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GULF COAST CENTER - JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Relapse Prevention Specialist-MCOT (Brazoria County)

Location: Crisis Services; Brazoria and Galveston Counties

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Working Status: Full-time w/benefits 

Summary:

The Relapse Prevention Specialist (RPS) will work as part of the Mobile Crisis Team. This position will provide crisis follow up and relapse prevention services to the Center's crisis clients to help them avoid re-occurrence of crisis.  Crisis relapse prevention services are designed to be intensive, time limited support services that include coordination of crisis services, ongoing risk assessment, education on effective treatments for mental health and substance abuse disorders, problem solving and skills building to reduce precipitating crisis factors and engagement/linkage with mental health and substance abuse services. 

This position will assist in engaging and transitioning the Center's crisis patients from inpatient treatment to Gulf Coast Center outpatient services and from the crisis transitional levels of care into the clinic full levels of care for long term treatment.  This will include providing short term case management and care coordination (up to 90 days) with enrolled and non-enrolled customers involved in crisis services, admitted to the Respite Facility or clients transitioning from psychiatric hospitals into GCC services. This position will provide intensive crisis follow up services at a determined frequency until crisis customers are no longer in crisis and care coordination until they are successfully transitioned to regular Center or community services. 

Additionally, the RPS will assist in providing rapid response mobile crisis and jail diversion services in the community for a two-county area in support of the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team.  This work will involve providing crisis assessment and intervention services to both adults and children experiencing mental health and substance use crisis.   This will also involve assisting the Center's jail diversion initiative, assisting local law enforcement with diverting individuals with mental illness and/or IDD from jail to treatment as requested.

Crisis team members must embrace the concept of teamwork, trauma informed care, jail diversion as well as collaborative documentation.  Crisis staff will need to have effective communications in dealing with law enforcement, local hospitals, judiciary and other social service agencies to resolve the crisis needs of the customers.  Must be able to work under pressure with stressful situations while maintaining a professional manner.

Staff will adhere to GCC training requirements as well as to state and federal regulations, including program billing/clinical documentation practices and other contractual obligations and requirements. 

Gulf Coast Center is committed to fostering an open, inclusive, and supportive environment that welcomes and embraces diversity in all forms. Gulf Coast Center defines diversity broadly including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, abilities (mental/physical), gender, gender identity, immigrant status, language, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and age. Gulf Coast Center embraces trauma sensitive and informed practices, provides suicide safer care, and fosters a safe and compassionate environment that promotes racial and health equity.

This position will be directly supervised by the Crisis Director. 

Job Duties: (To be performed with or without accommodation as based on ADA requirements)

The Relapse Prevention Specialist-MCOT will be responsible for the following:

Essential Job Duties:

