Police Behavioral Health Unit Clinician; Port of Portland

Police Behavioral Health Unit Clinician (Port of Portland)
Job Overview

Location/

Schedule:

This position is based out of the Port of Portland. The schedule for this position is Tuesday through Friday, from 2:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Position:
Police BHU Clinician

Cascadia Health delivers whole health care – integrated mental health and addiction services, primary care, and housing – to promote hope and support the well‑being of the communities we serve.

We envision a community where everyone benefits from whole health care, experiences well‑being, and has a self‑directed, connected life.

The Port of Police BHU (Behavioral Health Unit) Clinician is partnered directly with a Port of Portland Police Officer and co‑responds to emergency calls involving behavioral health and/or mental health crisis in or around the Portland International Airport. The goal of the team is to ultimately decrease traditional police contact with individuals in crisis by providing high quality care regardless of insurance, income, race, age, or physical ability with the aim of supporting de‑escalation of the crisis and linkage to needed community‑based services.

This model allows for clinicians to engage with community members and offer a more supportive intervention and community supports in situations that would otherwise be responded to by first responders alone. Services provided will include immediate crisis response, connection to appropriate levels of care, short‑term case management and care coordination, and resource connection. The team will provide a trauma‑informed, community‑based, client‑centered approach to serving the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our community.

Clinicians on this team will provide short‑term services to help individuals connect with community supports including mental health care, basic needs, social supports, medical care, drug and alcohol treatment, and other resources to mitigate the crisis and decrease further involvement with law enforcement. When it is not possible to develop a community safety plan, clinicians may initiate a director’s custody hold and work with the first responder partner to transport the individual to the nearest emergency room for further evaluation.

This position description is not intended to be an all‑inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. Management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary.

• Provide mobile crisis response, in tandem with a Port of Portland Police officer, to individuals experiencing mental health crises within and around the Portland International Airport.
• Work collaboratively with Port of Portland Police partner while maintaining respect and understanding of individual’s perception of police and potential trauma associated with police interaction.
• Identify and assess risk factors for harm to self or others in the context of the client’s current psycho‑social context via interview with client and with consideration given to collateral information; consider and articulate potential outcomes of various interventions, discuss their risks and benefits, and formulate why a particular course of action was pursued in lieu of other options; opt for least intrusive and most supportive intervention.
• Initiate involuntary director’s custody transport holds for individuals deemed at risk of harm to self and/or others following County guidelines.
• Coordinate responses to crisis situations with community agencies and service providers.
• Provide assessment dispositions to treatment providers and emergency departments as appropriate.
• Assess for personal safety in the environment and coordinate with Port of Portland Police.
• Collaborate with Port of Portland Police to determine risk of intervention and develop plans for approach of clients in crises.
• Provide information and facilitate linkage to mental health treatment and other social services.
• Consult with Project Respond teammates, supervisors, program managers, and program medical directors as appropriate.
• Collaborate and consult with Project Respond teammates…