Description

Days Off: Saturday and Sunday

Shift: Office Day

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.

JOB DEFINITION

The Crisis Respite Program (CRP) provides short-term psychiatric respite for people discharging from inpatient mental health or substance use treatment settings, emergency rooms and jails. CRP serves as a vital buffer between psychiatric emergency care and life back in the community by offering a safe and supportive shelter environment, and facilitating connections with long-term, outpatient services. 

The CRP RC Supervisor is a member of a multi-disciplinary team responsible for providing ongoing assessment, crisis stabilization, engagement and short-term case management services to adults experiencing homelessness after a mental health or substance use related crisis. This position reports to the CRP Project Manager, and will work closely with other CRP staff, DESC Emergency Housing staff, outpatient mental health providers and referral sources. The CRP RC Supervisor must be willing and able to work in a fast-paced environment where staff availability and program needs are often changing. This position will help cover any administrative duties including coverage needs, oversee daily operations when needed, and assist the CRP Project Manager to help relieve administrative burden with hiring, resource procurement, and assisting with special projects.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Administrative:

• Manage systems related to facility maintenance, security & supplies; coordinate submission of work orders and ordering supplies.
• Represent CRP at external stakeholder meetings as assigned and communicate information back to the CRP leadership team.
• Attend, facilitate, and participate in relevant team meetings, agency sponsored trainings, and all-staff meetings.
• Coordinate the scheduling system. Assist CRP Project Manager in maintaining an up-to-date scheduling system incorporating new hires, on-calls, and full-time staff to ensure required staffing minimums are met.
• Create, update, and maintain various tracking sheets, resource lists, information manuals, various agency forms, client intake folders, etc.
• Assist CRP Project Manager in completing & submitting monthly reports related to contract compliance.
• Manage daily program operations in the event of the absence of the CRP Project Manager.

Supervisory:

• Assist with hiring, training, and onboarding new Residential Counselor staff.
• Provide support for sensitive and confidential personnel issues including investigations, disciplinary actions, ending of employment and staff leaves of absence as directed. 
• Provide weekly direct supervision to four Residential Counselor (RC) staff, working varied shifts across a 24/7 schedule. Must be able and willing to flex schedule as needed to meet with staff across all three shifts.
• Support Residential Counselors in their roles as providers of milieu therapy, crisis management, and handling of daily building operations.
• Provide after-hours phone consultation and clinical support to CRP staff on shift, on a rotating schedule with the CRP Project Manager and Senior Program Manager for Clinical Entry Services.

Other:

• Provide milieu coverage as needed.
• Intervene in crises, respond to emergencies, and initiate action as required, including contact with emergency response systems. 
• Assist with client room turnovers, laundry, facilities inspections and maintaining general cleanliness of shared office spaces.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Experience and Credentials:

• Ability to meet Washington Department of Health requirements for registration as a Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) or any other superseding credential
• One or more years' experience in community based behavioral health services.
• Experience working with adults experiencing homelessness, mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
• Ability to drive agency vehicles, valid Washington State Driver's license and insurable driving record.

Required Skills and Knowledge:

• Commitment to DESC's mission and core values.
• Strong computer applications and internet skills, including spreadsheets, data entry and word processing.
• Strong organizational, administrative, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with external and internal stakeholders from a wide variety of professional roles and various backgrounds to accomplish responsibilities and achieve results.
• Strong communication and writing skills.
• Careful attention to detail and high level of discretion & confidentiality.
• Initiative and creativity in problem solving and system development. Ability to work independently with a minimum of direct supervision with multiple demands and interruptions.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation, collaboration, flexibility, and adaptability across projects with consideration and respect for clients.
• Knowledge of harm reduction, trauma informed care, person-centered care, and recovery-based philosophy.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as social work, psychology or social services; relevant Master’s degree highly preferred.
• Eligible for a Certified AAC credential or any other superseding credential that meets RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional
• Experience working with adults challenged by mental illness, substance abuse, and medical needs and/or in a crisis response setting.
• Prior supervisory experience
• Bilingual in Spanish/English

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 sit for extended periods of time, communicate with other people by talking and hearing, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 75 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color 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.