• This position will provide short term case management and care coordination (up to 90 days) with enrolled and non-enrolled customers involved in crisis services, admitted to the Respite Facility or clients transitioning from psychiatric hospitals into GCC services. This position will provide intensive crisis follow up services at a determined frequency until crisis customers are no longer in crisis and care coordination until they are successfully transitioned to regular Center or community services. 
• RPS staff will primarily be responsible for LOC 5 caseload and provide intensive services to clients to help them avoid re-occurrence of crisis.  Crisis relapse prevention services are designed to be intensive support services that include coordination of crisis services, ongoing risk assessment, education on effective treatments for mental health and substance abuse disorders, problem solving and skills building to reduce precipitating crisis factors and engagement/linkage with mental health and substance abuse services.  This position will carry a caseload of at least 20 clients that need access to services and will help them transition to internal or community providers
• Additionally, the RPS will assist in providing rapid response mobile crisis and jail diversion services in the community for a two-county area in support of the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team.  This work will involve providing crisis assessment and intervention services to both adults and children experiencing mental health and substance use crisis.  This will also involve assisting the Center's jail diversion initiative, assisting local law enforcement with diverting individuals with mental illness and/or IDD from jail to treatment as requested.
• RPS staff will be expected to respond to crisis at Gulf Coast Center clinics and facilities as requested in order to provide crisis support to those programs.  RPS staff will assist with hotline referrals for walk in crisis by responding to the center site where the crisis caller has been directed.  Crisis staff will follow up immediately on callers referred as walk ins for crisis assessment that do not arrive at the designated site with mobile crisis response.  RPS staff will assist law enforcement with their drop off crisis. RPS staff and the law enforcement officers are expected to work together to determine whether law enforcement drop off is safe and appropriate or whether the law enforcement officer should remain on site for the assessment for safety reasons. 
• RPS staff will also respond to calls from law enforcement, jails or judges requesting assistance with mentally ill and/or IDD individuals in need of jail diversion. Crisis staff will assist the jail diverted individuals with crisis assessment, LOC5 enrollment, linkage to clinic enrollment, referrals and follow up services.
• RPS staff will respond to calls from Crisis Respite about any issues with respite customers in order to determine if crisis assessment or consultation is needed. 
• RPS staff may also be asked to assist the Assessment and Referral Department by completing Intake Assessments on incoming adults/children to determine eligibility for services.
• This position will be primarily an 8am-5pm position, but may be asked to assist with crisis assessments and shift coverage as needed in support of the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team that provides community coverage 24 hours a day in both Galveston/Brazoria Counties.
• A specific productivity expectation or measure has not yet been established, as the RPS position is new to our system of care. An addendum will be added to this job description when we are able to define the achievement expectations for RPS staff.
• The Crisis team will have unit performance measurables or targets that will be measured monthly including Community Crisis Response, Crisis Response Timeliness for Emergent, Urgent, Hospital Triage, Jail Diversion and Routine Callers, Crisis Follow Up Intensity, Effectiveness of Crisis Response and Crisis Care Linkage.  Individual crisis staff will have performance expectations for these same measurables as well as targets for Crisis Service Efficiency and Concurrent Documentation.
• RPS staff are required to notify a supervisor about any barriers to meeting response timeframes or concerns about responding to the screening sites determined appropriate and safe by the hotline. 
• Non-Essential Job Duties:
• • Accurately complete bi-weekly timecard, travel log, as well as vehicle reports and assigned reports according to Center policy and procedures.
  • Responsible for ensuring completion of the initial and annual ANSA/CANS recertification in accordance with the Praed Foundation and HHSC performance contract requirements. A lapse/expiration in certification will result in termination of employment. Exception: If certification lapse/expiration is reported to supervisor within 24 hours of expiration date, employee will be granted opportunity to recertify by close of following business day. Any lapse/expiration greater than 24 hours will  result in termination of employment. Additionally, all certified practitioners are responsible for participating in semi-annual quality assurance training activity conducted by the identified ANSA/CANS Super User.
  • Serve as primary staff for disaster recovery deployment, with the expectation that crisis services staff will keep up their training for Psychological First Aid. Staff will also be part of a rotation for disaster assistance at Disaster Recovery Centers, emergency shelters and other sites.
  • Will be responsible and accountable for the adherence to and promotion of the agency compliance policy and will require communication with various departments to foster, develop and continue our community partnerships as it relates to the position.
  • Treat all individuals with the utmost courtesy, decency and respect.
  • Provide responsive, and efficient services.
  • Interact with staff, consumers, local entities and advocacy groups to provide a service that meets local needs.
  • Provide highest level of Customer Service for both internal and external customers.
  • Required to report personnel leave; flex time and emergency leave to assigned supervisor.
  • Strict adherence to the professional, ethical, and legal requirements set forth in GCC's Business Code of Conduct as well as the Corporate Compliance Plan.
  • Consistent adherence to the Center's Dress Code.
  • Consistent adherence to Center safety guidelines and expectations.
  • May be required to travel within Brazoria and Galveston Counties.
  • Out of region travel may be required to attend trainings.
  • Must maintain a clear driving record and driver's license in accordance with our Driver Policy.
  • Requires current Texas Driver's License, reliable transportation and must maintain current auto liability insurance.
  
