Description

Shift: Office Day

Days Off: Saturday and Sunday

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

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

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 2,000 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.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is a nationally recognized practice that works with people with serious and persistent mental illness, assisting them in their journey towards recovery. The PACT model is distinguished by its intensive outreach and team-oriented, trans-disciplinary approach. In the PACT model, the entire team is responsible for every participant. PACT teams have daily team meetings in which they review the status of each person they serve and make a daily schedule of services to be provided aligned with each participant’s current wants and needs. 

DESC’s PACT team consists of a psychiatrist, nurses, mental health professionals, substance use disorder specialist, vocational specialist, and peer specialist all working together to help PACT participants reach their goals. Staff provide most services off-site, in the community where the help is needed. There is no time limit or mandatory cut-off point for services, but some participants do “graduate” to less intensive services, which is the goal. 

JOB DEFINITION:

The Clinical Supervisor/Assistant Team Lead assists the Project Manager/Team Lead in administering, supervising and evaluating the PACT team, to ensure that program participants receive excellent clinical service. This position also functions as a practicing clinician on the team. 

MAJOR DUTIES RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervisory and Administrative

• Direct the day-to-day clinical operations of the team, including scheduling staff work hours, and facilitating the daily organizational staff meetings and treatment planning meetings
• Continuously evaluate the treatment status of participants; plan and coordinate treatment activities to ensure immediate attention to participants’ changing needs. 
• Direct and coordinate the participant referral and intake process, including completion of comprehensive assessments 
• Participate in hiring and onboarding of new program staff, as well as training and professional development of all team members,
• Provide clinical and administrative supervision to the Case Managers on the PACT team, in accordance with agency policy 
• Ensure timely and appropriate documentation of services, in compliance with agency policies and funder requirements, by training staff on medical record requirements and performing regular review of participant assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes written by the staff. 
• Participate in quality-assurance activities, funder audits and reviews of use of program services. 
• Maintain both agency-wide and program-specific policies and procedures and revise as necessary. 
• Initiate and maintain working relationships with the three other PACT teams in King County, law-enforcement, hospitals, other human services agencies, and informal community resources (e.g., landlords, employers). 
• Serve as a backup support to staff providing on-call crisis intervention and de-escalation services during evening and weekend hours.

Clinical

• Oversee the implementation of treatment across the following domains of PACT services: Mental Health and Personal Strengths, Sociocultural, Physical Health, Psychosocial, Substance Use, and Employment and Education 
• Directly provide various clinical treatment services including case management and psychotherapy to individuals, groups and families.
• Work within the principles of Housing First and Harm Reduction, and use a strengths-based approach to providing clinical mental health services 
• Act as liaison and consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process. 
• Provide guidance to PACT staff coordinating with King County Designated Crisis Responders (DCRs) while evaluating clients for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. 

Unit Mitigation

• Ensure collaboration with DESC stakeholders to update unit mitigation guidelines and agreements, as needed. Unit mitigations are coordinated efforts to support clients with maintaining healthy living conditions.
• Collaborate with leadership to understand and maintain complementary policies and procedures related to unit mitigation.
• Support clinical staff in planning and participating in unit mitigations for clients. This can include but is not limited to supporting staff with work in clients’ units. 

Other

• Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in a social or behavioral science, or other relevant field. Equivalent relevant experience may not be substituted for this degree requirement. 
• Proof of Washington DOH License as Social Worker or Mental Health Counselor (or Associate), or other relevant professional registration/license. 
• Interest or experience in working with participants who are difficult to engage in traditional outpatient mental health programs. Ability to interact with these participants in a respectful and therapeutic manner. Skills and competence to establish supportive, trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses. 
• Strong commitment to the right and ability of each person with a severe and persistent mental illness to live in normal community residences; work in market jobs; and have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services. Respect for participant rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential. Clear understanding and respect for the importance of maintaining participant confidentiality. 
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with participants and staff from various cultural backgrounds.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across DESC and other outside agency programs and of consideration and respect for participants. DESC expects a high degree of cooperation and collaboration among its staff, programs, and community agencies
• Able to prioritize multiple responsibilities, work independently and exercise sound professional, clinical judgment. 
• Basic computer skills: email, data entry, file creation, correspondence. 
• Must have a Washington Driver’s License, as well as receiving clearance as an authorized driver for DESC. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with adults who are homeless, have a mental illness and/or co-occurring substance abuse disorders. 
• Licensed Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the State of Washington. 
• Qualified to provide Department of Health Approved Supervision to LICSW, LMFT and/or LMHC candidates. 
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish. 
• Supervisory experience.