Diversion Care Coordinator

Public Health - Seattle and King County values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans.
Jail Health Services Division of Public Health | Seattle & King County is seeking 2 full-time Social Services Professionals to join our Diversion team. We are seeking to fill 1 career service Diversion Care Coordinator and 1 Special Duty Assignment (SDA)/Term Limited Temporary (TLT) Diversion Care Coordinator position. Term-limited Temporary positions are "at-will" positions but are eligible for benefits. For Special Duty Assignment interest, you must be a current Career Service, Career Service Exempt, or other regular (non-temporary) employee of King County who has completed their initial County probation. You must have supervisor approval prior to taking a Special Duty Assignment. Funding for the SDA/TLT Diversion Care Coordinator position is anticipated through December of 2024 with potential for continued funding should the program pilot be successful. Our team includes a Program Manager IV who oversees the Diversion Program. The Diversion Program consists of three pre and post filing diversion programs, A new pilot called Seattle Therapeutic Alternative Diversion (STAD) which is a partnership with Seattle City Attorney's Office, City of Seattle Human Services Division, and King County Public Health - Jail Health Services and serves individuals referred on eligible misdemeanor charges age 25 and older. Therapeutic Alternative Diversion (TAD) out of King County District Court and Community Diversion Program (CDP) out of King County Superior Court. TAD and CDP are a collaboration between the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, King County Executive Teams, and King County Public Health - Jail Health Services. Direct services are provided by our Diversion Care Coordinators serving Seattle & King County's legally involved community members who have been referred to STAD, TAD, or CDP. The goal of these programs is to divert those referred to these programs into community-based services rather than continued involvement in the mainstream legal system. Our team values collaboration, compassionate, client-centered, trauma-informed care models and aims to reduce systemic barriers to ensure desired service needs are met for those we work with.
These positions will be assigned to our TAD and/or CDP programs and the primary responsibilities of this position include screening, completion of a needs assessment and service connection with individuals who have been referred to diversion programming. The candidate chosen for this position will work as part of the Diversion Team. Members of this team are responsible for short-term case management/care coordination of CDP or TAD participants. The Care Coordinators work to identify and collaborate with both contracted and non-contracted community-based providers including those related to peer support, substance use, housing, medical, mental health, and other social service providers to facilitate participants successful transition to and engagement with relevant community-based services. The Care Coordinator will collaborate with the CDP or TAD participant and assist in reducing barriers to care, access to client service needs and brief intervention/stabilization for those experiencing crisis.
Commitment to Equity and Social Justice:
As the only county in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations' history, King County is a vibrant community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. Together, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence.
We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking and continuous improvement. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda aimed at advancing regional change and is developing the systems and standards necessary to achieve better outcomes for all of our residents, regardless of their race or income. All of these qualities make King County one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx
Who May Apply: There is one full-time Career Service position and one full-time SDA/TLT position. The SDA/TLT position has anticipated funding through December 2024 (1 year) with potential for continued funding if program pilot is successful. These positions are open to all qualified applicants.

Work Schedule This 1.0 FTE works 40 hours per week. The Diversion Program staff coverage is provided Monday through Friday during the business hours of 8am-5pm with some schedule flexibility within those business hours.
Work Location: The Chinook building, 401 5th Ave., Suite 1000, Seattle, WA 98104 will be the primary work location in addition to possible telecommuting 1 day per week as performance, current staffing, and program need allow. This candidate will be required to provide support to our program participants in various community locations throughout King County. Staff assigned to this team will maintain ongoing clearance to all jails within King County.

• Performs risk and needs assessment, psycho-social assessments, screen for mental health and substance use disorders, identify immediate concerns and needs that inform the development of a service plan and connection to community-based providers.
• Ensure referrals have been made to relevant culturally appropriate, community-based providers that will serve the participant's needs.
• For out-of-custody participants, ensuring the individual is being assisted with navigating various entitlement processes, housing, and access to treatment.
• For in-custody participants, coordinate internal services through close collaboration with medical, psychiatric, nursing, dental, and pharmacy staff at KCCF/RJC and the staff of other King County departments (including the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention and the Department of Community and Human Services).
• Assist community-based service providers to establish, re-establish or maintain services with their clients.

