Portland Street Response Community Health Supervisor – Operations (QMHA/QMHP)

About the position

Job Appointment: Full time

Work Schedule: Employees in this position will work four (4) 10-hour days with three (3) days off a week. Shifts include days, afternoons, nights, including weekends, holidays and severe weather. Ability to work any shift and on any day of the week is essential. During training, your shift may change depending on the availability of the trainers. After completing probation, you will be able to bid on an open shift based on your seniority.

Work Location: 330 SW Curry St., Portland OR 97239 and/or 305 NE 102^nd Ave, Portland OR 97220

Benefit: Please check our benefit tab for an overview of benefit for this position

Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees

Union Representation: Non-Represented

About Portland Street Response (PSR): 

Portland Street Response is a compassionate, trauma-informed first response agency. PSR is dispatched by the Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC) to address mental and behavioral health crises, as well as non-emergency situations involving vulnerable populations.

Program Values:

• Strive to uplift the dignity and worth of all Portlanders, particularly those who have been historically marginalized and criminalized, by ensuring timely and professional person-centered first response.
• Ensure the best possible outcomes for our clients by working collaboratively with community partners, and traditional first responders.
• Operate from a framework of Trauma-Informed Care with the recognition that adverse life experiences (including health systems and carceral trauma) create barriers for clients to connect with the care and supportive services they need to thrive in the community.
• Respond to the complex care needs of individuals experiencing low acuity crises in the community to enable Police and Fire resources to attend to life saving and crime-related calls for service.

Position Summary 

Under general direction of their manager, the Community Health Supervisor – Operations (QMHA/QMHP) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Portland Street Response and supervision of members working in the field. This includes facilitation of internal communication between staff and management, outside agency interface, system status monitoring, facilitating short-term scheduling needs, equipment, and supply maintenance, as well as other operational support functions as assigned by the Program Manager. 

Responsibilities include supervising the workload of assigned units; assigning work to subordinate staff; overseeing staff activities to ensure achievement of program goals and objectives; coordinating and supervising initiatives and functions. The Community Health Supervisor – Operations (QMHA/QMHP) position specifically oversees Mental Health Crisis Responder I’s, Peer Support Specialists, and/or anyone with a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor (CADC) certification. 

What you will do:

• Lead, supervise, and provide assistance to PSR units working in the field.
• Provide immediate support and supervision to mobile crisis response teams responding to service calls dispatched through the 911 system.
• Ensure teams effectively engage with diverse clients across social, cultural, and economic differences in a respectful and collaborative manner.
• Make day to day operational decisions to manage workflow, safety of crews, and service to the community.
• Manage complex situations that arise in the field.
• Articulate to staff potential outcomes of various interventions, discuss their risks and benefits, and formulate why a particular course of action was pursued in lieu of other options.
• Apply principles of client-centered and trauma-informed care, opting for the least intrusive and most supportive interventions.
• Liaise and coordinate care with patients, other first responder agencies, hospitals, community partners, etc.
• Develop and administer professional development training for subordinate staff.
• Ongoing supervisory functions such as policy creation, data analysis, technology review/recommendations, hiring/discipline, etc.
• Document and maintain electronic medical records (EMR) and ancillary records in a manner that assures compliance with all agency policies, program procedures, and local, state, and federal regulations.
• Support program continuous quality improvement (CQI) efforts by participating in chart review and maintaining accurate documentation of key goals, outcomes, and indicators to ensure high-quality client care.
• Participate in all scheduled staff meetings, supervision sessions, other departmental or bureau meetings, and relevant local and regional trainings.

Physical Demands: May move equipment weighing up to 40 lbs. Bend, stoop, kneel, squat, and stand on uneven surfaces for extended periods.

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position. Applicants must describe in their cover letter and résumé how their education, training, and/or work experience, meets each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. Advanced Knowledge of Mental Health Crisis Responder I/II position ethics, scope, requirements, practices, procedures, limitations, practical application of QMHA/QMHP knowledge/experience.
2. Knowledge of principles and standards of employee supervision, including training, coaching, scheduling, hiring, performance evaluation, and discipline.
3. Knowledge and understanding of privacy rules and laws, mandatory reporting, and legal responsibilities to clients and the community and other related laws, rules, and regulations including HIPAA, ADA, Affirmative Action, City of Portland Policies and Procedures.
4. Knowledge of cultural differences and their intersections (e.g., race, sexual orientation, gender equality, socioeconomic status) and their impact on client engagement.
5. Experience identifying and assessing risk factors for harm to self or others in the context of the client’s current psycho-social state via interview with client and with consideration given to collateral information.

Applicants must also possess:

• A valid state driver’s license and acceptable driving record.
• QMHA-I, QMHA-II, or QMHP-C certification
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in a healthcare field such as mental health treatment, houseless services, substance use treatment, and/or intensive case management
  • OR - Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in a first responder field such as police, fire, ambulance or telecommunications.
  • OR - Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a healthcare or related field

Preferred Qualifications:

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following preferred qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in social work, counseling, marriage family therapy, healthcare, or another related field.
• Experience supervising staff in a first responder or frontline community-based crisis response setting. 
• Experience working with diverse groups.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of Trauma Informed Care (TIC).
• Experience as a first responder or frontline community-based crisis responder.
• Experience working effectively in multi/intra-disciplinary settings with other first responders, health and community agencies.
• Trained in behavioral health crisis assessment and intervention.
• Bilingual fluency preferred.

How to Apply:

• Submit your resume and cover letter / responses to supplemental questions by the closing date.
• (Optional) Submit Veterans’ Preference documents, if applicable.
  If this is your first time applying with the City of Portland, or if you haven’t requested veteran preference before (and would like to now), please attach your DD214-Member 4 and/or VA Benefit Letter to your application. Once we verify your eligibility, we’ll record your veteran preference in our system, so it automatically applies to your future applications.
• Click here for application tips for resume, supplemental question response and/or cover letter.

What to Expect:

1. Application Review - (Week of September 28th): We'll review your application materials to ensure you meet the minimum qualifications listed above.

2. Notice/Feedback - (Week of October 5th): You will receive an email when the minimum qualification review is complete. If you disagree with the evaluation results, you may request a review within 14 days of the email notice, per City Administrative Rule 3.01.

3. Selection Process - (Mid - October): The hiring bureau will review qualified applications, conduct interviews, and check references.

4. Conditional Job Offer - (Early November): Final candidates will undergo a background or driving record check, depending on the position.

• Pre-hire Evaluation: As part of the conditional job offer, candidates must be required to complete a Pre-hire Evaluation during the hiring process/probationary period. The Pre-hire Evaluation may consist of a medical exam, screenings, and a physical capacities test (PCT) required for work clearance and safety compliance. The PCT measures physical ability through job-related tasks such as lifting, carrying, climbing, shoveling, and repetitive movements. Unless already employed in a City position requiring a similar or more demanding PCT, candidates must pass all required tasks to proceed with employment. For more information visit the Pre-hire Evaluation page.

Learn More About:

• How to Apply Videos and Workshops
• City of Portland Core Values
• HRAR-3.01 - Recruitment Processes
• Veteran Preference Information
• Total Compensation and Benefits
• Language Pay Differential Eligibility

We’re committed to providing a fair, inclusive, and accessible hiring process. If you need assistance with your application or would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, pregnancy, or religious belief, please contact the recruiter listed below.

Questions? We're here to help!

If you have questions about this recruitment or need assistance, contact:

Anna Morgan, PHR, Senior Recruiter

Bureau of Human Resources

[email protected]