Mental Health Professional (MHP) - Day Shift, CDF at Downtown Emergency Service Center – Seattle, Washington

Days Off: Friday, Saturday

Shift: Day

Insurance Benefits: Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage), Dental, Life, Long-term Disability

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

Union Representation: This position is a part of a union and is represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

About DESC:

Recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long-term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. Our vision is a community where all people are shown compassion, treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs,19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

Job Description:

Crisis Solutions Center is a residential treatment facility that provides stabilization services to clients experiencing acute or ongoing behavioral health crises. Mental Health Professionals work within a multi-disciplinary team to create and implement detailed, recovery-oriented disposition plans; provide comprehensive psychosocial assessments; facilitate group and individual counseling; complete risk and safety assessments; ensure crisis resolution services are fully integrated with mental health, substance use, and primary care teams. With other staff, Mental Health Professionals will help develop and maintain a comprehensive list of community partners and client resources; participate in staff meetings and trainings; and maintain a safe and therapeutic environment.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Is familiar with Recovery Principles, Crisis Intervention and Stabilization, Integrated Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders, Intensive Case Management, Illness Management, Trauma-Informed Treatment, strengths-based client centered treatment, relevant Evidenced based/Emerging best practices, and strong working knowledge of DSM V.
• Participates in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participates in clinical reviews and case consults for clients admitted to the CSC.
• Completes and documents biopsychosocial assessments, risk and safety assessments, success plans, care conference outcomes, and other clinical support provided according to agency guidelines; provides one-on-one counseling with clients to support their stabilization.
• Creates and implements short-term care plans, develops client-driven goal planners and discharge dispositions; facilitates linkages to community resources and services as needed.
• Participates in verbal de-escalation and physical interventions in emergent situations. Work as a team to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment including 15-minute client wellness checks.
• Demonstrates DESC core values and professionalism in all client and staff interactions; follows agency clinical policies and procedures; participates in quality assurance reviews when assigned
• Ability to provide phone consolation for referents of the CSC, monitor office security cameras, answer phone calls, and other administrative duties
• Willingness to serve food, do laundry and change linens, help clean common areas, and occasionally clean up bodily fluids and biohazardous waste using appropriate PPE.
• Attend a 2-week onboarding process upon hiring and attending a full day of mandatory training during employment.
• Provides transportation for clients (such as appointments outside of CSC) when needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Eligible for a Licensed AAC credential or any other superseding credential that meets RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional whose scope of practice includes independently conducting mental health assessments and making mental health diagnoses.
• Master's degree in a social work, psychology or other relevant behavioral science or Bachelor of Nursing degree with specialty in mental health.
• Ability to drive an agency vehicle to conduct agency-related business. A current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record are required.
• Interest in working with individuals who are experiencing mental illness and/or substance use disorders who may be difficult to engage in other treatment programs.
• Be able to pass a Washington State Criminal background check.
• Ability to obtain a Washington State Food Handler’s Permit.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual
• Candidates with diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply
• Strong applicants demonstrate the ability to be positive in their empathetic responses to all persons, understand the value of meaningful and deep client engagement, and have the potential to acquire the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills of an effective crisis worker; and value a non-judgmental response to sensitive issues. Candidates should be able to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and potentially stressful environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

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 will be required to sit, communicate with other employees, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 40 pounds, and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.