Department: Emergency Outreach and Trauma Response Program

Department: Emergency Outreach and Trauma Response Program

Title: Outreach Counselor I

Immediate Supervisor: Supervising Counselor or Program Coordinator

Employment Status: Full Time

Summary: The Outreach Counselors I of the Emergency Outreach and Trauma Response Program are responsible for providing on-site crisis intervention and assessments to individuals in crisis or emergency mental health situations, as well as providing trauma response services, and screenings for the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program. The primary goals of this program are client safety and suicide prevention, and other tasks relating to this goal are assigned as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Provide short-term crisis intervention services in the community for children and adults, which includes intake, outreach visits, telephone lethality monitoring, linkage, and follow-up services.
• Provide mental health evaluations and assist in the assessment for need for involuntary transport under Section 9.45 of the New York State Mental Hygiene Law.
• Provide assessment to determine suicide lethality or dangerousness to others, mental status, and other behavioral, cognitive, and/or affective indicators as required.
• Provide Critical Incident Stress Management to individuals or groups affected by traumatic events, as well as provide appropriate follow-up and referral services, and subsequent documentation.
• Provide screenings for individuals referred to the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program.
• Complete all required charting, casework, documentation, and computer entry, on a timely basis.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the mental health and human service system in Erie County in order to provide appropriate referral and linkage for clients served.
• Attend and participate in all required training, staff meetings, and case conferences, as indicated by the Program Coordinator or Supervising Counselors.
• Assist in providing coverage in other agency programs in emergency situations or staff shortage situations as required by agency managers.
• Engage in agency or community projects or work groups that contribute to the agency and/or program mission.
• Engage in supervision on a regular basis.
• Maintain and increase skills in the field through trainings in the agency and/or community.
• Provide marketing and/or educational presentations to the community, or training to other agency staff, as assigned by Program Coordinator or Supervising Counselors.
• Assist in the training of new staff and students, as assigned by a supervisor.
• Assume on-call and back-up responsibilities, consistent with program needs and collective bargaining agreement.
• Participate in the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) as a disaster worker should the need arise.
• Maintain a valid NYS driver’s license and have access to a usable vehicle.
• All other duties assigned by the Program Coordinator or Supervising Counselors.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in social work, psychology, or other human service related field, plus
• One year of supervised experience (pre- or post-graduate) providing services in a mental health or human service setting, and

• Depending on previous experience, candidate may be required to successfully complete agency crisis counselor training program.

Hours: To Be Determined

EEO STATEMENT:

Crisis Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all candidates for employment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, citizenship, pregnancy, military status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law.

DISCLAIMER:

The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and objectives required of employees assigned to this job.

November 16, 20161