Crisis Support Specialist

Position Objectives:

Provide a friendly, trauma-informed, and professional response to individuals experiencing emergent or urgent psychiatric or personal issues, including responding in person and on-site when it is safe and appropriate to do so. Collaborate and coordinate with local law enforcement, EMS, and hospital emergency departments as needed to ensure continuity of care and maintain a safe environment for patients/clients and staff. Foster a safe, supportive, and rehabilitative community where staff and residents/patients/clients can experience healing and growth.

Position Responsibilities:

• Have adequate information to provide excellent patient/client care and job performance objectives.
• Provide crisis services based on the philosophies and principles of emphasizing patient/client’s strengths.
• Provide support and advocacy with various systems on behalf of patient/client/family to facilitate obtaining needed resources and/or protection of rights.
• Ask questions of clarification, when unclear, about any policy, procedure, or treatment approach.
• Refer to the appropriate manual as needed in day-to-day operations.
• Use the Crisis Services Manual and Treatment Plans to guide specific patient/client care. Follow Prairie View policies and procedures as they pertain to the specific units.
• Maintain awareness of patient/client’s location and disposition.
• Assess and monitor patient/client’s emotional state, level of involvement and behavior.
• Provide care that is appropriate to the age of the patient/client:
  • Children/Adolescents
    • De-escalate crises in the community to allow for children to remain in the home.
    • Provide effective family support and safety planning to ensure safety of all in the home.
    • Provide guidance on available options for higher levels of care.
    • Provide tools and resources for crisis avoidance.
    • Be understanding; focused on listening, rather than interpreting or giving advice.
  • Adults
    • Be prepared to meet patients/clients where they are, both physically and emotionally, responding to crises in the community in teams of two.
    • Assess for immediate safety and create plans for maintaining safety in the community.
    • Collaborate with treatment and crisis intervention center staff to support patients/clients in accessing the appropriate level of care.
    • Provide resources for connection to community resources and supports for ongoing wellness.
    • Proactively engage with patients/clients to work collaboratively toward recovery and wellness goals.
    • Interact assertively and respectfully, setting meaningful boundaries and maintaining the rules of the crisis intervention center.
    • Recognize indications for increased distress requiring more frequent monitoring of the patient/client.
    • Follow through on the patient/client’s wellness and recovery goals, as prescribed by the Treatment Team.
    • Recognize signs of behavior escalation and intervene to prevent restraint or seclusion.
• Provide crisis intervention services in the community and in patient/clients’ home when a crisis has been identified.
• Help clients and families become linked with necessary community services/resources.
• Employ problem solving with client and family to help them resolve issues/problems and develop crisis resolution and prevention plans.
• Collaborate with other team members regarding patient/client’s needs if patient/client is unsuccessful at resolving crisis.
• Assist staff/clinicians in identifying, providing outreach to, patient/clients in need of crisis intervention services.
• Provide direct, sustained connection to individuals experiencing crisis and staying on the crisis intervention center to reduce distress and encourage socialization and processing.
• Provide case consultation services and attend treatment meetings with internal staff and external agencies and organizations, as needed.
• Maintain documentation for clinical outcomes within Prairie View standards.
• Communicate and coordinate with local law enforcement, EMS, and emergency departments.
• Inform the development of individual treatment plans based on personal interaction with the patient/client. Be familiar with patient/client’s treatment plan and goals and seek clarification as needed.
• Work cooperatively with other professional staff within the office, in service of the patient/clients.
• Treats others with respect and dignity.
• Maintain confidentiality in all aspects of position.
• Maintain adequate and timely documentation in the clinical record of treatment interventions and other activities related to patient/client care.
• Ensure notes are completed timely per policy standards, and communication with the team is clear and prompt.
• Participate regularly in clinical and administrative supervision. Attend all meetings as required.
• Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI)
• Participate in organizational QAPI activities. Be familiar with QAPI Initiatives and goals in work area. Annually review the Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement Plan.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum Education: High School degree or equivalent required. Bachelor’s degree in related field of behavioral health sciences and/or Licensed Mental Health Technician preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum Experience: Demonstrated skills in the provision of direct support for individuals experiencing mental health crisis. Experience working in social service setting or at least two years of college preferred.
• Must have good listening skills, good command of the English language; must be able to communicate, verbally and in writing, in a professional manner, good reading skills and must be proficient at basic keyboarding/word processing skills. Must be able to quickly access data, assimilate information, and respond appropriately to situations.
• Must be able to interact in a positive, non-reactive manner with patient/clients/residents and staff and observe patient/client demeanor and non-verbal communication for assessment purposes.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with referral sources and external care providers and have the ability to work effectively with children, adolescents, adults, and their families.
• Must be able to stand for periods of up to 2 hours, Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds, Must be able to kneel, bend, squat, and hold on to a person, in order to restrain an out-of-control patient/client, and be able to escort patient/clients from building to building within 5-10 minutes.
• Must have flexibility in scheduling, working nights and weekends to meet patient/client, community and organization needs.
• Must be mentally and physically capable of performing all job duties.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Kansas driver’s license and an acceptable driving record. Position requires the ability to meet Prairie View’s vehicle insurance requirements and provide proof of current personal automobile insurance.
• Must be able to pass Kansas Bureau of Investigation Screen, Central Registry Screen, DCF (Kansas Dept. for Children & Families, formerly SRS) and all other required company background checks.
• Able to pass state required health screening.

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