• Provide forensic case management by closely monitoring a participant's legal context to support the implementation of the service plan and completion of the program.

• Collaborate closely with defense attorneys as needed, city/county prosecutors and community-based providers as authorized by the CDP or TAD participant to support the effective completion of the program.
• Maintain a broad working knowledge and good working relationship with key community-based providers, defense attorneys, city/county prosecutors and DAJD or other corrections personnel when relevant.
• Identify and foster new possibilities for effective collaboration with community-based providers.
• Provide emotional support, trauma-informed care, and/or assessment for suicidal ideation to participants in crisis.
• Provide supportive guidance to improve the potential for service engagement.
• Serve on workgroups and committees working to assure appropriate standards of client care by centering client needs and programmatic concerns within the Jail Health Services Department.

• Bachelor's Degree in a social science and at least two years recent OR relevant three (3) work experience
• Recent experience with adults presenting with multiple and complex challenges requiring multiple system involvement for resolution.
• Knowledge of specific challenges, trauma responses, behavior and needs for those experiencing legal involvement, housing instability, poverty, substance use disorder and mental health diagnoses compounded by discrimination and oppression.
• Knowledge of protocols and methodology for assessment, evaluation and documenting physical, psychological, and mental development.

• Knowledge of client centered, trauma informed, cultural humility care practices.
• Demonstrated ability to perform effective assessment and treatment planning utilizing brief interviewing techniques, motivational interviewing, and stages of change model.
• Skill in fostering client self-determination within the therapeutic alliance.
• Demonstrated skills in effective harm reduction strategies to increase safety with clients who engage in high-risk behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a full caseload of complex clients by coordinating comprehensive services for identified emergent needs and coordinating care in the community.
• Demonstrated ability to provide screening, recovery, or recovery-related service connection for clients with substance use disorders, including referral and linkage to inpatient, outpatient and/or medication assisted treatment.
• Working knowledge of crisis intervention techniques, including assessment for risk of suicide or harm to self or others.
• Demonstrated ability to provide social services for individuals with current or historical involvement with the criminal legal system.
• Working knowledge of medical, mental health, and substance use conditions, related terminology, and their treatment.
• Ability to effectively engage patients in a therapeutic relationship, and ability to work with patients by telephone as well as in person.
• Demonstrated ability in developing and maintaining effective working relationships as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in a multi-disciplinary team with internal service planning and execution of service plan, ability to communicate effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to set and maintain appropriate professional and therapeutic boundaries.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, while remaining organized and detail-oriented in an often-changing environment.
• Knowledge of and skill in utilizing quality assurance and data collection techniques.
• Ability to learn and effectively use electronic health record systems.
• Demonstrated ability to travel throughout King County in a timely manner. Must possess a Washington State Driver's License to drive King County Fleet Vehicles as needed to meet client and program needs.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers, with working knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, database programs, Internet, and Outlook
• Ongoing commitment to learning, understanding, and effective application of anti-racist practices when working with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
• Must obtain Basic Life Support/CPR for Healthcare Providers prior to start date and maintain certification while in this position.

Desired Qualifications:

• Proficiency in a language other than English.
• Working understanding of the criminal legal system.
• Substance Use Professional certification.
• Master's degree in a social science field from an accredited university.
• Social Work or Mental Health licensure (LSWAIC, LASW, LMHC, or recognized equivalent).

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To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Who May Apply: There is one full-time Career Service position and one full-time SDA/TLT position. The SDA/TLT position has anticipated funding through July 2024 with potential for continued funding if program pilot is successful. These positions are open to all qualified applicants.
Application Process (submit electronically):

• Job Application with completed supplemental questions.
• Resume.

You can attach multiple documents if necessary or required, such as your cover letter or resume to your application. Your options are:

• Copy and paste one or more documents into the text resume section of the application.
• Attach multiple documents/files in the resume attachment section.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION Your application materials must va...