Mental Health Court Clinical Services Specialist – KSA African American R-11559

**When applying please be sure to follow ALL instructions under “Screening & Application”**

The Mental Health Court Clinical Services Specialist (CSS)- KSA African American (AA) focuses on working with a diverse array of individuals, specifically BIPOC who are over-represented in the Multnomah County criminal justice system. This position provides client outreach, screenings, care planning, education, referrals, legal advocacy and testimony, and care coordination. They coordinate transitions between various levels of care and systems partners. They help partner agencies and organizations connect high risk members to mental health and addiction treatment, and other service needs, with a focus on sustained diversion from the criminal justice system. This position relies on diagnostic and eligibility determination expertise and clinical judgment, as well as the ability to collaborate and partner with multiple systems. This position’s recommendations to the court have significant impact on multiple systems (MCDA, Community Mental Health Program (CMHP), OSH, Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Oregon public defenders, etc.) and are time sensitive. In this position, clinical needs assessments are completed and court recommendations are made that influence defendants’ release to the community and sentencing decisions. The Mental Health Court CSS – KSA AA will have increased working knowledge of the criminal justice and court system as it relates to mental health clients and are relied upon to make decisions and recommendations to the court. This position often requires coordination with treatment teams and service providers in the community during times of client crisis. This position will receive safety and health training in order to safely and properly do the work.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): This position requires advanced knowledge of and experience working with the African American community. This would be demonstrated by understanding and supporting cultural considerations that impact clients, including over-representation of Black, Indigenous and other People of Color in the criminal/legal system and the impact of trauma, including racial trauma. The incumbent must specifically know the African American/Black Community, historical and current barriers to mental health services, and has knowledge of the traditions, values and customs of the culture.

As the Mental Health Court CSS – KSA AA, other duties will include:

Culturally Specific Direct Client Services and Care Coordination

• Provide coordination and referrals for Serious and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) / criminal justice involved and eligible clients to assist them to access Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment, and other eligible services based on needs.
• Provide ongoing care coordination to assist clients to remain engaged in treatment services and/or to connect with other service providers based on clinical needs.
• To be available to the court as a Mental Health and resource specialist, including sworn testimony, legal advocacy, and crisis intervention.
• Maintain working knowledge of the behavioral health and criminal justice system with particular emphasis on sustained diversion by accessing services and resources.
• Administer advanced human services clinical assessment involving complex psycho-social factors, and coordination/creation of specific case plans to meet medical and psycho-social needs of economically, physically, developmentally, mentally or socially disadvantaged clients.
• Assess, develop, and integrate a care plan regarding complex and difficult cases with members of the care team, community-based case managers, district center case managers, and outside agencies.
• Help determine the need for comprehensive neuropsychological, psychological, psychiatric, psycho-diagnostic, or clinical case consultations with other qualified professionals.
• Participate on a multidisciplinary team by assisting and consulting with the care team, family members, case managers, and outside agencies in navigating complex service systems such as mental health, medical, and legal.
• Assist members in gaining access to a variety of social services programs as needed, including SUD treatment, housing, peer support, medical services, etc.
• Provide referrals to other healthcare services such as physical health plan, primary care, dental plan, etc.
• Function in a similar way to an ACT team, and authorize treatment-related decisions in crisis situations.
• Provide crisis support and intervention to participants experiencing psychosis. Meet with clients in the office or community to engage, counsel, intervene, and promote compliance with court orders and treatment recommendations.

Supervision, Training and Documentation

• Participate in individual and group supervision and training to support the job functions of team and self.
• Maintain the values and purpose of Coordinated Diversion and Mental Health Court, track case assignments, balancing team workloads, consulting difficult cases, monitoring the management of cases and services provided for adherence to standards and rules, and making reports to supervisory staff as needed to ensure professional services are being maintained by staff.
• Maintain up to date notes on members served within the assigned Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to track care, referrals, needs assessments, service plans, next steps or missing resources that are needed in the care plan, etc.
• Complete notes as needed for court reporting and grant funding for services provided and coordination of care between and with member organizations.
• Enter documentation into Specialty Court Monitoring System (SCMS) (court documentation system) and Evolv EHR to record outcomes or other data per team work flows.
• Proactive communication with team and leadership about known safety concerns and apply feedback received to promote staff, client and community safety.

