What are the responsibilities and job description for the Crisis Clinician position at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD?
Brief Description
Be the Bridge Between Crisis and Care
Are you ready to make a real impact in your community? The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD is hiring Crisis Clinicians to join our Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) — an innovative collaboration between behavioral health professionals and law enforcement. This is your opportunity to serve at the intersection of mental health and public safety, providing timely support where and when it matters most.
What Makes This Role Unique
This isn’t a traditional clinical role. As a CIRT clinician, you’ll work directly in the field, riding alongside Houston Police Department officers or Harris County Sheriff’s deputies to respond to behavioral health crises in real time.
In This Frontline Role, You Will
You bring compassion, clinical skill, and a commitment to patient care. You’re ready to meet people in moments that matter and change the trajectory of someone’s life.
Education
What qualifications you will need:
Outside of immediate crisis response, your responsibilities will include:
The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.
Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.
Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.
What Else You Should Know
This posting is associated with the following position numbers and work shifts.
Position ShiftScheduleUnit503456a - 4pSat - TuesHCSO97859a - 7pSat - TuesHCSO5018810a - 6pTues - SatHPD5018510a - 6pSat - WedHPD5034711a - 9pWed - SatHCSO92392p - 10pSat - WedHPD96792p - 10pTues - SatHPD87792p - 12aSun - WedHCSO99382p - 12aWed - SatHCSO92386p - 2aTues - SatHPD93696p - 2aMon - FriHPD896310p - 6aTues - SatHPD312210p - 6aMon - FriHPD967810p - 6aTues - SatHCSO
The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million.
As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation.
By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.
Be the Bridge Between Crisis and Care
Are you ready to make a real impact in your community? The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD is hiring Crisis Clinicians to join our Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) — an innovative collaboration between behavioral health professionals and law enforcement. This is your opportunity to serve at the intersection of mental health and public safety, providing timely support where and when it matters most.
What Makes This Role Unique
This isn’t a traditional clinical role. As a CIRT clinician, you’ll work directly in the field, riding alongside Houston Police Department officers or Harris County Sheriff’s deputies to respond to behavioral health crises in real time.
In This Frontline Role, You Will
- Provide on-the-spot mental health assessments
- De-escalate crises through immediate clinical intervention
- Connect individuals and families with critical services and supports
- Be a visible, mobile responder in homes, public spaces, and community settings
- Innovative model: A first-of-its-kind partnership merging mental health expertise with public safety.
- High impact: Help shape the future of crisis care in Harris County.
- Team-based: Collaborate with passionate professionals trained in trauma-informed response.
- Every day is different: Expect challenge, growth, and deeply meaningful work.
You bring compassion, clinical skill, and a commitment to patient care. You’re ready to meet people in moments that matter and change the trajectory of someone’s life.
Education
What qualifications you will need:
- Master’s degree (M.A.) from four-year accredited college or university with a major in a social, behavior, or human service field, including but not limited to: psychology, social work, counseling, sociology, human development, and educational psychology.
- Preferred clinical license through the State of Texas for one of the following: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or LMSW, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or LPC - A, or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or LMFT-A.
- Credentials plus one to two years of clinical experience post Master’s degree preferred. Must be working towards licenser.
- Pass law enforcement Criminal Justice Information Services (CHIS) background check.
- Knowledge of and ability to apply crisis intervention techniques.
- Knowledge of Texas Administrative Code Title 26, Part 1, Chapter 301, Subchapter G, Division 3, Section 301.361 for Documentation of Service Provision
- Knowledge of Health and Safety Code Title 7, Subtitle C, Chapter 573
- Knowledge of community resources (mental health, substance abuse, homeless services)
- Strong diagnostic skills, the ability to incorporate patient history, symptoms, environmental and related issues to formulate proper diagnosis and treatment.
- Strong communication skills, listening and interpersonal skills above average, written documentation is clear, concise, and well- constructed.
- Effective time management and organizational skills.
- Must be able to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment.
- Must be able to be flexible with workdays and times; maybe required to work during city disasters if required by the City of Houston.
Outside of immediate crisis response, your responsibilities will include:
- Performing comprehensive clinical assessments and contributing to treatment planning
- Providing cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce symptoms and enhance functioning
- Delivering psychoeducation on mental illness, symptom management, and medication use
- Coordinating care access based on individual needs
- Advocating for individuals across internal and external systems of care
- Documenting all services per regulatory and agency standards
- Participating in training, supervision, and continuous improvement activities
- Ensuring ethical, culturally responsive care
The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.
Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.
Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.
What Else You Should Know
This posting is associated with the following position numbers and work shifts.
Position ShiftScheduleUnit503456a - 4pSat - TuesHCSO97859a - 7pSat - TuesHCSO5018810a - 6pTues - SatHPD5018510a - 6pSat - WedHPD5034711a - 9pWed - SatHCSO92392p - 10pSat - WedHPD96792p - 10pTues - SatHPD87792p - 12aSun - WedHCSO99382p - 12aWed - SatHCSO92386p - 2aTues - SatHPD93696p - 2aMon - FriHPD896310p - 6aTues - SatHPD312210p - 6aMon - FriHPD967810p - 6aTues - SatHCSO
- This position will be under the general direction of the practice manager or designated supervisor.
- May be necessary to travel to or transport consumers to homes or other field locations when providing services.
- May be exposed to unfavorable conditions.
- Interacts with individuals who may be emotional or physically hostile, agitated or uncooperative.
The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million.
As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation.
By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.
Salary : $300
