Mental Health Specialist- Crisis
Job Description
Working Title: Mental Health Specialist – Crisis
Program: Crisis
Report to: Clinical Supervisor or Program Manager
Pay Range:
Mental Health Specialist I $5,433.38 – $6,604.30 per/ month
Mental Health Specialist II $5,759.38 – $7,000.56 per/month
Mental Health Specialist III $6,104.94 – $7,420.60 per/month
Sign-on bonus:
Mental Health Specialist QMHP, Not Licensed: $7,500.00
Mental Health Specialist LPC/LMFT/ LCSW Licensed: $10,000.00
Location: On-site, The Dalles, Oregon (May serve Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman County)
Hours/FTE: Friday – Monday 5:00 pm-8:30 am, 1.0 FTE (37.5 hours)
FSLA Status: Exempt
The Mental Health Specialist 1 provides culturally competent, appropriate, and trauma-informed crisis and behavioral health treatment for assigned clients. This position provides counseling and education for individuals, couples, families, and groups. The Mental Health Specialist 1 provides behavioral health services to other community agencies, coordinates behavioral health services with other community and State resources, and performs related work as required. Incumbents must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and understanding of how culture influences and impacts behavioral health services while incorporating this understanding into trauma-informed care.
The Crisis Worker (Mental Health Specialist 1) employs strong clinical skills to provide services with MCCFL jail diversion and mobile crisis teams in a community mental health setting over the tri-county area. With the high prevalence of trauma among individuals receiving mental health services, the Crisis Worker must possess demonstrated understanding of the effects of trauma on health, relationships, coping and other aspects of the lives of those we serve.
What you bring:
Any qualifying combination of education, licensure and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position is qualifying. This includes:
For Crisis Mental Health Specialist Levels I, II, and III:
Master’s degree in a Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO) qualifying field AND
Two (02) years of professional experience providing behavioral health counseling.
Experience with co-occurring disorders is preferred.
Bilingual fluency in English/Spanish is preferred.
Certification as an alcohol and drug counselor certification (CADC I or CADC II) is preferred.
Must obtain certification from the Department of Human Services as a Mental Health Investigator and Mental Health Examiner. Must keep certification current and in good standing.
Must possess a valid Oregon or Washington Driver’s License, maintain an acceptable driving record, and be insurable for client service purposes and for travel between business office for meetings and/or trainings.
This position must pass all criminal history check requirements as required by ORS 181.536 to 181.537, and in accordance with OAR 407-007-0220 to 407-007-037
Additional Specifications for Level I:
Must be certified as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) or register as QMHP-R within 14 days of hire.
Additional Specifications for Level II:
Professional licensure in the State of Oregon as an LCSW, LMFT, or LPC.
Additional Specifications for Level III:
Licensure as required for Level II AND
Licensing Board approval to supervise licensure candidates.
What you’ll do:
Provide psychotherapy, counseling, and case management services to individuals, couples, families and groups. Conduct interviews to accumulate pertinent data; assess presenting issues; develop service plans. Counseling and psychotherapy may include working with assigned clients in developing communication skills, providing assertiveness training, providing behavior modification programs, and monitoring the effects of prescribed medication.
Depending on position, may provide substance abuse disorder assessment and provide integrated dual-diagnosis services to assigned clients.
Utilize agency clinical software system to prepare current client records of treatment and reports as necessary and required. Maintain timely and cogent progress notes and service plans. Ensure that client records and other documentation are up-to-date and justify the services provided.
Serve as investigator and/or examiner in involuntary commitment procedures.
Assist and/or provide back-up support with screening, referral, and crisis services as needed and directed by supervisor. May provide after-hours emergency services on a 24-hour, rotating basis, such as telephone consultation, crisis intervention, and pre-hospital screening examinations.
Actively participate in joint case planning and coordination with internal multi-disciplinary team and agency psychiatrists. Collaborate in case planning and service coordination as needed with other community agencies such as schools, group homes, community detention facility, community medical hospital and other DHS programs.
Participate in all team and agency meetings as scheduled.
Regular and reliable attendance, professional communication, and confidentiality.
Must be approved to provide transportation for clients using agency vehicles; travel within the community and between business offices in order to complete essential responsibilities and attend required meetings and/or trainings.
Position-Specific Essential Responsibilities of the Crisis Mental Health Specialist I, II, or III (This position may include any of the aforementioned general responsibilities plus the following):
Respond to emergency services requests from supervisor, clientele, families, law enforcement, community hospitals and other community partners. Provide crisis counseling/crisis intervention, risk assessment, risk mitigation and safety planning, referral to appropriate resources, individual counseling and case management services to individuals, couples, families, and groups.
Provide face-to-face response to requests for crisis counseling/intervention in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community partner offices, individual homes, and/or any location within the community; may require accessing sites with unimproved terrain, flights of stairs, and/or exposure to adverse weather conditions for extended periods of time.
Initiate Director’s Custody/Director’s Hold based on assessed imminent risk to self or others, or grave disability.
Provide Civil Commitment Investigations/Examiner duties for Involuntary Commitment Program; investigate the individual’s mental health status to determine if the person has a mental illness and is dangerous to self and/or gravely disabled. Attend hearings as necessary.
Maintain compliance of OAR 309-072-0120 by completing required Mobile Crisis trainings.
Provide telephone or walk-in screening and referral assistance to a wide variety of clientele making initial contact with MCCFL. Provide appropriate outside referral information to initial contacts that are not appropriate for MCCFL services.
Develop crisis resources materials to assist on-call staff. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of available agencies and community resources.
Train staff on community resources, crisis counseling techniques, community hospital issues, and crisis services policies and procedures. Provide mobile crisis training to staff and community partners as directed by Clinical Supervisor.
Provide behavioral health education and information to various interest groups. Maintain and develop relationships/partnerships with community partners including community hospitals, state and local law enforcement, mental health providers, the school system, local medical professionals, and other community organizations.
What we’ll do:
We recognize your value and will strive to keep you engaged and appreciated. The selected candidate will receive:
Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
95% employer-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees only. Low deductible plans for family coverage through PEBB
PERS Retirement Contribution
11 Holidays including 1 floating holiday
15 vacation days a year for exempt employees
12 sick days a year
Education reimbursement and loan forgiveness- HRSA!
The hiring process:
Application review
Questionnaire (if additional information is needed)
Panel Interview
Possible second-round panel interview
Conditional Offer
DMV Record Review, if the position requires driving
10 Panel Drug Screen(Although recreational marijuana use is legal in the state of Oregon, you will not be considered for this position if you’re unable to pass a pre-employment drug screening due to federal regulations.)
Criminal History check through Orchards BCU
Reference check
Licensure Primary Source Verification
MCCFL provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. To request accommodation in the recruitment or selection process, please contact human resources at 541-288-4359 or email hr@mccfl.org.
