Crisis Therapist II Lead

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Crisis Therapist II Shift Lead provides advanced clinical assessment, intervention, and stabilization services to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises while serving as the on duty clinical and operational lead for assigned shifts. This role delivers timely, person centered, trauma informed care and supports safe crisis resolution, staff guidance, and continuity of care across the crisis continuum. In addition to direct clinical service delivery, the Shift Lead provides real time support, direction, and problem solving for crisis staff during the shift to ensure effective workflow, appropriate clinical decision making, and continuous coverage. Crisis services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and this role plays a key leadership function in maintaining safe and effective operations during assigned shifts.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct clinical interviews, psychosocial assessments, and risk assessments to determine safety, acuity, and level of care needs
• Provide crisis intervention services including de-escalation, safety planning, brief individual, family, or group therapeutic interventions, and short-term stabilization
• Serve as the clinical lead on assigned shifts, providing real time consultation, guidance, and decision support to crisis staff
• Assist with triage, prioritization, and assignment of cases to ensure timely response and appropriate workload distribution
• Support staff with complex clinical situations, high risk cases, and escalation decisions during the shift
• Complete involuntary mental health assessments in the community in accordance with Kentucky Revised Statutes, including evaluation of risk, grave disability, and criteria for emergency hospitalization, and coordinate with appropriate facilities and court officials as required
• Monitor shift operations to ensure coverage, responsiveness, and adherence to clinical and operational expectations
• Communicate critical information, safety concerns, and shift related issues to supervisors and leadership as appropriate
• Support onboarding and mentoring of new or less experienced staff during assigned shifts
• Develop initial treatment plans or crisis care plans in collaboration with the individual and interdisciplinary team
• Coordinate needed referrals and facilitate linkage to ongoing services and natural supports
• Work collaboratively with other members of the crisis services team across the continuum of care to support coordinated response, continuity of services, and safe transitions between levels of care
• Collaborate with internal staff and external partners as needed to support crisis resolution and continuity of care
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with agency policy, licensure standards, and regulatory requirements
• Assist in identifying documentation, workflow, or clinical practice issues observed during shifts and communicate patterns to leadership
• Participate in training, quality improvement activities, and program development efforts
• Deliver services in a variety of service environments including clinic based, community based, residential, or virtual settings
• Work alternate schedules as assigned and participate in an on call rotation as required to support 24/7 crisis service delivery
• Adhere to all ethical standards, confidentiality requirements, and applicable state and federal regulations
• Perform other related duties as assigned within the scope of licensure and training

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or a related behavioral health field from an accredited program
• Active, unrestricted independent licensure in the state as an LCSW, LPCC, LMFT, Psychologist, or equivalent
• Demonstrated ability to independently conduct clinical and risk assessments and provide appropriate crisis intervention services
• Demonstrated ability to provide clinical leadership, consultation, and real time support to peers in high acuity crisis settings
• Strong knowledge of crisis intervention principles, suicide risk assessment, and trauma informed care
• Strong verbal communication, written documentation, and clinical decision-making skills

JOB REQUIREMENTS / EXPECTATIONS:

• Ability to sit for extended periods of time and use a computer for clinical documentation
• Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout a variety of service environments as required
• May require transporting individuals as part of job duties and must maintain a valid driver’s license and active insurance if applicable
• Work is performed in variable environments that may involve exposure to individuals in acute emotional distress
• Crisis services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Work hours may be irregular and may include evenings, weekends, holidays, overnight shifts, and on call responsibilities based on operational and coverage needs
• Performance is evaluated through clinical supervision, documentation reviews, quality assurance measures, productivity standards, and achievement of departmental and agency goals

CORE VALUES:

All employees must be willing to live our company's core values.

• Integrity – Exhibiting the highest moral, ethical and legal standards. Doing the right thing – even when no one else is looking.
• Teamwork – Putting team success over personal success. Actively valuing the strengths and talents of others.
• Trust/Respect– Seeing and believing in the good intentions of others. Interacting with others in a way that makes them feel valued. Listening without judging. Offering understanding and acceptance.
• Care/Compassion – Demonstrating unconditional kindness, concern and empathy. Exhibiting genuine concern for others.
• Ownership/Accountability – Taking personal responsibility for one’s work, actions and feelings. Accepting responsibility for and learning from mistakes.