Psych Emergency Clinician I

Telecare's mission is to deliver excellent and effective behavioral health services that engage individuals with complex needs in recovering their health, hopes, and dreams. Telecare continues to advance cultural diversity, humility, equity, and inclusion at all levels of our organization by hiring mental health peers, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and all belief systems.

As part of the Telecare Family, the Santa Cruz County Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) is a 16-bed locked acute psychiatric inpatient program for adults aged 18+, diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI), experiencing a mental health emergency and require intensive treatment and support. The CSP is a locked crisis program. It serves adults 18+ admitted both voluntarily and involuntarily. The length of stay is up to 23 hours.

Shifts Available:

On Call; Shifts Hours and Days vary as needed

Wage range $39.84 - $58.58 Hourly - Telecare applies geographic differentials to its pay ranges. The pay range assigned to this role will be based on the geographic location from which the role is performed. Starting pay is commensurate with relevant experience above the minimum requirements.

Shift differentials for hourly staff (6% for PM Shift, 10% for Overnight Shift). Weekend Shift differentials for hourly staff (5% for Weekend AM Shift, 11% for Weekend PM Shift, 15% for Weekend Overnight Shift)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Psychiatric Emergency Clinician I independently conducts child, youth, and adult 5585/5150 evaluations and releases per 5585/5150 regulations. The Psychiatric Emergency Clinician II is the primary clinician for engaging and educating members served, families, and significant others in crisis stabilization, treatment, level of care determination, and mental health recovery. Serves as a liaison to community programs and develops strategic partnerships to enhance aftercare plans of members served and their families.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

* Demonstrates the Telecare mission, purpose, values, and beliefs in everyday language in contact with internal

and external stakeholders

* Psychiatric Emergency Clinician is stationed in the Crisis Stabilization Program and performs functions that include, but not limited to:

o Initial assessment of the members served immediate safety and level of care need

o Independently completes clinical assessments in a timely manner

o Collaboration with law enforcement, and/or family members/significant other(s) accompanying the members served

o Providing on-going liaison services between the family and the ED or ancillary service(s) during members served stabilization period

o Providing on-going emotional support and crisis intervention to members served, family members or significant others as indicated

o Completion of the Crisis Assessment when the members served has been medically screened or cleared

o Initiating the discharge and aftercare plan based on ongoing assessment and evaluation: providing community referrals to follow-up on resources, completing a 5585/5150 application and release of involutory holds, locating an accepting Psychiatric Hospital/Facility, arranging transfer/transport, etc.

o Re-evaluation of the members served at 24 hours if no inpatient psychiatric beds are available in the community

* Psychiatric Emergency Clinician works closely with the other staff members (Psychiatric RNs, Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatrist, Mental Health Specialist, LVN, etc.) to assess members served s 'acuity, determine safety needs, and initiate necessary psychiatric treatment while awaiting discharge or transfer of the members served to a Psychiatric Hospital/Facility
* Psychiatric Emergency Clinician also participates in daily team rounds
* Demonstrates knowledge of de-escalation techniques as well as crisis communication and management
* In a timely manner, gathers appropriate data and formulates relevant assessment of members served/family's medical, social, and emotional situations using therapeutic interviewing techniques, consultation with healthcare team and chart review
* Develop and periodically revises personalized treatment plan based on comprehensive and ongoing psychosocial assessment of members served/family's concerns, strengths, needs, clinical impressions, and issues specific to spiritual and cultural values
* Effectively incorporates data including age-specific needs into assessment and treatment planning for members served s
* Provide on-going assessment and crisis interventions
* Work seamlessly as a multidisciplinary team member to update treatment plans
* Support milieu management as required with participation/leadership when members served are placed in seclusion or restraints
* Establishes rapport, communicates effectively and empowers members served/families with diverse cultural norms and spiritual values to maximize and/or develop productive coping mechanisms, behaviors and thought processes
* Identifies and effectively deals with resistance and conflict in working with members served (including members served, families, healthcare team members and community representatives). Appropriately intervenes to decrease tension and assist members served in evaluating non-productive behaviors, thought processes and coping mechanisms
* Demonstrates self-awareness by recognizing and monitoring the effects of personal values, boundaries, sensitivities and emotions. Flexibly and effectively intervenes with emotionally charged issues, conflicts and atypical situations
* Demonstrates knowledge of community resources. Effectively educates members served/family about community resources, and provides linkage between members served/family and appropriate services for the population served
* Maintains accurate, current, legible members served records using approved forms and format. Documents all assessments, plans, interventions, members served/family involvement, outside agency communication, interdisciplinary contacts and case closure per regulations and members served care area standards
* Complies with all documentation and reporting requirements for risk management, mandated reporting and other medical/legal situations, in a manner consistent with confidentiality regulations and department standards
* Records activity statistics in accordance with department standards. Consistently submits complete and accurate reports and statistics within 24 hours of stated deadline
* Interprets clinical findings, promptly communicates assessment and treatment plan updates, and provides effective consultation on members served care issues to health care team and agency representatives, adhering to confidentiality guidelines
* Responds quickly to requests, flexibly adapts to changing priorities, and keeps other departments informed of progress on members served referrals and other work activities to ensure efficient coordination of activities
* Develops positive, productive relationships with healthcare team members and representatives of community agencies, effectively collaborating on process improvement activities and staff/community education
* Actively builds positive relationships throughout the department. Uses effective interpersonal communication skills with colleagues, supervisors and support staff to resolve conflicts and sensitive situations
* Flexibly adapts to changes in the work environment, resolves issues related to assignments and departmental functioning in a timely, positive and effective manner. Demonstrates a commitment to teamwork, by willingly accepting responsibilities and performing assignments beyond the immediate scope of routine duties
* Actively participates in department activities including regular staff meetings, committees and task forces
* Meets all applicable department standards for productivity, annual competency validation, safety education, licensure, and departmental performance/process improvement
* Provides effective orientation, work direction, functional guidance and case consultation to interns and less experienced staff
* Demonstrates knowledge of Clinical competencies based on population served:

