Clinical Case Manager - CRP

Crisis Respite Program (CRP) Case Manager

The Crisis Respite Program (CRP) provides short-term psychiatric respite for people discharging from inpatient mental health or substance use treatment settings, emergency rooms and jails. CRP serves as a vital buffer between psychiatric emergency care and life back in the community by offering a safe and supportive shelter environment, and facilitating connections with long-term, outpatient services.

The CRP Case Manager is a member of a multi-disciplinary team responsible for providing ongoing assessment, crisis stabilization, engagement and short-term case management services to adults experiencing homelessness after a mental health or substance use related crisis. This position will work closely with other CRP clinicians, shelter staff, outpatient mental health providers and referral sources. Services will be provided at DESC facilities and in the community.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide short-term, intensive case management focused on facilitating referrals to community resources and outpatient providers.
• Evaluate the psychiatric, substance abuse, and housing needs of clients, and advocate for CRP clients to access the most effective disposition available in the community.
• Assist clients with appointment reminders and coordinate transportation to assure best possible connection is made with outpatient providers.
• Monitor clients' prescribed medications daily. Facilitate clients' medication refills as needed.
• Receive and screen referrals from approved referral sources and coordinate transfer to CRP.
• Develop collaborative working relationships with approved referral sources such as Harborview Medical Center, Cascade Behavioral Health Hospital, Fairfax Hospital, Western State Hospital, Evaluation and Treatment facilities, mental health diversion court, and others.
• Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with staff across DESC programs to ensure continuity of care between clinical and shelter programs for clients enrolled in the CRP.
• Participate in psychiatric consultation, reflective supervision, shift handoff and team meetings, in-service trainings and care conferences for clients.
• Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
• Maintain clean and healthy environment in CRP.
• Enforce shelter rules regarding health, safety and respect, and consult with Clinical Supervisor and shelter staff regarding the equitable application of shelter rules.
• Respond to emergent situations using Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) de-escalation strategies
• Treat all clients and staff with dignity, respect and positive regard.
• Other duties as assigned.

Support your clients with achieving and maintaining healthy living conditions. This can include but is not limited to attending care conferences related to living conditions, outreaching and supporting clients in their residential units with tools and skills to maintain their units, coordinating with housing staff, participating in cleaning out clients' units, and documenting barriers to maintaining healthy living conditions.

Minimum qualifications include:

• Ability to meet Washington Department of Health requirements for registration as a Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) or any other superseding credential
• Relevant Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or related behavioral science, OR
• A combination of 1 year of relevant paid work experience and demonstration of the ability to perform required job duties.
• Interest in working with clients who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health/substance use disorder programs.
• Interest and experience in working with adults experiencing homelessness, severe and persistent mental illness, and/or substance use disorders.
• Knowledge of and ability to assess mental health and substance use disorders, and familiarity with psychiatric medications.
• Ability to remain open and receptive to constructive feedback.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
• Commitment to philosophy of harm reduction, housing first, and equity and social justice.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Master's degree in social work, psychology or other relevant behavioral science or Bachelor of Nursing degree with specialty in mental health.
• Bi-cultural or bilingual background.

Physical demands include:

• Sitting, standing, walking and going up and down stairs.
• Bending, stooping, kneeling, and reaching.
• Lifting and/or carrying items weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Operating computer hardware systems.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Considerable stress may occur.

Equal Opportunity

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