Crisis Intervention Specialist

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

 Position Summary

The Crisis Intervention Specialist (CIS) provides behavioral health crisis intervention services to individuals who are referred to Sea Mar's Adult Mobile Crisis Intervention (AMCI) team through the Southwest Washington Crisis line, 911 or CRESA. A Sea Mar Mental Health Professional (MHP) will always be available to the CIS for consultation. The CIS provides outreach, assessment, referral and follow up supportive services for these individuals as the primary responder. The outreach services would always require a second staff for safety. The assessment, follow up and referral activities and collaboration will occur with natural supports, community partners, service providers, housing providers and other community organizations. This job description does not suggest or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. This person will be required to follow other instructions and to perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

 Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self- worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered,

culturally-aware services.

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Assists in insuring agency compliance with WAC's, RCW's, and other pertinent laws, regulations, and contracts.

Assists in developing and implementing policies and procedures as directed by the Program Director.

Educates staff regarding the process for crisis behavioral health service referrals and regarding "psycho educational topics (suicide risk assessment, behavior modification, etc.) as directed by the Program Director.

Maintains documentation of crisis services in EPIC.

CLINICAL DUTIES

• Receives, processes and responds in person to mobile crisis referrals.
• Documents nature of crisis referrals, outreaches and outcomes.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide adult crisis outreach services.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of risk assessment, de-escalation, safety planning and referral to more restrictive alternatives (DCR, Inpatient, 911).
• Refers patients to psychiatric and other health care services as appropriate.
• Maintain professional standards and follows the treatment policies and procedures of Sea Mar, and of the federal, state, and local regulations. Has a thorough working knowledge of appropriate WAC and RCW's.
• Attends AMCI daily crossover meetings and shares relevant information.
• Provides suicide risk assessment and develops safety plans to address suicidal ideation or gestures. Provide other crisis stabilization and de-escalation servcies as needed.
• Perform opioid overdose risk screening and appropriate follow up to include distribution of narcan.
• Gathers information regarding past mental health services to be used in the individual's treatment plan development.
• Maintains an active Department of Health Credential.

 Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The ability to work effectively with all persons and groups with an open mind towards cultural differences and knowledge of cultures.
• An understanding of mobile crisis services and an ability to coordinate behavioral health and other healthcare service providers.
• Must complete an annual clinical competency test as a Crisis Intervention Specialist.
• The Crisis Intervention Specialist must sign a permanent oath of confidentiality covering all patient related information.
• This person must pass a background check.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

 Education and Experience, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• Minimum qualifications are B.A. level in a related field or an A.A. level with two years' experience in the mental health or related fields.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have and maintain a current TB test.
• This position must obtain CPR within 90 days of hire date and is required to maintain current CPR throughout employment.

Additional Requirements

• Annual influenza vaccine required. Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious exemption approved by Administration. Employees with an approved medical or religious exemption must wear a mask at all time during the flu season.
• Proof of COVID Vaccination.

 Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Additional evening/weekend hours may be required to fulfill the duties of this position.

 Physical Requirements       

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Hourly - Hourly Plan, 24.81 USD Hourly

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it's a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment. 

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.

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