Portland Street Response Mental Health Crisis Responder I&Ii - Limited Duration

Salary: See Position Description
Location : Multiple Locations, OR
Job Type:Limited Duration
Job Number: 2023-01655
Bureau: Portland Fire & Rescue
Opening Date: 12/18/2023
Closing Date: 1/22/2024 11:59 PM Pacific
The Position
About the position
Job Appointment: Full Time, Limited Duration.
Persons appointed to limited term positions will be designated as Limited Duration employees whose appointment shall not exceed two (2) years except for the extension of grants or funding from outside sources.
Work Schedule: Employees in this position will work four (4) 10-hour days with three (3) days off a week. Shifts include days, afternoons, and nights. Ability to work any shift and on any day of the week is essential. During training, your shift may change depending on the availability of the trainers. After completing probation, you will be able to bid on an open shift based on your seniority.
Work Locations: 330 SW Curry St., Portland OR 97239; 12350 SE Powell Blvd. Portland, OR 97236; or 206 NW 1st St. Portland, Oregon 97209.
Benefits: An overview of benefits for this position, click below.
Union Representation: Professional Technical Employees, Local 17 (PROTEC-17). To view this labor agreement, please click
Salary:
Mental Health Crisis Responder I: $53,539-$99,237 Annually
Mental Health Crisis Responder II: $59,072 - $109,512 Annually
This position is eligible for a for qualifying employees.
Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland's online portal. You will need to respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume.
About Portland Street Response (PSR):
Portland Street Response, a program within Portland Fire & Rescue, assists people experiencing Mental Health and behavioral health crises. The goal of Portland Street Response is to update our first responder system by providing an additional compassionate first response option when 911 is called on someone experiencing low-acuity behavioral health issues. PSR is dispatched by The Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC) to respond to non-life-threatening crises currently responded to by Police and Fire, such as behavioral health issues and welfare checks.
Program Values

• PSR strives to uplift the dignity and worth of all Portlanders, particularly those who have been historically marginalized and criminalized, by ensuring timely and professional person-centered first response.
• PSR is situated both in the City of Portland's first responder system, and in the broader continuum of crisis care. To ensure the best possible outcomes for our clients, we work collaboratively with community partners, health systems, and traditional first responders.
• PSR operates from a framework of Trauma-Informed Care with the recognition that adverse life experiences (including health systems and carceral trauma) create barriers for clients to connect with the care and supportive services they need to thrive in the community.
• PSR aims to respond to the complex care needs of individuals experiencing low acuity crises in the community to enable Police and Fire resources to attend to life saving and crime-related calls for service.

This program is expected to:

• Reduce the number of calls traditionally responded to by Police where criminal activity is not present.
• Reduce the number of individuals transported to the emergency department for low acuity medical related issues that could instead be addressed in a pre-hospital care setting.
• Reduce the number of behavioral health and substance use/intoxication calls traditionally responded to by Police and Fire.

Position Summary
Mental Health Crisis Responders I & II will co-respond to non-emergent 911 calls in partnership with an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and a Peer Support Specialist. The Mental Health Crisis Responders I & II respond to sub-acute behavioral health and substance use-related crises that present no criminal intent, fire, or medical emergency. The incumbent provides crisis intervention, de-escalation, risk assessment, and other brief behavioral health interventions to clients who are in emotional distress. The incumbent will consider the psychosocial aspects of the behavioral Health Crisis and engage in appropriate resource and/or service coordination to address precipitating factors and resolve the presenting crisis. The Mental Health Crisis Responder II is distinguished from the Mental Health Crisis Responder I in that the level II provides case consultation and clinical supervision and support to the Mental Health Crisis Responder I's. Mental Health Crisis Responder II is also expected to participate in on cases that require a higher level of intervention.
Shifts include days, afternoons, and nights. Ability to work any shift and on any day of the week is essential. During training, your shift may change depending on the availability of the trainers. After completing probation, you will be able to bid on an open shift based on your seniority.
As the Mental Health Crisis Responder I, you will be responsible for the following:

