Call Center Triage Counselor 2

The Call Center/ Triage Counselor II is part of the person-centered integrated crisis system of the care team.  The primary goal of this position is to provide in-person and telephone supportive counseling, information and referrals, crisis intervention counseling, suicide prevention, and intake screening of callers to the Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCR) and other community services. In this position, you will answer phone calls and receive walk-ins.  This position implements crisis or pre-crisis intervention procedures with potentially suicidal, homicidal, or severely disabled clients and makes appropriate referrals to prevent further destabilization.

Memorial Behavioral Health network will be part of the new 988 line to ensure everyone experiencing a behavioral health crisis in our community has immediate access to suicide prevention and crisis services through a three-digit phone number.

Colleague will adhere to the Memorial Health System (MHS) Code of Conduct, the MHS Ethics and Corporate Compliance Plan, MBH policies and procedures, as well as performance standards established by the governing board/administration and accrediting bodies.

Embodies the Memorial Health Values of Safety, Integrity, Quality, and Stewardship that support our mission and vision.

Education:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or closely related human service field from an accredited university or meets the “Mental Health Professional” designation as determined by the Department of Human Services, which includes someone with lived experience who has obtained and is current with the State as a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS).
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) – must become certified and/or receive at minimum 100 hours of training within 18 months of hire when applicable
• Minimum age of 21.

Licensure/Certification/Registry:

• Ability to pass a background check and drug test required.
• Must obtain CPR, First Aid, and Personal Safety certifications within 45 days of hire.

• Assesses each person’s presenting problem, support systems, coping skills, and level of emergency to determine the appropriate intervention.
• Provides crisis intervention to stabilize clients and refers clients to the most appropriate continuing care in conjunction with case coordinators. Including warm hand-offs to Central referral services for connection to Memorial Behavior Health services when appropriate.
• Uses counseling skills, active listening, and empathy to establish rapport with a wide range of callers.
• Intervenes appropriately with callers who present imminent danger to self or others, including assessing lethality and taking necessary steps to intervene. Interventions may include, but are not limited to appropriate referral to Mobile Crisis Team, tracing calls, sending police/rescue, arranging follow-up, advocating for a client, or providing other referrals.
• Establishes initial data, including client’s presenting problems, mental status, relevant psychiatric, medical, and developmental histories to make decisions regarding diagnosis (per DSM-V) and treatment and/or make appropriate referrals to other treatment sources in the community.
• Responsible for assessing barriers to care and must identify ways in which to address those barriers.
• Responsible for maintaining an accurate and complete written record of each phone call and all other patient interactions.

• Establishes and maintains appropriate clinical files, including evaluations, progress notes, treatment objectives, recovery plans, previous treatment records, consent to current treatment and for exchange of information, etc., as required by agency policies.

• Provides necessary client information to other agencies or healthcare providers to coordinate services to identified clients.

• Completes all mandatory education requirements, including monthly clinical supervision as required by Memorial Health, the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and any other funders or licensing/accreditation bodies.

• Ability to be respectful of the diverse cultures of the people served and to provide culturally appropriate, competent, and individualized treatment in accordance with each client’s age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, and culture.
• Work cooperatively with other members of the crisis team, including co-workers and supervisors.
• Other duties as requested.

Embodies the Memorial Health System Performance Excellence Standards of Safety, Integrity, Quality, and Stewardship that support our mission, vision, and values:

• SAFETY: I put safety first in everything I do.  I speak up, without fear on matters of patient and colleague safety.  I take action to create an environment of zero harm.
• INTEGRITY: I respect others and show compassion.  I behave honestly and ethically.  I am accountable for my attitude, actions, and health
• QUALITY: I advance my knowledge and skills.  I seek continuous improvement.  I deliver evidence-based care that leads to excellence in outcomes
• STEWARDSHIP: I use resources wisely and maintain financial stability.  We work together to coordinate care and services across the health system. We promote healthier communities

Job Relationships

• Communicate directly with the manager for clinical supervision, clarification of agency policy, and program evaluation to promote a professional working environment and effective service delivery system.
• In absence of the immediate manager, will reach out to Director for clinical supervision.
• Adhere to MHS/MBH Behavioral Standards.

Other Job Responsibilities

• Respond to requests for service from the community and link to appropriate clinic programs or outside agencies.
• Perform other duties as required by agency needs.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job.  Incumbents may be requested to perform tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.