Children's Crisis Clinician

Essential Functions:

• This position will provide crisis intervention services to children and adolescents in all settings (schools, community, and clinic) as a diversion from inpatient hospitalization, or as a step-down option from a higher level of care; at times this will include pre-screening for hospitalization.
• The clinician will provide services to children/adolescents across all disabilities to help create and implement a crisis plan for the parents/guardians and other appropriate people and situations involved and will help parents/guardians navigate the local services available in the community.Will work with the family, with a goal of finding community supports and natural resources to divert the child/adolescent from a hospital placement or residential treatment.
• The crisis clinician is expected to exercise considerable independence and autonomy in day-to-day decision making related to the delivery of services to a diverse population across all disabilities in both crisis services and emergency services.
• The position requires expertise in the area of crisis interventions and the ability to work effectively with other emergency and crisis services providers; both in the immediate community and in private and state hospitals.
• Good judgment and the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality are also required.

The Children’s Crisis Clinician is directly responsible to the Supervisor of Emergency Services and/or the Director of Crisis Services.

This position is classified exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide face to face and phone contact with children, parents/guardians and school personnel when a child is in crisis.
  • Effectively prioritizes crisis situations and triage as necessary.
  • Effectively deals with adults and juveniles in crisis who are MH, SA, ID or dually diagnosed.
  • Effectively deals with suicidal clients.
• Assess and support needs and strengths of the family.
• Have a working knowledge of community resources and contact information for school, emergency, and family.
• Create individualized service plans to help stabilize a family/child in crisis, regardless of disability.
• Keep well-informed of proven practices for interventions for children and families with various needs
• Fulfills agency requirement for documentation.
  • Follows agency procedures for accurate record keeping.
  • Follows agency procedures for accurate emergency services record keeping.
• Participates in training and supervision as required by the Emergency Services Supervisor.
  • Attend in-service training pertinent to Emergency Services.
  • Attend monthly meetings with Emergency Services Supervisor.
• Ability to function as a team member.
• Works effectively with team members to provide adequate coverage during normal work hours.
• Conforms to agreed upon scheduling for requested duties and coverage.
• Works effectively with ES On-Call staff to provide accurate information.
• Assures compliance with agency policy, confidentiality, client rights, licensure regulations and Medicaid regulations as applicable. Meets agency standards for staff productivity.
• Makes effective use of available technology, including computers, e-mail and voice mail in order to enhance customer service.
• Maintains effective relationships with co-workers and customers based on courtesy, compassion and respect.
• Is responsible for other duties as assigned, consistent with Board policies and procedures and with program and client needs.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• This position requires a thorough knowledge of principles, practices and methods of mental health counseling and case management; ability to work effectively with clients, co-workers and service providers from the community; knowledge of crisis intervention and emergency techniques; thorough knowledge of child development and knowledge of child-serving community agencies such as school systems, social services, public health and private providers; ability to create and help implement Crisis Intervention Plans; knowledge of and adherence to basic ethics appropriate for the helping relationship; the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; and demonstrated good judgment and creativity is a must.
• Good diagnostic, evaluative, and emergency intervention skills.
• Good interpersonal skills including a reassuring telephone demeanor are essential.
• Good interpersonal skills with demonstrated good judgment and flexibility in highly stressful and unstructured situations with a wide range of mental health disabilities.
• The ability to work as a member of a team is essential.

Additional Requirements:

• Possession of a current, valid Virginia driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Masters Degree in Human Services or a related specialty, plus two years of experience in a mental health or substance abuse setting; or any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Professional licensure or license eligibility is required.
• Staff member is responsible for submitting proof of license renewal to the Human Resources office.
• Experience working with families, children, mental health, substance use disorders, intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Other Information:

Equipment: Telephone, copy machine, vehicle, PC, word processing software, cell phone, and electronic signature pads. Must be able to work in an Electronic Medical Record.

Work Environment: General office environment with normal lighting levels, temperature, air quality, ventilation and noise levels. Community settings, facilities, individual’s homes with environment as determined by occupant.

Work Location: 1241 North Main Street, Harrisonburg, Va., individuals’ homes, schools facilities, and or other community settings.

Work Hazards: Minimal Hazards associated with community and home based services.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, regular office hours; Flexibility needed in event of crisis situation. Additional hours as needed to perform job requirements.

HIPAA Access Level 2: Full read/write access to protected health information (PHI), limited to the minimum necessary, for all clients directly served or assigned, as well as all clients indirectly served through case consultation, clinical supervision, program management, or coverage requirements. Staff at Level 2 are allowed to seek out client PHI as necessary to perform their assigned duties but are expected to exercise due precautions to limit exposure to any PHI which is outside the scope of their need to know. Utilization of information will be in accordance with HIPAA regulations regarding use limitation, disclosure and requests of PHI.

Starting Salary: $50,000

Actual starting salary will be commensurate with the selected candidates’ education, experience, and qualifications.

Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board Is A Leading Provider in Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Developmental Services. We are one of 40 community-based public providers of mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability services throughout Virginia. The Commonwealth has designated the 40 CSBs as the single point of entry into publicly funded behavioral health and developmental services. HRCSB is supported through local, state and federal funds. We provide an array of programs and supports directly and through partnerships with other providers.