Mental Health Specialist I-Crisis - Mid-Columbia Center for Living

Do you want to work in an environment where you make a difference? Come join us in the Columbia Gorge and earn experience working with a vulnerable population! This is an opportunity to work in community mental health, providing counseling services in a rural area. As an employer, we promote self-care and recognize the impacts that has on job satisfaction.

Why work with MCCFL?
-$2,500 Sign on Bonus for QMHPs
-$5,000 Sign on Bonus for LPCs/LCSWs
-Loan Repayment - HRSA!
-Relocation Assistance to the Columbia Gorge
- Pay Range:$30.62-33.76 Hourly
-Location: The Dalles, Oregon
- Full Time: 37.5 hours/week

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.

• 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 is an essential responsibility of this position

Position-Specific Essential Responsibilities:

• Respond to emergency services requests from supervisor, clientele, law enforcement, community hospitals and other community partners. Provide crisis counseling, individual counseling and case management services to individuals, couples, families and groups. Interview to accumulate pertinent data; assess patient problems and develop service plans.
• 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.
• For Wasco/Sherman County Clients: Manage and track Extended Care Management Placements outside of MCCFL catchment area and Psychiatric Security Review Board hospitalized clients. Facilitate discharge planning for any clients returning to Wasco/Sherman County from Extended Care Management Placements.
• Develop crisis resources materials to assist on-call staff. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of available agencies and community resources. Maintain and distribute the ER manual in coordination with Hood River ER.
• Coordinate with Clinical Supervisors to provide bi-annual Emergency Services Training to ER staff. Train staff on community resources, crisis counseling techniques, community hospital issues, and crisis services policies and procedures. Provide other training to staff and community partners as directed by Clinical Supervisor.
• Recommend to Clinical Supervisor needed development and/or updates to MCCFL crisis services policies and procedures. As appropriate, Clinical Supervisor will take recommendations to Clinical Planning meeting for review and approval. Participate in Process Improvement Projects related to crisis services as requested by Clinical Supervisor.
• Provide behavioral health education and information to various interest groups. Attend bi-monthly Mental Health Crisis Committee meetings in Wasco/Sherman County. May attend bi-monthly Mental Health Crisis Committee meetings in Hood River County as appropriate. 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.

• Master's degree in social work, psychology, psychiatric nursing or other related field AND
• Two (2) years of professional experience providing behavioral health counseling.
• Experience with co-occurring disorders is preferred.
• Certification as an alcohol and drug counselor certification (CADC 1 or CADC 2) is preferred.
• Professional licensure in the State of Oregon as an LCSW or LPC or must have the ability to obtain this licensure within two (02) years of hire is preferred (and may be required for some MHS1 positions).
• Incumbents must obtain certification from the Department of Human Services as a Mental Health Investigator and Mental Health Examiner. Incumbents 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 407-007-0370.

Knowledge: Knowledge of the principles and practices and techniques of mental health assessment and treatment including the social, emotional and behavioral aspects of mental illness and substance abuse disorder; knowledge of community health programs and services; knowledge of techniques, tests and procedures employed in evaluating and modifying behavior; knowledge of laws, rules and regulations governing the assessment and treatment of mental health clients; knowledge of clinical manifestations and patterns of substance abuse disorder and associated treatment methods and practices; knowledge of group dynamics and group therapy.

Skill: Skill in the use of computerized medical systems; skill in the use of standard office software.

Ability: Ability to understand and effectively apply the concepts and practices of a trauma-informed philosophy in performing the work. Ability to work within strong professional ethics and rules of confidentiality to provide effective assessment and treatment of a variety of mental health disorders. Ability to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and understanding of how culture influences and impacts behavioral health services; ability to work with consumers to develop an effective service plan; ability to write and maintain timely and cogent progress notes, service plans, reports and other professional documents; ability to maintain a strong service orientation; ability to organize and execute work effectively under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines; ability to speak before groups of various sizes; ability to work with grace and good humor under pressure; ability to work cooperatively with other departments; ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, within Sanctuary Model guidelines; ability to establish and maintain harmonious work relationships with co-workers at all levels of the organization, consultants, contractors, community partners, and consumers.

Leadership Received:
This position works within the supervisory leadership of the Clinical Supervisor for its assigned program. The designated supervision emphasizes the independence of method and process while indicating accountability for results. Leadership will include triage with staff, guidance and support of clients while demonstrating initiative and responding to concerns within the framework of the Sanctuary Model.

Leadership Exercised:
Supervisory leadership is not a normal responsibility of this classification.

Physical Demands:
The Mental Health Specialist must have the ability to quickly assess and respond to concerns related to interpersonal and environmental safety. This position requires the ability to be mobile throughout the tri-county area. While performing the essential duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to use office automation including computer and phone system that requires fine manipulation, grasping, typing and reaching. The employee may be required to sit or stand for several hours at a time, depending on environment and need. This position may occasionally be required to lift up to twenty (20) pounds, and to kneel, reach, bend or squat while in the office or in the community. The employee should possess a valid driver\'s license for vehicle travel between business offices in order to attend required meetings and/or trainings. This employee must be approved to provide transportation for clients using agency vehicles.

Work Environment:
Work is performed in various settings, including office environment, community settings and other agency stakeholder facilities. The office environment is typically with moderate stimuli and may often result in exposure to increased sensory experiences. Community settings, such as residence, schools, police precincts, respite facilities, hospitals and other public spaces may pose additional risks or discomforts which require safety precautions. ACCESS Team is a mobile mental health crisis response team that provides a vast array of preventative and intervention services delivered 24/7 throughout the Tri-County area. Universal Precautions and remaining alert to environment are critical to address the potential for violent behavior, safety concerns, biohazards, noise and contaminants.

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.

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