Outreach Specialist - Media, PA

POSITION SUMMARY: As a member of the Mobile Crisis for Law Enforcement (MCLE) Outreach Team, the Outreach Specialist (OS) provides outreach to individuals receiving crisis supports and, following assessment/intervention by the Mobile Crisis for Law Enforcement program (MCLE), assists individuals by providing appropriate resources. The OS plays an integral role in the interdisciplinary team including but not limited to providing continued engagement after a MCLE encounter, social determinants of health screening and referrals, community engagement, and linking individuals to other services to meet their immediate and long-term needs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Become conversant with local community resources in order to provide necessities to augment engagement and trust building following MCLE encounters, including but not limited to food, water, hygiene products, and clothing
• Engage family members in considering helping individuals move beyond the circumstances which brought about the initial crisis by incorporating the family's input into crisis resolution plans and resource coordination
• Establish and maintain effective partnerships with other providers and community resources to help individuals navigate community resources, assisting in making referrals, scheduling appointments, and assuring individuals attend follow-up appointments
• Coordinate needed services, including but not limited to substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, community food resources, shelters, etc. and provide transportation when the situations warrant
• Remain involved until the individual (and/or their families) are no longer interested in assistance or until they are connected with other resources and supports including but not limited to substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, shelters, community food resources, etc.
• Participate in staff organizational meetings and treatment planning review meetings by offering their perspective on the progress of individuals in the program
• Document individuals' progress in the individual's medical record according to established methods, procedures and guidelines per regulatory standards
• Help persons in recovery and other team members identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma and stigma within the team
• Collaborate with the team to ensure the protection of rights in order to help persons in recovery to improve their knowledge of their rights and grievance or complaint procedures by way of interaction and discussions with individuals
• Increase awareness of, and support participation in, self-help programs, advocacy organizations and the use of natural supports to promote recovery by engaging individuals in discussion and engaging clinical staff and outside resources, as needed
• Assist in the provision of ongoing assessment of persons in recovery and response to treatment by suggesting appropriate changes in the recovery action plan to ensure that services respond to individuals' desires and needs
• Support and coach (if needed) the individual in finding and maintaining a safe and affordable place to live by using the internet, linking to agencies for housing resources
• Support and coach (if needed) individuals in effectively engaging a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists by using the internet, contacting providers, going with individuals to their doctor's appointments to advocate for the individual
• Pursue training and development opportunities that serve to ensure quality service provision
• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and safe crisis intervention using agency-trained protocols
• Perform other duties as assigned

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Clinical Supervisor

DIRECT REPORTS: None

CONTACTS: Persons in recovery and their families, agency staff, general public, funding sources, program evaluation personnel, related professional agencies/social service agencies, physicians/medical personnel, community mental health centers and hospitals, advocacy groups, employers, and community resource liaisons.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/SKILLS REQUIREMENTS:

• High School diploma or graduate equivalency diploma (GED), bachelor's degree in human services related field preferred
• Three (3) years behavioral health experience
• Lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage and prioritize multiple, often competing, priorities
• Demonstrated strong attention to detail
• Demonstrated strong time management and organizational skills
• Demonstrated excellent judgment with the ability to independently solve problems and make decisions with little or no need for direct supervision
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate future needed changes or identify problem areas and take effective actions
• Must possess excellent customer interaction, collaboration, presentation, and written and verbal communication skills
• Must be able to perform CPR and crisis intervention using agency-trained protocols
• Must possess excellent customer interaction, collaboration, presentation, and written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated basic experience with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, and Outlook
• Knowledge of Electronic Health Record (EHR) / Electronic Medical Record (EMR) preferred
• Must have current, valid driver's license in state of residence, three (3) years driving experience in the United States, and acceptable driving record