Kitsap Mental Health Services: Designated Crisis Responder (Temporary)

Job DetailsJob LocationAlmira Main Campus Bremerton, WAPosition TypePart TimeEducation LevelMastersSalary Range$29.58 $36.97 HourlyJob ShiftSwingJob CategoryClinicalDescriptionTemporary Designated Crisis Responder Swing Shift (30hrs/wk.)General Summary of Duties: The Designated Crisis Responder provides prompt and focused expert response to persons in crisis in a compassionate and efficient manner in keeping with State and SBHO mandated crisis services, including DCR duties.

Provide immediate crisis resolutions with emphasis on the goal of stabilizing the crisis in the least restrictive way, facilitating access to mental health and substance use disorder services, performing clinical assessments and legal investigations and evaluations for involuntary detention to psychiatric and substance use disorder facilities.The Crisis Response Team’s mission is to provide quality care and to protect public safety while maintaining individual rights through the least restrictive interventions and outcomes during crisis support and resolution interventions.

Improve the operations of KMHS in support of its stated mission and provide the highest level of customer service to internal and external customers.Major Responsibilities/Tasks:Provide crisis outreach services throughout Kitsap County working within a collaborative and supportive team environment with assignments requiring solo outreaches for hospital/jail assessments and outreaches for community crisis interventions and assessments.Maintain the respect and dignity of each client, the client’s personal supports, and community professionals, emphasizing special population concerns.Represent the agency and the profession in a manner that is courteous, helpful, ethical, and thorough.

Engage in highly skilled collaboration with individuals, community, intra and interagency contacts.Display effective skills in case investigation, evaluation of facts, witnesses, and clients, management of the interview, crisis management, the integration of facts found, and decisive decision making that leads to a safe and secure disposition.Remain available to professionals and the public to act as a consultant and trainer in the details of the ITA law and crisis management to the community as well as with intra and interagency contacts.Function as a DCR consistent with the Involuntary Treatment Act of Washington State (RCW 71.05 and 71.34) and the DCR Protocols.Proven capacity to manage multiple simultaneous investigations, consults, and responsibilities with the ability to triage priorities in a high-stress environment.InvestigationConduct face-to-face (FTF) assessments of individuals to determine if they meet criteria for involuntary detention under criteria defined by the Involuntary Treatment Act (RCW 71.05 or 71.34) or that they meet crisis resolution by a least restrictive alternative.Assess and ensure the safety of clients, the community, and one’s self during the investigation process, which includes coordinating and working with medical, law enforcement, state and local agency representatives, community and family members.Effectively and efficiently conduct investigations that utilize all reasonably available and appropriate sources of information relevant to the known facts about an individual case.Coordination of interview of witnesses and provide information to witness on declaration statement criteria relevant to the case.

This includes consulting with medical, law enforcement, state and local agency representatives, community and family members.Routinely assess the credibility of witnesses and information found in the course of an investigation.AssessmentMaintain and demonstrate an expert level working knowledge of WA State ITA RCW 71.05, 71.34 and DCR protocols.Ability to quickly deescalate, interview, assess, and mediate in hostile and volatile environments with potentially aggressive patients while maintaining calmness, situational awareness, and clinical control of the situation.Maintain an in-depth knowledge of, and demonstrate a high level of competency in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, substance use/abuse disorders, behavioral disorders, and situational crises.Maintain and uphold clinical objectivity, in a highly emotive atmosphere, taking on the role as leader in organizing and responding to the identified crisis.Maintain and effectively utilize a thorough knowledge of crisis theory, mental status field examinations and risk assessment techniques.Maintain an up to date, working knowledge of psychiatric medications, illicit substances and their side-effects.InterventionEffective management of the client interview across all diagnostic categories and client individual differences in order to make sound and reasoned decisions about the ultimate disposition.Effective use of de-escalation techniques.

Ability to mediate while maintaining calmness during volatile situations to elicit patient cooperation in and defusing hostile/volatile behavior.

Work with community professionals in coordinated, safety-focused, outreaches.Establish quick and productive rapport with clients, their families, and other collaterals.

Maintain clinically appropriate professional boundaries.Provide education and support to family members or other collaterals when appropriate as defined by policy and, for ITA criteria, as defined by RCW 71.05 or 71.34.QualificationsMinimum Qualifications:EDUCATION: Masters Degree in Psychology, social services, or behavioral health or must meet waiver criteria of RCW 71.24.260.EXPERIENCE: Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience)Two years of postgraduate, documented, supervised clinical experience with the chronically mentally ill, co-occurring mental health and substance abuse, substance-related disorders, and emotionally disturbed clients.Trained and meets qualifications as a Kitsap County Designated Crisis Responder.Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license with an acceptable motor vehicle report and reliable, insured transportationLICENSURE: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration.

Must meet and maintain the definition of a Mental Health Professional as defined in WAC 388-877-0500.

Must maintain a Washington State Department of Health license in good standing.