Community Relationships

• Maintain partnerships with contracted agencies, health care providers, and other social service providers as contact point with the Behavioral Health Division (BHD).
• Build mutually beneficial relationships with providers and community partners especially those who offer culturally specific services to research and document developing needs within various communities served.
• Share updates of community relationships and feedback with program and division leadership to tailor program goals to external and funding needs and requirements.
• Attend community outreach meetings including but not limited to Cascadia Behavioral Health’s and Central City Concern’s Stabilization, Treatment and Preparation (STP) to plan for and understand community needs, barriers to care, etc.

Consultation

• Provide consultations to the court team and community partners and multi-disciplinary teams as needed to provide input and suggestions for services and supports available to individuals with mental illness and criminal justice involvement and to help teams to understand program specialties, requirements, and limitations.
• Provide consultation to community members who contact the criminal justice system seeking assistance for friends or family.
• Provide context and information about the mental health/ criminal justice system, information about referrals, and other resources as appropriate.
• Act as a response point to emergency needs or investigation requests of individual clients, service providers, etc.

Multnomah County offers an exceptional benefits package, including employer-funded retirement savings; health and dental insurance at very low cost to full-time employees and their dependents; paid parental leave; wellness programs; a focus on work-life balance; and much more. Find more details on our benefits website.

TO QUALIFY:

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Experience: Equivalent to Masters in counseling, social services, psychology, sociology, social work or a related field and one (1) to four (4) years of experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position; (Equivalency reflects 7-10 years of qualifying training and/or experience in behavioral health)

Certification: Must meet the standards of Qualified Mental Health Associate – (QMHA I) with the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO) – more information can be found at MHACBO website. Current QMHA I (Required)

Other:

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): This position requires advanced knowledge of and experience working with the African American community. This would be demonstrated by understanding and supporting cultural considerations that impact clients, including over-representation of Black, Indigenous and other People of Color in the criminal/legal system and the impact of trauma, including racial trauma. The incumbent must specifically know the African American/Black Community, historical and current barriers to mental health services, and has knowledge of the traditions, values and customs of the culture.
• Strong clinical acumen, including best practices for client support to ensure skill learning and to support increased independence.
• Valid Driver’s License
• This position requires a Background Investigation, which may include being fingerprinted.

Preferred Qualifications/ Transferable Skills*: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/ transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates.

• Lead with race through actions and advocacy with internal programs, with community partners and across departments throughout the county.
• Demonstrate the ability to flex style when faced with myriad dimensions of culture in order to be effective across cultural context.
• Respect and appreciation for ethnic and cultural diversity.
• Ability to collaborate and build relationships to achieve positive work outcomes.
• Ability to maintain a safe and healthful workplace.
• High degree of resilience, is outcome driven and can thrive in an environment of rapid change while effectively managing pressure in an effective and professional manner

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experiences that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.

SCREENING & EVALUATION (REQUIRED): 

The Application Packet: You must submit ALL requested items below. Failure to do so will be deemed as an incomplete application.  

1. Attach a Resume demonstrating you meeting minimum qualifications; AND

2. Attach a Cover Letter addressing the following:

• Demonstrate your experience working with Black/African American communities who have or who are at high risk for criminal/legal involvement, houselessness, crisis services, safety net services and severe and persistent mental illness and substance use challenges; AND
• Demonstrate your affiliation and experience (lived and professional) working directly with individuals and families who identify with the African American community; AND
• Demonstrate your clinical acumen, including examples of applying best practices to support client skill building and increased independence.

Note: Please be mindful of checking your email inbox for messages upon submitting your application. You may be emailed requesting for additional items from the Recruiter or hiring manager. If a response is not received in a timely manner your application may not be considered. 

Tagged as: Behavioral Health, human services, Mental Health