Education Level: Master's Degree

Are you a highly motivated self-starter looking to make a change in the lives of our county's most vulnerable members?

Organization Description:
Urban Alchemy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of transforming people and places through respect,
compassion, and love to heal communities challenged by the intersection of extreme poverty, mental illness,
addiction, and homelessness. The name Urban Alchemy references the process of spiritual and social
transformation that our staff engage in – both internally and in practice with all members of the public. Since our
founding in 2018, Urban Alchemy has grown into a thriving social enterprise with over 1,300 employees and a
budget of nearly $70 million. We provide community outreach and engagement, temporary housing for people
experiencing homelessness, mobile bathrooms and showers, and street cleaning services. Urban Alchemy
currently operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and Austin, Texas. Over 95% of Urban
Alchemy employees, including leadership, experienced incarceration and/or homelessness. For more information
visit: https://urban-alchemy.us/.

Project Description:
Urban Alchemy, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, is proud to have embarked on an innovative, alternative-to-policing program that is human-centered and evidence-based to respond to our most vulnerable neighbors in crisis. We believe this program to be ground-breaking, so we are seeking Mental Health Counselors who strongly desire to make an impact to the lives of individuals in need, as well as be part of a greater movement to help shift our society’s
viewpoint about our most vulnerable citizens and how they should be treated. The CIRCLE Program is the first of its kind in California, as it has been established to provide contact and intervention to Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents – Angelenos who are unhoused and living in extreme poverty. In the past, unhoused neighbors were the most likely citizens to come into contact with law enforcement. These interactions with law enforcement can further traumatize those experiencing homelessness, failing to lead to critical referrals for care and resources, which exacerbates the cycle between homelessness and the criminal justice system, in turn pulling resources away from traditional law enforcement efforts.

The CIRCLE program is making waves in providing an alternative response to non-emergency 911 calls involving unhoused individuals in Hollywood, Venice, and other highly impacted areas within Los Angeles. Mental Health Counselor led Crisis Response Teams provide a 24/7 to respond to PEH-related non-emergency calls from LAPD’s internal 911 system and the LAPD non-emergency community line. In addition to having an active presence in the community, CIRCLE teams will operate decompression centers in each area of operation, where services for PEH who need respite from the street are provided. CIRCLE teams are not armed or provide any law enforcement duties.

Position Summary:
Mental Health Counselor will be responsible for leveraging their knowledge and skill in identifying psychiatric symptomatology, assessment, intervention and treatment planning to assist their teams by providing mental health services to People Experiencing Homelessness, who are the subject of CIRCLE dispatch calls. Upon assessing the individual, MHC will provide short-term crisis intervention, that is trauma-informed, harm reduction focused, and rooted in respect and kindness. MHC is responsible for utilizing evidence-based practices, which validate the importance of lived experience in the ability to relate and effectively communicate with PEH’s and other individuals in emotional distress resulting from mental illness, trauma, or ingested substances. MHC and the Crisis Response Team works to de-escalating high-conflict situations to create a safe and calm interaction, while assessing and determining if the situation requires further intervention by your team or another community partner. MHC will be supervised by CIRCLE Clinical Director who will be available remotely by phone throughout all shifts worked by MHC.

Qualifications

Position Duties and Responsibilities:
Position Specific:

• Engage with individuals in distress to assess the cause of their distress, determine strategies that will be useful in decreasing distress, support individuals to resolve any identied issues, de-escalate potential or existing conicts and/or heightened emotions, and support individuals to connect to supportive services, as appropriate
• Work collaboratively as part of alternative response team to address non-violent, behavioral health crisis calls triaged by LAPD's 9-1-1 system.
• Provide culturally-competent, trauma-informed, gender-responsive, and person-centered mental health and substance use assessment, intervention, de-escalation, or harm reduction and arrange appropriate follow up as part of CIRCLE, specifically for individuals experiencing non-violent, behavioral health crisis
• Assess for suicidality, homicidal intent, violence risk, grave disability, and substance
• use using appropriate measurements, including C-SRRS, Mini Mental Status Exam, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and other applicable assessment tools
• Show competency in use of Narcan for opioid overdose reversal

• Maintain strong working knowledge of DSM-V diagnostic criteria, particularly for substance use, PTSD/Acute Stress, psychotic, panic, bipolar, mood, and personality disorders, as appropriate
• Provide 1-on-1 services at the Decompression Centers, including referral to long-term care such as mental health services, medical care, housing, employment, etc.General:

• Must be able to work compassionately and respectfully with people from all backgrounds
• Must be prepared to deal with challenging circumstances related to serving people struggling with poverty, mental health, addiction, and/or homelessness
• Must be able to obtain and maintain background clearance based on Urban Alchemy’s policies
• This position requires the ability to use a smart phone or tablet to enter data
• Lived experience with incarceration and/or homelessness strongly preferred.
• Driver’s license and a good driving record preferred
• Education Level: Master’s Degree

Physical Requirements:
Walking: 3-6 hours
Standing: 3-6 hours
Sitting: 2 hours
Bending at Waist: 1 hours
Must be able to and be willing to travel in vehicles with others between crises
Ability to work effectively and produce quality work under pressure in noisy environments where adults
are free to talk loud and expressive
Expected to work in all weather conditions.

License Requirement:
Registration (ACSW, AMFT, APCC) or Registration-eligible with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences or Board of Psychology

Statement of Non-discrimination:
Urban Alchemy shares a special bond with society’s most vulnerable because we see ourselves in their struggle. When doing our work, we recognize the humanity in those who are struggling and treat them how we once wished others had treated us. People who have been incarcerated, experienced homelessness and/or come from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply because we believe they have unique skills and abilities to engage with people who are struggling. Urban Alchemy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Urban Alchemy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: From $62,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Medical specialties:

• Addiction Medicine
• Psychiatry

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Holidays
• Night shift
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Work setting:

• In-person

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Education:

• Master's (Required)

License/Certification:

• Registered w/ Board of Psychology or Behavioral Science (Preferred)

Work Location: In person