicide Specific Triage Assessments – use of C-SSRS and suicide specific assessment.
• Appropriate use of Therapeutic Options De-escalation and Restraint.
• Appropriate Triage Disposition for supported by clinically based rationale.
• Professional and complete communication and coordination of care.
• Appropriate use of Therapeutic Options De-escalation.
• Actively participates in consultation process.
• Maintain timely availability for calls through appropriate logging in and logging out.
• Establish further care by scheduling and completing follow up calls.
• Complete all clinical documentation in specified time periods.
• Complete all Crisis Management System documentation in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates ability to work independently to make critical decisions and to work collaboratively as an integral part of a team.
• Demonstrates appropriate infection prevention and control through proper hand hygiene.
• Demonstrates evidenced informed practice related to substance use disorders.
• Demonstrates evidenced informed practice related to clinical care of children and youth.

Reporting to this Position:

• None

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: While performing duties of job, employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Benefts: Mental Health Cooperative offers a full comprehensive benefit plan for you to participate in. The following products are available:

• Medical Insurance/Prescription Drug Coverage
• Health Savings Account
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Cancer Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• 403b - Retirement Plan
• Calm App for medication and mental health
• Gym membership discounts 
• Pet Insurance

Mental Health Cooperative embraces inclusion, diversity and equal opportunity. We're committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Mental Health Cooperative is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.