Job Description

Posting number: 070726

Department: Emergency Services

Job classification: EMERGENCY SERVICES SPECIALIST

Posting type: Open

Categories: Mental Health, Social Services, Miscellaneous, Counseling, Community and Social Services, Rehabilitation Services

Summary

Colonial Behavioral Health provides opportunities for recovery to individuals and their family members in the areas of mental illness, substance use disorder, and developmental disabilities. Colonial Behavioral Health serves the citizens of James City County, City of Poquoson, City of Williamsburg, and York County.

Every day, individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis need someone who can offer hope, compassion, and expert clinical support. Our new 23-Hour Crisis Receiving Center will provide a safe, welcoming alternative to emergency departments and law enforcement involvement for individuals facing mental health or substance use challenges.

Located within The Center for Support and Wellness, a brand-new facility designed to enhance access to behavioral health services, the Crisis Receiving Center will co-locate Colonial Behavioral Health’s crisis and forensic programs, creating a comprehensive hub for assessment, stabilization, treatment, and support. This innovative setting will foster collaboration among behavioral health professionals and provide individuals in crisis with timely, compassionate care in a therapeutic environment.

As a Clinician, you will work alongside psychiatrists, nurses, peer recovery specialists, and other behavioral health professionals to provide immediate assessment, crisis intervention, stabilization, and treatment. You will play a critical role in helping individuals regain stability, connect with ongoing services, and begin their recovery journey while contributing to a transformational model of crisis care for our community.

We are currently recruiting for multiple clinician positions and welcome applications from both licensed and licensed-eligible professionals. Whether you are an experienced clinician or seeking an opportunity to advance toward independent licensure, you will be part of an innovative team dedicated to transforming crisis care and improving outcomes for individuals, families, and our community.

At Colonial Behavioral Health, we invest in our employees' professional growth by offering free clinical supervision hours for those working toward licensure.

Examples of duties

• Provide Crisis Services – assessment of acute crisis problems, risks, functioning and mental status; pre-admission screening; triage; crisis intervention and counseling supports.
• Represents the agency as assigned to regional and local initiatives and committees.
• Conduct bed search, complete safety plans, and identify the least restrictive alternatives.
• Utilize recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate provision of services, integrating the Zero Suicide/Suicide Safer Care principles.
• Demonstrate the ability to approach an individual in crisis in a way that is sensitive to their cultural identity and practice humility and respect for individuals lived experience and preferences when participating in care.
• Respond in a timely manner to individuals receiving services, families, and representatives of multiple systems by providing and gathering necessary information, as appropriate. Interact with individuals and community partners in a manner that supports collaboration.
• Promote positive communication and collaboration among team members and other community resources needed to provide quality services.
• Document all required elements in the electronic health record (EHR) at the conclusion of the crisis situation in a timely manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Position hours will vary based on program needs, but could include days, evenings, weekends, and overnight shifts. Position may require shifts outside of regular schedule when needed for departmental coverage.

The posted salary range reflects compensation for both License-Eligible and Fully Licensed candidates. Starting salary will be commensurate with licensure status, qualifications, and experience

Supplemental information

Skills and Qualifications

• Requires demonstrated knowledge of crisis intervention models and theories and resources available to help individuals with serious emotional and developmental disabilities, including individuals with co-occurring disorders, and their families/care givers in the community.
• Ability to make critical decisions that may effect the health, welfare and safety of others.
• Knowledge, skills and abilities in the assessment, evaluation and diagnosis of persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities and substance use disorders, including risk determination - danger to self or others, inability to care for self due to mental illness and imminent risk.
• Knowledge and understanding of least restrictive alternative, risk and safety planning.
• Clinical competence in managing individuals experiencing suicidality.
• Working knowledge of substances of abuse and the ability to assess the need for medical detoxification.
• Ability to work effectively in crisis situations in delivery of Crisis Service interventions to consumers and family members, including coordination with other health/behavioral health professionals, and law enforcement or court services personnel.
• Ability and willingness to work closely with other members of a multi-disciplinary treatment team.
• Ability to effectively document assessments and service activity, including health information records and service documentation, reports and correspondence.
• Minimum of two (2) years of crisis experience with individuals with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorder required.
• Valid driver’s license is required.
• Master's degree in human services field required.
• Resident in Counseling or Supervisee in Social Work required. Licensure from the Board of Counseling or Board of Social Work (LPC or LCSW) preferred.
• DBHDS Preadmission Screening Certificate, or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire required
• DMV record must be submitted with application

Our compensation package for this position includes:

• Competitive compensation
• Virginia Retirement System
• Health, Dental, Vision, & Life Insurance
• Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Accounts
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer

Colonial Behavioral Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.