• Provide immediate mobile crisis response to service calls dispatched through the 911 system in the city of Portland per program policies and procedures.
• Effectively engage with diverse clients across social, cultural, and economic differences in a respectful and collaborative manner.
• Identify and assess risk factors for harm to self or others in the context of the client's current psycho-social state 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. Apply principles of client-centered and trauma-informed, opting for the least intrusive and most supportive intervention.
• Effectively implement behavioral interventions such as collaborative problem-solving, short-term goal setting, and risk reduction/safety planning in a client-centered manner.
• Engage in resource and service coordination to de-escalate and resolve the presenting crisis.
• Coordinate responses to crisis situations with community agencies and service providers. Consult with fellow crew members, supervisors, program managers, and bureau leadership as appropriate.
• Escalate difficult or complex issues and/or cases and assignments to Mental Health Crisis Responder II.
• Document and maintain electronic medical records (EMR) and ancillary records in a manner that assures compliance with all agency policies, program procedures, and local, state, and federal regulations.
• Support program continuous quality improvement (CQI) efforts by participating in chart review and maintaining accurate documentation of key goals, outcomes, and indicators to ensure high-quality client care.
• Participate in all scheduled staff meetings, supervision sessions, other departmental or bureau meetings, and relevant local and regional trainings.
• Complete employee training requirements in a timely manner as indicated in the requirements for the bureau and applicable licensing boards.
• Attend seminars, training, and other educational opportunities to develop professional skills and abilities.
• Physical Demands:
  • May move equipment weighing up to 40 lbs.
  • Bend, stoop, kneel, squat, and stand on uneven surfaces for extended periods.

As the Mental Health Crisis Responder II, you will be responsible for all of the above duties of a Mental Health Crisis Responder I, as well as the following:

• Conduct a Mental Status assessment and formulate clinical impressions based on knowledge of symptom criteria in the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
• Assume a lead role for assigned Mental Health Crisis Responder I positions by providing case consultation, individual and group clinical supervision, on-scene co-response, and clinical support for complex crisis calls.
• Provide input for performance reviews of Mental Health Crisis Responder I positions.

Have a question?
Contact Information:
Loan Tran Polanco
Bureau of Human Resources
To Qualify
The following minimum qualifications are required for both Mental Health Crisis Responder I and II positions:

1. Knowledge and understanding of related privacy rules and laws, mandatory reporting, and legal responsibilities including HIPPA, company policies, and procedures.
2. Knowledge and understanding of cultural differences, especially as they relate to race, sexual orientation, gender equality, socioeconomic status, and their intersections.
3. Experience engaging and assessing clients risk of harm to self or other (suicide, homicide, violence) and effectively reducing or eliminating risks identified.
4. Ability to work effectively and collaboratively in multi/intra-disciplinary settings with other first responders, and health and community agencies.
5. Ability to observe and recognize reactivity by clients and to effectively respond and mitigate these issues when they emerge.
6. Experience with medical terminology, navigating health systems, and entering documentation into medical record systems.

All Applicants Must Also Possess:

• A valid state driver's license and

Mental Health Crisis Responder II applicants must possess one or more of the following licenses at the time of hire:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Qualified Mental Health Provider (QMHP) with at least two years post-graduate clinical experience

Desired Qualifications:
Although not required, you may have one or more of the following preferred qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in a Behavioral Health field or equivalent.
• Five (5) years' experience in direct behavioral health service or equivalent.
• Understanding of the principles and practices of Trauma Informed Care (TIC).
• Experience facilitating groups and trainings.
• Experience providing individual and group clinical supervision.
• First response or frontline community-based crisis response experience.
• Trained in behavioral Health Crisis assessment and intervention.
• Bi-lingual fluency is desired. Click here for a list of qualifying languages.

The Recruitment Process
STEP 1: Apply online between 12/18/2023 to 01/22/2024
Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Answer the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc) by the closing date of the recruitment.

Application Tips

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis: Please note per the your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents. Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment. All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of 01/22/2024

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of 01/29/2024

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

This recruitment is "Open Until Filled": This recruitment has multiple review periods and can be open for up to 6 months. Open Until Filled recruitments may close earlier than the posted closing date. The selection process will happen periodically throughout this recruitment. If you are placed on the eligible list, you do not need to reapply. You will be contacted by the bureau when being considered for the selection process.

• If you apply and are notified you meet minimum qualifications/placed on the eligible list, please do not reapply. Any applications received after being placed on the eligible list will not be reviewed and will be rejected as a duplicate application.
• If you apply and are notified you do not meet qualifications...