General Summary:
Under the direction and supervision of the Supervisor, Crisis Services, the Crisis Clinician conducts unscheduled crisis intervention activities for the purpose of resolving a crisis situation a situation that involves a crisis which requires immediate attention. The Crisis Clinician provides culturally competent and trauma-informed services to all consumers in need of crisis intervention while incorporating LifeWays' mission, vision, and values into the decision-making process.
Essential Functions:
Team:

1. Receives and responds to calls from the crisis line (or other means of request), and coordinates activities of others to ensure response time within guidelines.
2. Serves as the team leader when responding to a situation with Mobile Crisis Aides, or Peer Support Specialists.
3. Conducts crisis/risk assessments and determines risks and chooses appropriate intervention to address and reduce the risk.
4. Documents assessment of crisis, intervention and follow up in the electronic medical record.
5. Develops safety plans and ensures warm hand offs of consumers to appropriate providers/services.
6. Promotes the safety and emotional stability of individuals with mental illness or experiencing emotional crises.
7. Uses clinical skills to minimize further deterioration of individuals, couples, families in crisis.
8. Assists individuals in developing and/or enhancing better coping skills and a natural support system.

Specific:

1. Works with primary case holder to addend the Individual Plan of Service (IPOS) meeting and provides brief intensive individual and family counseling until ongoing services are in place.
2. Provides the consumer/guardian with ideas and techniques that will assist with skill building to help handle situations more appropriately. Skills include coping skills, anger management, communication, crisis de-escalation.
3. Consults and arranges with the psychiatrist for urgent medication management evaluations.
4. Assists individuals in crisis to obtain appropriate care, treatment, and follow up care.
5. Encourages services in the least intensive or restrictive setting that is clinically appropriate to meet the individual's needs.
6. Maintains contact with all staff/providers providing services for the purpose of monitoring and care coordination.
7. Must be able to safely perform all aspects of the Safety Care crisis intervention model, which includes therapeutic de-escalation skills, as well as therapeutic holds.
8. Collaborates with psychiatric hospitals to secure placement for individuals requiring inpatient hospitalization.

General:

1. Informs the community of Crisis Team services available.
2. Performs all duties as assigned to ensure the Crisis Team runs efficiently and effectively.
3. Performs duties in a variety of settings to include but not limited to: the office, community locations, emergency departments, schools, consumer homes, and jails.
4. Works a non-traditional schedule which may include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
5. Provides on-call services, as needed, or assigned.
6. Maintain regular and predictable attendance.

Required Education/Certification/Licensure:

• Crisis Clinician I licensed bachelor's social worker, or limited-licensed bachelor's social worker acting within their scope of practice and supervised by a Mental Health Professional who is a licensed master's social worker.
• Crisis Clinician II: Master's degree. Limited Licensed Masters Social Worker (LLMSW), Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC), Limited Licensed Psychologist (LLP).

• Crisis Clinician III: Master's degree. Fully Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW), Fully Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Fully Licensed Psychologist (LP).
• Crisis Clinician IV: Master's degree. Fully Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW), Fully Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Fully Licensed Psychologist (LP) and is Certified in Crisis Intervention.
• Must possess a valid U.S. motor vehicle operator's license, and successfully complete motor vehicle record check.

Preferred Education/Certification/Licensure:

• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) or Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC).
• CIT Train the Trainer Certification
• Certification in Licensing Supervision training course which includes standards of practice.
• Board certified in respective field of counseling through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), or completion of Clinical Advanced Practice Specialty Credentials identified through National Association of Social Workers (NASW).