Designated Crisis Responder (DCR) - Overnight Shift

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

This position provides crisis outreach services throughout Clark County.  The services are grounded in the recovery model that recognizes each individual’s capacity to self-actualize and makes every effort to engage individuals in intervention services including brief therapy, case management, and referral to community mental health services. This position initiates involuntary holds and detainments only in cases where the individual’s imminent risk of harm to self, risk of harm to others or property outweighs other intervention strategies. It investigates allegations about consumers’ likelihood of serious harm to self, others, property, and imminent danger because of grave disability. In accordance with RCW 71.05 and 71.34, during the investigation, this position will gather evidence, conduct clinical evaluations, and decides, if other voluntary lesser restrictive alternatives or involuntary detainment are indicated. If other voluntary alternatives are appropriate, this position will refer assistance to other services as indicated. In providing these services, the position prepares witness statements, serves legal documents, testifies at court hearings, completes required legal forms and written documentation of investigations; as well as coordinates the processing of involuntarily detained individuals through the civil commitment system. This position requires working rotating shifts, weekends, and on-call status during peak demand periods. (OVERNIGHT SHIFT)

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 his/her 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

• The DCR is responsible for executing civil commitment services in Clark County, including Crisis Services and assessments for Involuntary Treatment Act.
• Assists in ensuring 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 Manager.
• Educates staff regarding the process for health service referrals and regarding "psychoeducational topics (suicide risk assessment, behavior modification, evidence based practices, etc.) as directed by the Program Director and/or clinical supervisor.
• Maintains documentation of health services, and follows through on patient charts, including but not limited to: crisis outreaches and ITAs.

CLINICAL DUTIES

• Perform all duties in a manner that protects confidentiality/privacy of individuals pursuant to the standards delineated in RCW 70.02, 70.96A, 71.05, and 71.34, 42 CFR Part 2, and 45 CFR Parts 160 & 164;
• Work as part of the crisis team in delivering services to individuals who are identified as needing crisis intervention services;
• Work as part of the crisis team in responding to family members and significant others of individuals who may require crisis intervention services;
• Work as part of the crisis team in responding to mental health and substance abuse treatment providers, community social service providers, hospitals, criminal justice system, and consumer advocacy groups requiring assistance with individuals who may require crisis intervention services;
• Travel to locations in the community or use Telehealth to assess consumer’s mental status, risk of self-harm, risk of harming others, and determine the most appropriate intervention to stabilize the consumer and ensure the consumer’s safety and safety of others in the community;
• Provide in-home or facility-support until crisis is resolved or actions have been initiated to remove consumer from home or facility and into an environment that can provide for consumer’s safety or safety of others;
• Provide crisis interventions services in the least restrictive manner while providing for the safety of the consumer and others in the community
• Provide brief therapy and case management services which focus on rapid integration into community outpatient services;
• When indicated, initiate holds on individuals in accordance with RCW 70.05, 71.34, 70.96A, WAC 388-865, and protocols developed by Washington State Mental Health Division;
• When indicated, conduct investigations, prepare witness statements, serve legal documents, and testify at court hearings in accordance with RCW 70.05, 71.34, 70.96A, WAC 388-865, and protocols developed by Washington State Mental Health Division;
• When indicated, initiate involuntary commitment and psychiatric hospitalization pursuant to RCW 70.05, 71.34, 70.96A, WAC 388-865, and protocols developed by Washington State Mental Health Division;
• Coordinate the processing of involuntarily committed individual through the legal system;
• Coordinate with law enforcement in accordance with SB 5720; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Demonstrates clinical competencies and proper use of approved diagnostic tools to justify clinical diagnosis and practices.
• Provides individual counseling in coordination with other systems as needed.
• Provides suicide risk assessment and develop plans to address suicidal ideations or gestures.  Uses case management as needed to provide follow through and build community support as follow through.  Provides other crisis stabilization as needed.

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.

• Understanding of the ASO and BHO contract requirements, enrollment, crisis requirement, and discharge planning.
• Works effectively with all persons and groups with an open mind towards cultural differences and knowledge of cultures.
• Works effectively in an integrated care team, including but not limited to clinical supervisor, psychiatric prescriber, case manager, financial case manager, and care coordination with primary care providers.
• Must have the ability to accurately diagnose mental health issues and develop crisis follow up plans based upon diagnoses, risk and protective factors.
• Understands substance use as it relates to behavioral health clients and an ability to coordinate with substance use treatment providers to ensure the needs of clients with co-occurring conditions are met.
• The DCR must sign a permanent oath of confidentiality covering all related patient-related information.
• The DCR should be proficient in professional writing and completion of clinical records.

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 create 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

• Must hold a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in social or behavioral science or related field. 
• Two or more years of clinical experience working with high-acuity clients.
• Responsible for their individual continuing education hours and licensing fees.
• Must meet and maintain the definition of a Mental Health Professional as defined in RCW 71.05.020
• Must possess an active, approved credential from the Washington State Department of Health.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must take a TB test annually and at time of hire.
• This person must pass a background check.
• Must complete an annual clinical competency test as a DCR.

• 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.
• Covid 19 vaccines required.
• Must have availability to work regular overnight shifts.

Salary - Salary Plan, 96,408.00 USD Annual

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 www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.