  

Supervision:

• Receives direct administrative supervision from Director of Crisis Services and clinical supervision from a designated LPC clinical trainer

Required Education/ Licensure/Certifications:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited college or University in the Behavioral Science field of study.

Preferred Education/Licensure/Certifications:

• Prefer a master's degree or equivalent in the behavioral sciences field of study from an accredited college or university and/or specialized LPHA certification.

• Prefer license as an LPC associate, LMSW, or LMFT associate.

Required Experience:

• N/A

Preferred Experience:

• N/A

Abilities/Traits:

• General knowledge of mental health disorders
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• Self motivated with good time management skills
• Ability to multi-task
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to establish cooperative relationships with individuals in crisis situations
• Must learn and use the Trauma Informed Principles in performing assessments with persons in crisis so as to not add any  further traumatic experiences
• Ability to express self clearly and effectively, orally and in writing.
• Requires ability to work within a team approach.
• Requires proficiency with computer skills, programs and email. This position will interface with community stakeholders and maintain a professional relationship and boundaries with stakeholders in all interactions.

Working Conditions:

• Work will be performed in the Office, Field and/or Remotely setting(s).
• May require varied work hours depending on need of clients.
• Out of region travel may be required to attend trainings.
• May require travel to various locations within Brazoria and Galveston Counties. Requires current Texas Driver's License, reliable transportation safe and current with all state requirements, and liability insurance.
• RPS staff are expected to work together as part of the crisis team to have a schedule that maintains crisis services 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. 
• Although this position will work primarily Mon-Fri 8:00a-5:00p, the position requires flexibility to work different shifts or on-call as needed to meet program needs. 
• Crisis staff are required to work on Center holidays unless approved for a skeleton crew by the Crisis Services Director.
• Crisis staff that work on Center holidays will be paid their hours worked and an additional 8 hours of holiday pay or they can take the holiday off another day that is approved by the Crisis Services Director.

Special Projects:

• Assist supervisor when requested to complete special projects and complete all assignments within a time frame negotiated with the supervisor. Completion of other duties as assigned by supervisor as it relates to the program and position.

Job Related Physical/Mental Requirements & Environmental Conditions:

Physical:

• Ability to transport, adjust and/or move items up to 55 lbs.
• Ability to ascend/descend stairs.
• Ability to remain in a stationary position for long periods of time.
• Ability to handle objects.
• Ability to operate office equipment.
• Ability to move around within an office setting and/or other locations as needed; may include ability to bend/twist, kneel/stoop and/or reach for items.
• Ability to push/pull, crawl/squat as it relates to PMAB requirements; may be required to perform PMAB restraints as it relates to program requirements. 
• Ability to detect and write effectively.
• Ability to hear (with or without aid).
• Ability to have visual acuity to operate a motor vehicle and observe objects within work setting.

Mental:

• Ability to accept constructive criticism.
• Ability to maintain regular attendance.
• Ability to understand, communicate and comprehend accurate information with others in English.
• Ability to reason and analyze effectively.
• Ability to solve practical problems as it relates to position.
• Required to pass and maintain all Center mandated trainings and attend Clinical Supervised meetings.

Work Site/Environmental Conditions:

• Ability to work alone.
• Ability to work closely with others.
• Ability to work closely with clients and/or family members with poor hygiene. Ability to work long and/or irregular hours.
• May be subjected to hostile environment.
• May be subjected to high crime environment.
• Potential exposure to tobacco products.
• May be subjected to both inside and outside environmental conditions.
• Subject to standard noise levels within working environment.
• Travel by motor vehicle, van, bus or plane may be required.

Qualified individuals must be able to perform these functions with or without reasonable accommodations as based on ADA requirements.