Crisis Intervention Specialist

Position Summary

The Crisis Intervention Specialist (CIS) provides behavioral health crisis intervention services to individuals who are referred to Sea Mar’s Adult Mobile Crisis Intervention (AMCI) team through the Southwest Washington Crisis line, 911 or CRESA. A Sea Mar Mental Health Professional (MHP) will always be available to the CIS for consultation. The CIS provides outreach, assessment, referral and follow up supportive services for these individuals as the primary responder. The outreach services would always require a second staff for safety. The assessment, follow up and referral activities and collaboration will occur with natural supports, community partners, service providers, housing providers and other community organizations. This job description does not suggest or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. This person will be required to follow other instructions and to perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self- worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered,

culturally-aware services.

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESinclude the following. Other duties may be assigned.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Assists in insuring agency compliance with WAC's, RCW's, and other pertinent laws, regulations, and contracts.

Assists in developing and implementing policies and procedures as directed by the Program Director.

Educates staff regarding the process for crisis behavioral health service referrals and regarding "psycho educational topics (suicide risk assessment, behavior modification, etc.) as directed by the Program Director.

Maintains documentation of crisis services in EPIC.

CLINICAL DUTIES

• Receives, processes and responds in person to mobile crisis referrals.
• Documents nature of crisis referrals, outreaches and outcomes.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide adult crisis outreach services.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of risk assessment, de-escalation, safety planning and referral to more restrictive alternatives (DCR, Inpatient, 911).
• Refers patients to psychiatric and other health care services as appropriate.
• Maintain professional standards and follows the treatment policies and procedures of Sea Mar, and of the federal, state, and local regulations. Has a thorough working knowledge of appropriate WAC and RCW's.
• Attends AMCI daily crossover meetings and shares relevant information.
• Provides suicide risk assessment and develops safety plans to address suicidal ideation or gestures. Provide other crisis stabilization and de-escalation servcies as needed.
• Perform opioid overdose risk screening and appropriate follow up to include distribution of narcan.
• Gathers information regarding past mental health services to be used in the individual’s treatment plan development.
• Maintains an active Department of Health Credential.

Qualifications

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.

• The ability to work effectively with all persons and groups with an open mind towards cultural differences and knowledge of cultures.
• An understanding of mobile crisis services and an ability to coordinate behavioral health and other healthcare service providers.
• Must complete an annual clinical competency test as a Crisis Intervention Specialist.
• The Crisis Intervention Specialist must sign a permanent oath of confidentiality covering all patient related information.
• This person must pass a background check.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.