Description

Position Function: 

Makes referrals to ACH programs and other community agencies as determined by AIRS Specialist’s assessment of youth and family’s needs. Provides agency’s primary and time-sensitive assessment and crisis intervention response to telephone callers, walk-in clients and non-crisis voicemail/email inquiries for assistance or program information. Collects and distributes client information. Offers in-depth knowledge to ACH program staff concerning community resources available to youth and families with specialized needs. The job requires sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Requirements:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field required. An additional year of experience working with at-risk youth and families may be substituted for each year of college (30 credit hours) to secure a Bachelor’s degree. Bilingual skills strongly preferred.

Experience:  In addition to the educational requirements, a minimum of one year experience working with youth and families experiencing emotional crises, providing assessment, de-escalation and crisis intervention is required. Experience successfully delivering hotline or crisis line services over the telephone or in person is preferred.

Functional Requirements:

Demonstrate the “No Wrong Door” concept when providing triage and crisis intervention services to initial callers and walk-ins in order to determine the most appropriate referral to an ACH program or a provider in the community. Act as a resource specialist for ACH staff seeking assistance to meet client’s needs beyond the capacity of their program and be a resource specialist to the community seeking assistance.

Working Conditions:

Exposure to children with behavior problems including possible physical aggression. Exposure to illness and blood. Face-to-face services delivered at multiple agency locations. Stressful telephone conversations with callers that may not result in clear or concrete outcomes or that are hindered by callers’ limited information or willingness to act. Lengthy periods on the phone. Unpredictable timing and nature of callers and walk-in clients needing assistance and chaotic home environments where crisis services may be delivered.

Exposure to Confidential Information:

Maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to HIPAA and control of client information.

Key Expectations/Responsibilities:

Service Delivery:

• Ability to multi-task and to focus on the needs of the caller or walk-in client in an environment that includes distractions.
• Excellent telephone skills
• Ability to empathize and work with clients through a strengths-based intervention model.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and database software
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with all agency staff. 
• Knowledge of community resources or ability to teach them quickly 
• Demonstrated success at referral marketing through established community relationships.
• Maintain working knowledge of ACH programs and community referral sources for youth and families seeking services.
• Update ACH agency resource guide with detailed descriptions of ACH programs and community programs including eligibility and requirements for participation. 
• Respond to all initial calls/messages during the same or within one business day.
• Ability to provide assessments and crisis intervention for walk-in clients.
• Complete assessments and assist with the admission screening process for ACH programs.
• Ability to assist with maintaining scheduling of clients into ACH program(s)
• Refer all potential clients to internal programs and when necessary, provide referrals to outside agencies. 
• Assign clients to individual ACH program personnel for formal intake assessment of the need for ongoing services within two business days if crisis circumstances indicated.
• Provide crisis intervention services.
• Initiate crisis intervention via telephone and as warranted, in person at an ACH facility or other approved location, within 24 hours or one business day of the request for crisis services.
• Contact law enforcement, medical services, child/adult protective services, and other regulatory and protective agencies as needed or required. 
• Provide follow-up with clients and/or ACH staff regarding AIRS calls to ensure timely response.
• Rotate as on-call responder for the Safe Place program.

Community Relations:

• Provide consultation to ACH program staff on community resources available for client needs that are not met by ACH services.
• Participate in community collaboration activities. 
• Deliver presentations to professional and lay community about ACH services.

Training and Supervision:

• Attend all trainings and participate in all supervision activities deemed appropriate to meet requirements of STAR and other programs and to increase clinical, assessment, intervention and other skills.
• Develop and maintain AIRS training curriculum. 
• Train ACH staff in AIRS procedures as required or requested.
• Participate in trainings to meet agency and contractual requirements.
• Participate in trainings to satisfy licensure requirements if applicable.

Documentation and Reporting:

• Maintain necessary documentation and files to fulfill agency, program, contractual and accreditation requirements. 
• Input data and extract information from all databases used by ACH.

Other:

• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

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Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field required. An additional year of experience working with at-risk youth and families may be substituted for each year of college (30 credit hours) to secure a Bachelor’s degree. Bilingual skills strongly preferred.

Experience:  In addition to the educational requirements, a minimum of one year experience working with youth and families experiencing emotional crises, providing assessment, de-escalation and crisis intervention is required. Experience successfully delivering hotline or crisis line services over the telephone or in person is preferred.