CRISIS INTERVENTION SPECIALIST - Northlake Behavioral Health System

Northlake Behavioral Healthcare System takes pride in successfully serving our community. As the leader in addiction and mental health care, we are at the forefront of treatments and therapies that provide meaningful results: helping patients lead the life they were meant to and deserve. 

Nestled in a wooded retreat on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain, we are just east of the causeway and 45 minutes from New Orleans. We provide long- and short-term behavioral health care to adults and adolescents, and acute detox and substance abuse care. 

At the Ness Center at Northlake Behavioral Health, we want you to shine. We strongly believe in developing your skills and rewarding your hard work. We believe where you work is essential. And while you don’t need to be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, if you are creative, curious, inspired, and resourceful, you may have what it takes to help lead our team. While you won’t be leaping tall buildings in a single bound, during the course of a day, as our mobile crisis specialist you can expect to:

• Work closely with the Mobile Crisis Evaluators answering and screening crisis calls
• Provide services to the community
• Work closely with law enforcement, Coroner’s Office, schools, and treatment providers to secure services 
• Help link patients with services
• Perform OPSs when necessary
• Educate clients and family members
• Participate in on-call rotation
• Assist with admissions as needed

Essential Functions:     

• Triage and/or respond to requests for crisis intervention/crisis stabilization in the community; pre-admission screening and crisis intervention will be delivered in compliance with emergency services policies and procedure
• Work closely with law enforcement to provide support to individuals who may require mental health intervention instead of or in addition to law enforcement response
• Assist in diverting clients from more intensive levels of care and maintaining clients in their home communities, when appropriate
• Provide counseling to individuals and families and refer to support resources as appropriate
• Develop effective crisis stabilization plans that are client-centered and support strong therapeutic partnerships with clients and their natural supports
• Provide services and treatments necessary to provide integrated crisis response, crisis stabilization interventions, and crisis prevention activities, including clinic-based and in-home intervention
• Ensure smooth, client-centered transition into step-down and/or ongoing services, as appropriate, to include coordination with intra-agency and external service provider
• Provide support, education, and service coordination to natural supports, as needed, for appropriate crisis response
• Develop and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with community providers
• Produce client-related service records and maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation consistent with agency policies and procedures, complete and sign all appropriate documents in the EHR within 24hrs
• May require holiday and/or weekend coverage, as part of the Crisis Response Center’s rotation schedule
• Perform other duties as assigned

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Advanced clinical knowledge of best practices
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, time management, and organizational skills
• Must have a flexible schedule
• Ability to manage and de-escalate conflict, remain calm and reassuring in crises, and intervene appropriately
• Ability to be an effective listener
• Knowledge of appropriate methodologies for assessing client needs
• Considerable knowledge of crisis intervention and stabilization theory and techniques, and their application to individuals in crisis
• Working knowledge of community systems and resources, and inter-agency networking
•  Some knowledge of voluntary and involuntary admission to state facilities such as local jails or correctional facilities

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: At least an Associate's Degree in the Human Services field (Bachelors preferred, but not required)

Experience: Minimum of two (1-2) years’ experience working with adults and children with mental health and/or substance use needs

Licensure/Certification: CCRS preferred, but not required

BENEFITS:

• Life insurance
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 403(b) matching retirement fund
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discount Program

NESS Healthcare Center is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for all employment; free from discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preferences, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran.