Coordinated Response - Clinical Social Worker - MHP

Washington County Community Services Department (CSD) is hiring a 40 hour per week (1.0 FTE) Coordinated Response Clinical Social Worker who will be a licensed Mental Health Professional position within our Embedded Mental Health Unit. This is an in-person field position located on-site within the Oakdale Police Department.

This newly created clinical social work position is part of Washington County's expansion of behavioral health services within law enforcement settings and will partner with designated mental health law enforcement within Oakdale’s jurisdiction. Job duties will include providing clinical insight within the Police Department, on-site mental health assessments, crisis work, responding to active and follow-up mental health calls in the field, reviewing police reports, referral and resource work, case management and brief stabilization. Additional opportunities may include sharing educational information about mental health, substance use disorders and resources within the police department and at community events.

In addition to partnering with law enforcement, Coordinated Response work involves collaborating with individuals/families and many professionals in health, education, social service, and criminal justice settings.

This embedded social work position will be an employee of Washington County Community Services Department and will receive supervision from a Washington County Clinical Social Services Supervisor. Schedule will be 40 hours/week, primarily Monday-Friday, with potential for some flexibility. Final schedule will be determined through collaboration with Oakdale Police Department.

A Master’s Degree in Social Work or related field with licensure as a Mental Health Professional (MHP) per Minnesota State Stature Minnesota State Statute 245I.04 subd 2-3 is required. Candidates may be considered for initial entry into the position if they are eligible within three months of hire to sit for the qualifying Minnesota Mental Health Professional licensing examination of their professional discipline AND have obtained the required Mental Health Professional licensure within their first year of hire into the Clinical Social Work position.

Experience assessing mental health and substance use disorder symptoms is required. Licensure or licensure eligible (explained above) as a Mental Health Professional in the State of Minnesota is required. A valid driver’s license with access to independent transportation is required. Strong skills in crisis assessment, assertiveness, de-escalation, conflict management, and the ability to work independently within a fast-paced environment to provide person-centered services is necessary. Experience in threat assessment, working closely with law enforcement and/or corrections is highly desirable.

• Paid work experience conducting mental health Crisis Assessments for an identified mental health crisis agency in the last five years
• Paid work experience where close to 100% of your work duties are in a probation, correctional, or law enforcement setting
• Paid County work experience in the last five years where the employer is a County Government setting
• Paid work experience conducting Diagnostic Assessments in the last five years
• Paid work experience within the last five years, providing mental health or chemical health case management in any setting

The Social Worker, Clinical is an experienced professional position with significant clinical responsibility for performing complex crisis work in identifying and assessing individual, family and community problems and strengths, selecting individual or family case work, group methods or community resources and implementing plans to protect vulnerable people, promote independence and prevent abuse or neglect. Client assignments of a Social Worker, Clinical may include more complex, sensitive or difficult cases than Social Workers l and ll and may include the clinical supervision and sign-off of treatment plans, clinical assessments and may also responsible for the consultation, training and support to Social Workers and professionals in and outside the agency.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: This position requires a Master’s Degree in Social Work or related field and two years of full-time work experience as a Social Worker in a public human services agency and/or a private human services agency that contracts services with a public human services agency, or equivalent. Requires licensure as a Mental Health Professional per Minnesota State Stature Minnesota State Statute245I.04 subd 2-3.

Candidates may be considered for initial entry into the position if they are eligible within three months of hire to sit for the qualifying Minnesota Mental Health Professional licensing examination of their professional discipline AND have obtained the required Mental Health Professional licensure within their first year of hire into the Social Worker – Clinical position.

Additional requirements for specific unit assignments will be identified when a vacancy occurs.

CORE COMPETENCIES, JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL JOB PERFORMANCE

Core Competencies outline essential business and professional traits necessary to perform this job.

• Support and prioritize a welcoming and respectful workplace that fosters diversity and encourages contributions from all individuals.
• Provide inclusive and equitable service to all members of the community with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate support for the County’s diversity, equity and inclusion program.
• Promotes a culture of continuous quality improvement in the workplace.
• Demonstrates knowledge of, or ability to learn, quality/continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates knowledge of social and economic problems and family systems.
• Demonstrates knowledge of interviewing techniques and skills at conducting interviews.
• Demonstrates skills in assessing danger to self and others and can safely intervene in dangerous situations.
• Demonstrates ability to translate complex information into understandable messages.
• Demonstrates ability to apply principles, techniques, ethics and practices of Social Work.
• Demonstrates ability to follow state, federal and county relevant laws, rules, regulations and policies.
• Demonstrates ability to assess vulnerabilities and strengths of individuals and families.
• Demonstrates ability to coordinate implementation of services and plans with families, other agencies and the community at large.
• Demonstrates ability to counsel and offer supportive services to individuals and families including those in crisis.
• Demonstrates ability to utilize previously acquired knowledge and skills to identify and solve complex situations.
• Demonstrates ability to seek on-going training in chemical health and mental health assessment and any training requirements of the state Department of Human Services.
• Demonstrates ability to function comfortably in and knowledgeable of legal and court proceedings.
• Demonstrates ability to serve as a consultant to others.

1. Provide assessment and case management services for eligible individuals or families.
2. Assist clients who have a perceived or diagnosed mental illness in obtaining financial support including Social Security benefits, child support, housing, medical care and treatment for chemical or mental health needs.
3. Receive referrals, conduct interviews and investigate to identify and assess problems or need for intervention/service.
4. Assess continued client eligibility for Adult Mental Health services.
5. Provide pre-petition screening and/or health officer hold assessments for individuals who are in need of involuntary psychiatric hospitalization.
6. Assess risks to self and others (abuse or neglect and dangerousness).
7. Intervene in crisis situations.
8. Coordinate and secure emergency services.
9. Negotiate and resolve conflicts.
10. Open and maintain client case records and files according to established standards and timelines.
11. Provide appropriate information regarding case openings, closings, and denials.
12. Provide testimony or written recommendations in county or district court or in administrative appeal hearings regarding client cases.
13. Advise clients of possible resources, rights and responsibilities under programs or services.
14. Strive to keep clients at home through the use of other community resources and waivers funded by state and federal sources.
15. Explain legal processes and county systems to client families and community partners.
16. Maintain frequent and ongoing client contact either in-person or over the phone.
17. Develop, coordinate and deliver program information to the general public, special interest groups and professional organizations.
18. Lead intensive consultations with staff and service providers for case planning, specialized programs and agency procedures.
19. Complete crisis assessments, crisis plans, and/or diagnostic assessments at a Mental Health Professional level as needed.
20. Provide clinical consultation and support to case managers and other professionals as needed.
21. Raise Community awareness and support Adult Mental Health issues.
22. Design and facilitate specialized training and orientation to the community.
23. Represent the department in the community, at policy forums and at inter-agency meetings.
24. Coordinate and/or leads various task forces, committees and multi-disciplinary teams at the local and state level.
25. Perform all duties of a Social Worker II and may include management of a complex caseload.

Performs other duties as assigned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Semi-sedentary involving office and outside field work. Lifting requirement may include lifting up to 20 pounds. Exposures may include but not be limited to disagreeable odors, communicable diseases, bodily fluids and behavior challenges. Use of general office equipment to include telephone, cell phone, pager, personal computer, laptop computer, electronic recorder, calculator, etc. Additional physical/mental requirements that occur may not be listed above, but are inherent in performing the position’s essential functions.

This job description is intended to describe the kinds of tasks and level of work difficulty being performed by people assigned to this classification. The list of responsibilities is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. The County retains the discretion to add or change the contents of this job description at any time.