Children’s Crisis Intervention Specialist

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Overview:

The Children’s Crisis Stabilization Specialist is responsible for providing immediate support, intervention, and stabilization services to children and adolescents experiencing acute crisis. The specialist works collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team to assess, manage, and de-escalate crisis while ensuring the safety and well-being of the child. This role involves both direct care and coordination of services with other healthcare providers, social services, and families.

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Provide immediate response and support to children experiencing emotional, behavioral, or mental health crisis. Utilize de-escalation techniques to manage challenging behaviors.

2. Ensure that children are in a safe environment while addressing their emotional and psychological needs.

3. Assists Care Coordinators with developing and implementing individualized crisis stabilization plans.

4. Offer emotional support and therapeutic interventions to help children cope with stress, anxiety, trauma, or other mental health issues.

5. Provide behavior support to individuals having difficulty so that they can maintain appropriate social interaction with others, and refrain from infringing on their rights.

6. Accurately administer and document medications and medical treatment according to documented procedures.

7. Assist and support those served in the establishment and implementation of their treatment plan.

8. Work with families and caregivers to ensure they are informed and involved in the stabilization process. Provide guidance on crisis management and connect them with additional resources as needed.

9. Always maintain safe and sanitary conditions within the facility to ensure a secure environment for both the child and staff. Report any safety concerns or incidents as required.

10. Complete documentation during each shift according to Inside Out Wellness and Advocacy standards. All documentation should be completed in a timely manner.

11. Always interact with those served in a manner that denotes respect for personal integrity.

12. Implement agency and home policies and procedures and maintain compliance with all laws, codes, regulations, and standards at all times in the performance of duties.

13. Assist those served with the basic activities of daily living.

14. Complete and maintain required training to stay updated on best practices in crisis intervention and child mental health. This includes attending all mandatory meetings and in-services.

15. Follow all of Inside Out Wellness and Advocacy policies and procedures.

16. Be awake and on duty for the duration of all shifts.

17. Be available for assisting law enforcement when dispatch calls for mobile crisis response.

18. Additional duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Requires mobility and physical activity; Having an adequate range of body motion and mobility to work in a residential or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying of up to 20 pounds. Use of computers and telephones is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing and writing).

Requires talking, hearing, and seeing; Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken and written word. Ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly. Ability to observe client behavior and activities and complete paperwork.

Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions. Requires the ability to work and cooperate with individuals served, co-workers, employees, and the public at all levels to exchange ideas, information, instructions, and opinions. Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.

Staff providing crisis response services must meet one or more of the following qualifications:

• A mental health professional as defined in Iowa Code section 228.1.

• A bachelor’s degree with 30 semester hours or equivalent in a human services field (including, but not limited to, psychology, social work, nursing, education) and a minimum of one year of experience in behavioral or mental health services.

• A law enforcement officer with a minimum of two years of experience in the law enforcement officer’s field.

• An emergency medical technician (EMT) with a minimum of two years of experience in the EMT’s field.

• A peer support specialist with a minimum of one year of experience in behavioral or mental health services.

• A family support peer specialist with a minimum of one year of experience in behavioral or mental health services.

• A registered nurse with a minimum of one year of experience in behavioral or mental health services.

• A bachelor’s degree in a non-human services-related field, associate degree, or high school diploma (or equivalency) with a minimum of two years of experience in behavioral or mental health services, and 30 hours of crisis and mental health in-service training (in addition to the required 30 hours of Department-approved training).

Disclaimer:

• Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

• This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not restrict or prescribe the tasks that may be assigned.

• Critical features of this job have been described in the narrative. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

Inside Out Wellness and Advocacy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider.