Mobile Crisis Mental Health Clinician

Description

THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE AT ANYTIME AND WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FILLED.

The posted salary reflects the 7% increase effective October 1, 2023. An additional 6% salary increase will occur in October 2024. Increased County contributions to medical will be in effect starting January 1, 2024.

Under general direction, to provide difficult crisis evaluations, assessments, diagnoses, and counseling in the community for the Behavioral Health Department; to provide education, consultation services, and training for other staff, community agencies, and the public; and to do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

The Mobile Crisis Mental Health Clinician is an experienced level professional Mental Health Clinician classification. Incumbents have responsibility for independently providing a variety of mental health services for individuals and groups. Incumbents are required to develop case service plans, identify appropriate treatment methods, and use a variety of applied psychotherapeutic techniques. This classification differs from the Mental Health Clinician series in that the Mobile Crisis Mental Health Clinician is assigned to provide difficult crisis evaluations, assessments, diagnoses and counseling in the community in a field setting. Incumbents at any level may report to the Director of Behavioral Health, the Assistant Director of Behavioral Health, or the Behavioral Health Clinical Manager or designee. The Mobile Crisis Mental Health Clinician is not a supervisory classification, but may service as a lead clinician.

Example of Duties

Duties include but are not limited to those described below. Reasonable accommodation will be made when requested and determined by the County to be appropriate under applicable law.

• Provide community-based crisis intervention and stabilization services for clients and their families, including conducting risk assessments, creating safety plans, and supporting clients in accessing higher levels of care when needed;
• assists clients with understanding their problems and developing plans to resolve them; provides short-term, stabilizing counseling;
• advise clients on available community resources and serves as a liaison with organizations and service agencies;
• provide case management services, including collaborating with a client's existing treatment team members (e.g., therapists, psychiatrists, child welfare workers, school staff, etc.) and/or make referrals and other arrangements for client treatment and service, as necessary;
• maintain flexibility with schedule changes and availability to provide on-call weekend rotation coverage as needed;
• serves as a consultant for other Behavioral Health staff;
• prepares and present progress reports on assigned cases;
• cooperates with professionals from other disciplines in the development of team and collaborative diagnoses and treatment programs;
• develops recommendations for discharge and follow-up treatment planning for clients and their families;
• may be assigned administrative responsibilities, including scheduling and case assignments;
• performs crisis intervention;
• performs involuntary hospitalization assessments and arranges for hospitalization, if necessary, may serve as an expert witness in court cases;
• performs concurrent review of inpatient admits and discharge planning; other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, training and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge, skills and abilities would be:

Education: Equivalent to a Master's degree in psychology, social work, marriage and family counseling, or a related field from an accredited college or university.

AND

Experience: One (1) year as a Mental Health Clinician III with San Benito County Behavioral Health OR Three (3) years of professional experience working in mental health counseling, psychotherapy, and related social services field.

License/ Special Requirements:

1. Possession of an associate number as an Associate Clinical Social Worker, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; OR Possession of a license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT); Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC); Licensed Professional of Healing Arts issued by the State of California;

2. Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Driver's License;

3. Qualify for security clearance through a background check which includes fingerprinting;

4. Ability to travel in-county and out-of-county to attend trainings and continuing education activities; and

5. Crisis Team positions may require evening, weekend, and holiday coverage; and positions may be subject to a flexible work schedule (i.e., 12-hour work schedule rotation).

Knowledge Of/Ability To

Knowledge of:

Principles, techniques and trends in counseling, psychotherapy, and various treatment modalities; biological, behavioral, and environmental aspects of emotional disturbances, mental disability, retardation, and substance abuse; the scope and activities of public and private health and welfare agencies and other available community resources; identification of individual, social, and environmental problems and their analysis and resolution in existing social contexts; legislative and administrative rules and regulations pertaining to Lanterman-Petris-Short and Short-Doyle services.

Ability to:

Perform a variety of complex psychiatric social work and psychotherapy for Mental Health Department clients; develop clear and comprehensive case records and documentation; develop and maintain cooperative, constructive relationships with families of clients, members of other professional disciplines, social agencies, and other staff; prepare treatment plans, client treatment recommendations, and a variety of reports; organize and manage a caseload; define a therapist's role and deal with clients in a variety of circumstances and settings in accordance with professional standards and ethics; conceptualize and prioritize the problems of mentally disordered persons, determining their needs, services, and appropriate treatment methods; integrate a number of clinical approaches into a treatment plan; recognize a potential crisis and deliver crisis intervention services; handle stress and unstable client behavior; work with people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds; effectively represent the Behavioral Health Department in contacts with clients, the public, community organizations, other County staff, and other government agencies; safely operate a motor vehicle.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment:

Work is performed in an office, clinic, home, school, or community environments; work is performed with people who may exhibit unstable behavior, who have a mental health condition/concern and chemically dependent and potentially violent behavior; continuous contact with other staff and the public; work with individuals that may become confrontational, potentially hostile and violent; some positions will be assigned to perform duties inside a severely controlled access or lockdown facility; may be exposed to traffic hazards, adverse weather conditions, and temperature and noise extremes. Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; normal manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; lift and move objects weighing up to 25 lbs.; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment, including computer, telephone, calculator, copiers, and FAX.; hear and communicate orally in person, on the phone and in meetings; hand/eye coordination for use of computer/office equipment and safely operate a motor vehicle.

Selection Process:

All completed applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed. Depending upon the number of applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, the examination process may include a screening committee (pass/fail) and/or an oral examination (100%) which may include a written practical component to determine placement on the eligible list.

Disaster Service Workers:

All San Benito County employees are designated "Disaster Service Workers" through state and local laws (CA Government Code Sec. 3100-3109 and Emergency Services Chapter 6 via adoption of local Ordinance No. 361 § 1, 2-25-75). As Disaster Service Workers, all County employees are expected to remain at work, or to report for work as soon as practicable, following significant emergency or disaster.