Behavioral Health Crisis Specialist

The City of Fayetteville is currently recruiting for four Behavioral Health Crisis Specialists in our Office of Community Safety (OCS) to provide community-based behavioral health crisis intervention, assessment, stabilization, and care coordination as a member of a Behavioral Health Alternative Response Team. Respond to individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or psychosocial crises with the goal of reducing unnecessary involvement of law enforcement, emergency departments, and inpatient hospitalization whenever clinically appropriate. Collaborate with public safety agencies, emergency communications, healthcare providers, and community partners, as appropriate, to provide coordinated crisis response.

1. Respond, in collaboration with other team members, to 911 calls with an identified behavioral health component and provide crisis assessment, crisis intervention, de-escalation, safety planning, referrals, and linkage to care services for residents.  
2. Provide post-crisis follow-up, care coordination, and service navigation to support stabilization and connection to behavioral health, healthcare, housing, and other community resources. This may include telephonic, telehealth, or in-person follow-up to promote continuity of care and reduce repeat crisis utilization.
3. Develop and implement crisis related safety plans; work with individuals, families, and other members of the Behavioral Health Alternative Response Team to determine if the individual requires a higher level of care requiring transport to a hospital or alternate transport destination.  
4. Coordinate referrals, facilitate warm handoffs, and collaborate with community providers to ensure timely access to appropriate behavioral health and supportive services.
5. Provide behavioral health consultation, clinical assessment, and crisis intervention during behavioral health-related responses. 
6. Conduct proactive community outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness, serious mental illness, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders who may have unaddressed behavioral health or social service needs. 
7. Deliver services that are compassionate, trauma-informed, and attentive to the particular needs and values of each individual. 
8. Maintain timely and accurate clinical documentation, safety plans, referrals, encounter records, and outcome reporting in accordance with department policies and applicable privacy requirements.
9. Participate in team/department meetings, in-services, and supervisory sessions as required. 

For a complete job description, click here. Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Please Note: Candidates selected for hire will be required to submit proof of education prior to a firm job offer being made. Therefore, to avoid delays in the hiring process, it is strongly recommended that you attach a copy of your official graduation certificate(s) from higher level institution(s) at the time of your application submission.

Experience: 
Two years of experience providing crisis intervention, behavioral health assessment, de-escalation, and care coordination for individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or psychosocial crises. Experience working in community-based settings, emergency behavioral health services, mobile crisis response, hospitals, or crisis stabilization programs is preferred. 

Training:  
Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, counseling, behavioral health, human services, criminal justice, sociology, or another closely related behavioral health or human services field.


Required: 
Possession of an appropriate, valid driver’s license and ability to maintain insurability. 

Preferred: 
Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA), Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist Criteria A (LCASA), Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor – A(LCMHC-A), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT(A)).

• SBI/Fingerprinting Criminal History Record Check Requirement: To comply with Sessions Law 2025-16, applicants offered a position with the City may be subject to a criminal history record check of State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26. The City may consider the results of these criminal history record checks in its hiring decisions.

From the time of closing, the selection process is anticipated to last approximately 4 - 6 weeks. The will consist of a panel interview with the selected candidate being subject to a pre-employment drug screen, background check, and driving history check.