Community Safety EMT

Work, Serve, Thrive.  With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $42,707 - $51,248

Hours/Schedule:   Three 12 hour shifts per week. EMTs will be assigned to either a 9 am to 9 pm shift, or a noon to midnight shift (they will not switch between the shift hours). More details on the shift schedule will be given during the interview process.

In 2022, the Durham Community Safety Department (DCSD) launched four 911 crisis response programs-collectively known as HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams)-to meet the needs of people in crisis with compassionate care and behavioral health expertise. In the first twelve months of operation, and having responded to over 6,000 calls, HEART continues to demonstrate that alternative 911 responses are safe and effective. Interested applicants can visit our website and dashboard, watch this clip from CNN's Sanjay Gupta, listen to this segment on NPR (WUNC), or read this piece from The Assembly to learn more about our department. As part of a cohort of municipalities invested in developing transformative 911 crisis response programs, the Community Safety Department generates insights that affect cities across the country who visit, meet, and learn from and about HEART. In short: your work at the Community Safety Department will help seed a national movement.  

DCSD is currently hiring EMTs for our Community Response Teams. However, there may be some minimal overlap with our Care Navigation Team. Please review the program descriptions below.

• The Community Response Team program sends three-person teams-consisting of a Crisis Response Clinician (who functions as team lead), a Peer Support Specialist, and EMT-to 911 calls for service involving behavioral health and quality of life related concerns. Note that CRT responds in-person without law enforcement. EMTs are encouraged to regularly engage with residents by medical care and screening to community members. They are also asked to provide creative and supportive intervention and de-escalation in collaboration with their teammates.

• The Care Navigation program assigns two-person teams-consisting of a Crisis Response Clinician (who functions as team lead) and a Peer Support Specialist or EMT-to follow-up with residents within 48 hours of initial encounter with one of the crisis response teams mentioned above. Care Navigators' with a primary goal of connecting residents to the care they want and need within 30 days of initial encounter.

DCSD's approach to work is flexible, highly collaborative, and evidence-driven. Our departmental culture prizes equity, care, and the health and safety of our staff. We are looking for candidates who share similar approaches and principles. We envision adding team members who are not only colleagues but partners in this challenging and purpose-driven work.

EMTs will receive general administrative direction and clinical supervision from the Shift Supervisors. They will receive medical direction from Durham County's EMS Medical Director. They will not carry out supervisory tasks.

Schedule: 40 hours per week, consisting of three in-person 12 hour shifts and four hours of administrative work time. Responders are assigned shift hours of either 9 am to 9 pm or noon to midnight. Shift hours remain the same (i.e. those assigned to a 9 am to 9 pm shift never work noon to midnight, and vice versa). Responders will work one out of every three weekends. They will also have a six to seven day break every six weeks (built into their schedule). More information on schedule will be given during the interview process.

• Respond to 911 calls related to mental and behavioral health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises using people-centered and trauma-informed crisis intervention strategies.

• Develop highly collaborative, trusting, and productive relationships with other Community Responder Team members.

• Provide prehospital medical care to sick or injured persons experiencing non-violent mental and behavioral health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises.

• Administers medications and performs medical procedures that have been approved for AEMT by the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Service.

• Advise on and attend to any potential underlying physical complications or conditions the individual in crisis may be experiencing.

• Work collaboratively with CRT/CN members to assess the needs of individuals experiencing crises and assist in developing response plans.

• Follow-up to assure that connections are made to services and supports based on peer choice and clinician assessment. Facilitates warm handoffs to other services as needed.

• Maintains medical equipment and supplies in proper working order.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation as required by program deliverables and local, state, and federal policy and requirements.

• Develop and maintain clear, open, timely, cooperative, and collaborative communication and working relations with all staff, clients, and partner agencies.

• Maintains all continuing education required for the AEMT level within Durham County and NC OEMS.

• Participate in supervision meetings, case conferences, staff meetings, in-service training, and other staff development activities.

• Contribute to strategic planning activities and conversations regarding the performance and direction of the department, particularly in regard to crisis response and departmental culture.

• Demonstrate a high level of resilience and self-care as part of maintaining wellness in a high crisis and first responder position.

• High School Diploma or GED, 

• Completion of EMT training program

• One year of EMT experience related to assignment.

• Certification by the NC Office of Emergency Medical Services (NC OEMS) as a Basic EMT required.

• A valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license "or" if another state driver's license, be willing to obtain a valid NC driver's license within 60 days of hire

• Eligible to function under the auspices of the Durham County Office of Emergency Services, EMS Division, and Medical Director.

• Must be able to travel to and from worksite and other locations within Durham

• Must be able to walk/stand up to 75% of any assigned shift. Note: The team will be transported in vans to crisis call locations

• Must be able to lift over 100 lbs. occasionally, 50-100 lbs. frequently, or up to 20-50 lbs. constantly.

• A commitment to and interest in the mission of the department: to enhance public safety through community-centered approaches to prevention and intervention as alternatives to policing and the criminal legal system. 

• A commitment to equity, which could include having already attended racial equity trainings.

• Significant experience with crisis response.

• Crisis Intervention Team certification

• Experience working with Peer Support Specialists or other individuals with lived experience with behavioral and mental health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises.

• Prior experience in outreach/engagement to populations experiencing frequent behavioral and mental health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises.

• Working knowledge of city and county geography, including location of roads, streets, hospitals, and other medical care facilities.

• Ability to speak two or more languages, with a high priority on Spanish.

• Working knowledge of radio communications equipment.

• Ability to drive a vehicle safely under various weather conditions.

• Strong knowledge and experience with service delivery documentation (including counseling/treatment planning), HIPAA standards/confidentiality, utilization review, and data management.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality, and particularly HIPAA confidentiality, at all times.

• Familiarity with Durham health systems and community resources/services for physical health behavioral and mental health, substance use, Intellectual Developmental Disability, family dynamics, sexual/physical abuse, Veterans' Services, vocational rehabilitation, housing, justice involvement, referral processes, and other services.

• Advanced collaboration and interpersonal skills with the ability to build consensus and promote the exchange of information among team members and partners. 

• A commitment to, knowledge of, and affection for Durham and its communities, which could include living in Durham.?