EMT, Emergency Medical Technician, Mental Health

Position Description

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $52,606 - $63,926

Hours/

Schedule:

Full-time with benefits, 40 hours per week, 12 hour shifts, 4 hours of administrative work time, and a 6 week rotational schedule. Shift hours will remain the same unless an employee discusses a change. Responders will work one out of every three weekends. They will also have a six to seven day break every six weeks (built into their schedule). More information on schedule will be given during the interview process.

Salaries are determined based upon your education and/or relevant certifications and work experience.

Timeline:
The start date for this position will be September 8th, 2026

In 2022, the Durham Community Safety Department (DCSD) launched four 911 crisis response programs–collectively known as HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams). Please visit our website and dashboard, watch this CNN clip, listen to this NPR segment, or read this piece from The Assembly. In 2025, DCSD has added a new division focused on Stabilization Services. This expansion represents an exciting new phase in DCSD’s development—and a thrilling opportunity to pair alternative response programs with stabilization services that can better support Neighbors
.

DCSD is currently hiring EMTs for our Community Response Teams. However, there may be some minimal overlap with our Care Navigation Team. Please review the program descriptions below.

The Community Response Team (CRT) program sends two or three-person teams–consisting of a Crisis Response Clinician, a Peer Support Specialist, and an EMT to 911 calls for service involving behavioral health and quality of life related concerns. Note that CRT responds in-person without law enforcement. EMTs are encouraged to regularly engage with residents through the provision of medical care and screening to our Neighbors.

They are also asked to provide creative and supportive intervention and de-escalation in collaboration with their teammates.

• Respond to 911 calls related to behavioral health, substance use, and/or Intellectual Developmental Disability crises using people-centered and trauma-informed crisis intervention strategies.
• Develop highly collaborative, trusting, and productive relationships with other Community Responder Team members.
• Provide prehospital medical care to sick or injured neighbors experiencing crises.
• Administers medications and performs medical procedures that have been approved for EMT by the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Service.
• Advise on and attend to any potential underlying physical complications or conditions the individual in crisis may be experiencing.
• Work collaboratively with across teams to assess the needs of individuals experiencing crises and assist in developing response plans.
• Follow-up to assure that connections are made to services and supports based on peer choice and clinician assessment. Facilitates warm handoffs to other services as needed.
• Maintains medical equipment and supplies in proper working order.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation as required by program deliverables and local, state, and federal policy and requirements.
• Develop and maintain clear, open, timely, cooperative, and collaborative communication and working relations with all staff, clients, and partner agencies.
• Maintains all continuing education required for the AEMT level within Durham County and NC OEMS.
• Participate in supervision meetings, case conferences, staff meetings, in-service training, and other staff development activities.
• Contribute to strategic planning activities and conversations…