Crisis Triage Specialist - Mobile Dispatch Unit - Per Required Need

About the job

Frontier Behavioral Health is hiring a per diem Crisis Triage Specialist for its Mobile Dispatch Unit in Spokane Valley, working on a per-required-need basis to cover shifts. The unit gives phone triage and assessment to youth, adults and families facing a behavioral health crisis and sends Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team (MRRCT) staff out for mobile crisis response.

Frontier Behavioral Health is a nonprofit that offers evidence-based, trauma-informed behavioral health treatment to adults, youth and seniors in Spokane County. Its services include outpatient, inpatient, community outreach and crisis services, along with partnerships with schools and law enforcement.

What you'll do

• Triage calls from people asking for help, or from third-party referral sources, so the person in crisis receives crisis intervention and community stabilization services
• Complete risk assessments to judge whether a caller is at risk of suicide or homicide and who needs an immediate response, which may mean referrals to law enforcement, Designated Crisis Responders (DCR) or Active Rescue
• Dispatch MRRCT staff promptly, using the response criteria set for urban, suburban and rural areas, and triage and dispatch calls that need contact with a Designated Crisis Responder
• Manage multiple calls professionally and in an engaging way
• Work with clients and their support systems to build initial stabilization and safety plans until the MRRCT can be dispatched
• Document thoroughly in support of each safety plan, and keep client records and other required documentation timely and confidential under agency policies and practices
• Take on delegated assignments within FBH, such as quality improvement teams, task groups, committees, consultations, mentoring or training

What you need

• A bachelor's degree in behavioral health or a related field
• Within 30 days of hire, apply for the Counselor Agency Affiliated - Registered credential
• Attend a 2-day in-person orientation and a half day of in-person training during your first week
• Strong engagement and customer service skills and empathy, with the ability to stay calm, professional and clear headed when situations escalate
• Knowledge of and skill in working with people who have mental health or substance use disorders
• Ability to gather and hold on to information during a warm transfer so callers don't have to repeat their story
• Knowledge of the laws, rules and best practices that apply to MRRCT and Designated Crisis Responders
• Ability to communicate and engage effectively with people whose backgrounds, trauma experiences, cultures, education and socio-economic status vary
• Critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills
• In-depth knowledge of community resources and the ability to use them to meet callers' needs
• Ability to work independently
• Mostly office work, which may involve sitting and computer use for four to eight hours a day; some work may take place outside the office, with travel
• May need to lift 10 to 20 pounds

Preferred

• Two years of experience serving people with behavioral health needs
• Experience in crisis intervention, including risk assessments

Schedule

• Per diem (per required need), covering shifts as needed
• On-site position

Benefits

• An added shift differential may apply, depending on the shift worked
• Per-required-need positions don't receive benefits and aren't eligible for the sign-on bonus