Shift: Swing (3pm - 11:30pm)

Days Off: Tuesday, Wednesday

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:

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.

As the region's leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 3,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness.

Job Description:

The Crisis Solution Center is a residential treatment facility that provides stabilization services to clients experiencing acute or ongoing behavioral health crises. The Milieu Specialist works under the clinical supervisor or program manager and acts as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. The team is responsible for providing a safe and therapeutic environment for adults experiencing a behavioral health crisis and/or substance use or mental health disorders. This position provides client engagement and crisis support services, working closely with clinical and medical staff to meet client needs.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as a consistent, welcoming presence throughout the CSC; visually monitors the overall facility environment, including milieu areas, entrances, etc., and help maintain a calm and organized atmosphere.
• Engage clients through creative, equitable, culturally relevant, and resourceful strategies that build trust and confidence; routinely update shift log for each client.
• Participate in verbal de-escalation in emergent situations; work as a team to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment including 15-minute client wellness checks.
• Support clients by providing hands-on assistance cleaning common areas and kitchen spaces, client cubicles, changing linens, doing laundry, serving meals and snacks, washing dishes, and other duties as assigned. May occasionally be required to clean up bodily fluids and biohazardous waste using appropriate PPE.
• Respond to emergencies as part of a team, initiating the appropriate responses including contacting emergency-response systems as needed.
• Demonstrate DESC core values and professionalism in all client and staff interactions; follow agency clinical policies and procedures.
• Assist staff in retrieving and/or organizing client belongings; perform administrative tasks within their scope of practice including follow-up phone calls to clients and other duties as assigned.
• Attend a 3-week onboarding process upon hire, as well as other full-day trainings on an ongoing basis.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ability to obtain a Washington State Food Handler’s Permit.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to be timely, dependable, and reliable in attendance.
• Basic knowledge of de-escalation skills, crisis intervention, and stabilization
• Knowledge of local homeless, mental health, and substance use service systems.
• Ability to work effectively with an interdisciplinary team.
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two years’ experience working with homeless adults who are experiencing mental health and/or substance use disorders.

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.