o Child and Youth Unit

* Demonstrates understanding of DSM-V diagnostic criteria for disorders in children and adolescents and diagnosing using ICD 10 coding
* Demonstrates an understanding of human growth and development and identifies age-related developmental tasks
* Demonstrates an understanding of the principles of behavior modification, assertiveness training and supportive therapy, and their application
* Demonstrates consistency and teamwork in reinforcing concepts utilized in the treatment program of the unit
* Demonstrates an understanding of the legal aspects of treatment, protection and maintenance of minors, and uses WIC, penal code and other facility resources as needed
* Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of family developmental stages, based on the age of the members served and applies this knowledge in the assessment of family interventions
* Utilizes age appropriate therapeutic interventions with children and adolescents

o Adult Unit

* Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of DSM-V diagnostic criteria for adults and diagnosing using ICD 10 coding
* Demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of theories of human growth and development as it pertains to members served age
* Correlates the members served developmental stages to their reaction to acute hospitalization
* Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of family developmental stages, based on the age of the members served, and applies this knowledge in the psychosocial assessment and family interventions
* Utilizes developmentally appropriate therapeutic interventions with adults
* Maintains a current grasp of the range of support services in the community, as they apply to adults
* Must assist with restraint of members served in the event of assaultive behavior and pass assault crisis/crisis prevention training
* Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted, and/or changed at the discretion of management

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

* Master's Degree in Social Work, Psychology, or equivalent from an accredited college or university
* Two (2) years of direct service experience in a behavioral health setting
* Waived Clinician as ACSW or IMFT and completion of all prelicensure classes
* Must be at least 18 years of age
* Must be CPR, Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), and First Aid certified on date of employment or within 60 days of employment and maintain current certification throughout employment
* All opportunities at Telecare are contingent upon successful completion and receipt of acceptable results of the applicable post-offer physical examination, 2-step PPD test for tuberculosis, acceptable criminal background clearances, excluded party sanctions, and degree or license verification. If the position requires driving, valid driver license, a motor vehicle clearance, and proof of auto insurance is required at time of employment and must be maintained throughout employment. Additional regulatory, contractual, or local requirements may apply

Preferred:

* Prior work experience in a crisis setting, acute psychiatric setting, and healthcare setting which has included assessment of psychiatric and behavioral health members served, 5585/5150 evaluations and releases of 5585/5150 involuntary holds, as well as level of care determination, family treatment, aftercare and discharge planning
* Previous experience in providing treatment in an involuntary 24-hour a day, 7-day a week locked crisis unit

SKILLS

* Ability to perform Psychosocial assessments and treatment planning for members served and families
* Skills in conducting clinical services, including individual and family counseling, intervention, and linkage with resources to members served, families
* Skills in documenting using electronic medical record and other tracking systems in an accurate, concise and timely manner
* Ability to work collaboratively with other program departments, medical staff and community representatives
* Ability to foster an environment of mutual support and professional excellence within the program
* Sufficient clinical competency based on the unit served (Child and Youth or Adult unit)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

The employee is occasionally required to sit, stand, walk, bend, push, pull, squat, kneel, and lift and carry items weighing 25 pounds or less as well as to frequently reach, twist, and do simple and power grasping. The position requires manual deviation, repetition and dexterity.

EOE AA M/F/V/Disability

If job posting references any sign-on bonus internal applicants and applicants employed with Telecare in the previous 12 months would not be eligible.