Behavior Health Clinical Navigator II (CRT)

Behavioral Health Clinical Navigator II (CRT)

In this (special at-will) grant funded position, you will play a critical role in the CPH (Community and Public Health) division of the CSFD (Colorado Springs Fire Department). As an essential member of an interdisciplinary team, the Behavioral Health Clinical Navigator II works with individuals and their families to perform emergency crisis mental health assessments of clients whose lives are disrupted or complicated by mental illness, behavior disturbances, substance abuse issues, acute suicidality, homicidally, or the inability to function or maintain in the community due to mental illness. 

The Behavioral Health Clinical Navigator II conducts crisis evaluations, as requested by individuals in the community, to determine client disposition. Services include but are not limited to: 

• Comprehensive assessment of social, emotional, and psychiatric history/ diagnosis
• Treatment and safety planning
• Level of care assignment
• Initiating emergency mental health holds
• Connection with necessary resources
• Admission to appropriate inpatient facilities, as warranted
• Actively engages with crisis hotlines, schools, community partners, first responders and hospital emergency departments

In addition to providing quality care, the focus on this role is on clinical confidence and further expanding clinical knowledge and expertise as a licensed professional. This is an emergent/essential personnel role and despite weather conditions, you will be responsible for showing up for your shift.

Work hours are shift-based.  The hours of operation are:
CRT1; Sunday through Wednesday, 9:00am to 7:00pm
CRT2; Wednesday through Saturday, 9:00am to 7:00pm
CRT3; Sunday through Wednesday, 2:00pm to 12:00am
CRT4;  Wednesday through Saturday, 2:00pm to 12:00am

Job Type: Full-time; Grant-Funded; 40hours/week. This is a grant funded position. Current grant funding for this position runs through June 2027 with continued funding currently being pursued.

As a Behavioral Health Clinical Navigator II, you will:

• Provide comprehensive crisis assessments, de-escalation, triage and intervention throughout the community on a daily basis. Assesses individual’s behavioral status and provides evidence-based intervention strategies to include discharge planning and connecting to outpatient care on a daily basis
• Provide effective diagnostic assessments to include psychosocial history, diagnostic justification and conceptualization of individual’s needs on a daily basis
• Coordinate with various medical providers, family supports and additional service providers to determine individual’s disposition, including collateral contact and determining plan for higher level of care as needed on a daily basis
• Supply individuals, family members and/or caregivers with appropriate community and/or organization resources on a daily basis
• Serves as a crisis consultation with other partners on a daily basis
• Engage at risk individuals with strategic safety planning and interventions that deescalate and stabilize them and can initiative involuntary mental health hold if appropriate based on severity of risk on a daily basis
• Develop safety plans that balance risk assessment with individual’s strengths, support systems, and supervisor feedback as needed to include counseling to access of lethal means on a daily basis
• Complete all documentation in clear, comprehensive, and timely fashion and meets quality standards, in compliance with state and federal regulations on a daily basis
• Demonstrate multicultural awareness and sensitivity to individual’s treatment preferences on a daily basis
• Participate in case consultation, internal and external, to assist compliance of the individual on a daily basis
• Interact in professional-to-professional communication to advocate for the individual on a daily basis
• Represent CPH at community meetings and report outcomes to supervisor on a daily basis
• Provide community training and education on the Community Response Team on a daily basis
• Build relationships with community partners/agencies while maintaining positive alliances on a daily basis

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate:

Knowledge of:

• Appropriate scope of practice expectations
• The DSM-V and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/Solution focused treatment/ Systems model
• High needs, severely mentally ill clientele
• Substance abuse and polypharmacy concerns/treatments 
• Initiating involuntary emergency mental health holds

Ability to:

• Complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision
• Demonstrate leadership and task management skills
• Formulate cohesive intervention plans
• Recognize when to seek additional supervision/consultation
• Identify any ethical concerns that might arise and discuss with supervisor 
• Represent CSFD in a professional capacity
• Accept constructive criticism and demonstrate a willingness to learn
• Demonstrate technical writing skills
• Decipher research materials/outcomes
• Navigate electronic medical records independently after training
• Set clear and firm boundaries with clients
• Function in a complex and fluid work environment
• Communicate professionally, effectively, and efficiently with all stakeholders

• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in social work, counseling, psychology, or related field
• One (1) year of full-time experience working with patients in a crisis setting, including internship
• Possess, or obtain upon hire, and maintain a valid, non-probationary Colorado driver's license not subject to restriction related to alcohol and/or drug violations or pending charges
• Licensed, in good standing, in the State of Colorado (DORA) in a counseling, social work, or related behavioral health field (LCSW, LPC, LMFT)

The background check process for this position includes being fingerprinted by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

• Crisis intervention skills
• Experience working with individuals experiencing mental health crisis.
• Experience working with individuals with behavioral health and substance use disorders

Please contact CSFD Human Resources at [email protected]
or 719-385-7244 for any questions about this position.

The background check process for this position includes being fingerprinted by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Physical Demands:  This position requires the ability to lift up to 20 pounds occasionally and 10 pounds frequently.

Environmental Conditions

Primary Work Environment - Field environment (with some office time) with travel from site to site and possible exposure to extreme weather conditions
Extreme Temperature - Seasonally 
Wetness and Humidity - Seasonally 
Respiratory Hazards - Rarely
Noise and Vibrations - Rarely 
Physical Hazards - Occasionally
Mechanical and/or Electrical Hazards - Rarely 
Exposure to Communicable Diseases - Frequently