Mental Health Specialist

Liberty Resources is seeking a motivated Mobile Crisis Mental Health Specialist (Responder) in Cortland County to join our team.

About Us

Liberty Resources is a dynamic and growing human services agency that is a great place to work! Working for Liberty Resources means you’ll have access to great career opportunities, benefits and a fun atmosphere. Our employees have passion around our values of excellence, integrity, diversity, self-determination, service, innovation and fiscal responsibility. Our rapid growth is providing exciting opportunities in all areas of our organization.

We pride ourselves on high quality, integrated, community-based services that meet the evolving needs of our communities. We’re committed to building a diverse workforce that values contributions of all team members and work to recognize cultural beliefs, values, traditions, language preferences, and health practices of the communities that we serve and how they apply to provision of positive health outcomes.

About The Mobile Crisis Team

The Mobile Crisis Team is a trained multidisciplinary response team that provides crisis intervention services in a variety of settings including community locations where individuals live, work, attend school, engage in services, or socialize. Mobile Crisis intervention services are designed to interrupt and ameliorate the crisis experience and include: an assessment that is culturally and linguistically competent, the development of crisis diversion plans, safety plans or relapse prevention plans, support during and after a crisis and coordination with, and referrals to, health, social, and other services and supports as needed, including peer/family support services. The goals of the Mobile Crisis Team are diversion of unnecessary hospitalizations and arrests, engagement in services, symptom reduction, and stabilization, restoring individuals to a previous level of functioning, and developing the coping mechanisms to minimize or prevent the crisis in the future. The Mobile Crisis Team strives to build strong relationships and a successful reputation in providing efficient and quality crisis services within a five-county region. We serve Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

Position Summary

The Mobile Crisis Mental Health Specialist will work alongside Mobile Crisis Clinicians to provide non-clinical support to individuals/families in crisis. Mobile Crisis Specialists/Responders are primarily responsible for conducting needs assessments and coordinating care for adults, youth and families during and after a crisis episode to address the antecedents of crisis and gaps in care.

This is a per diem position with flexible scheduling options. Available shifts are as follows: Cayuga, Cortland or Madison: Weekdays, 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM Weekends and holidays, 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM Onondaga or Oswego: Weekday evenings, 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM Weekends and holidays, 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM Overnights, 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM Weekday daytime coverage as needed

Mental Health Specialist/Responder Job Responsibilities

Conduct initial and ongoing needs assessments to identify the antecedents of crisis and gaps in care and determine the need for follow-up mobile crisis interventions. Engage in person-centered, client/family-driven non-clinical goal setting and safety planning Make referrals to and facilitate engagement in outpatient behavioral services, ongoing care coordination, medical, health or basic needs related to the original crisis service and other crisis intervention services. Follow up with individuals/families and care teams after a crisis to ensure aftercare services are in place.

Mental Health Specialist/Responder Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years of age Bachelor’s degree with at least two (2) years of behavioral health experience OR High school diploma, high school equivalency, or State Education
• Commencement
• Credential and one or more of the following qualifications: One (1) to three (3) years of experience working with individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders; Two (2) years of work experience in children’s mental health, addiction, or foster care; A student or intern within a mental health/clinical DOH-approved New York State Education Department program; Licensed Practical Nurse; Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC); Individuals with lived experience as an individual with emotional, behavioral, addiction, or co-occurring disorders or as a parent/primary caregiver of a child with emotional, behavioral, addiction, or co-occurring disorders and who are not qualified peers. Must be willing to participate in all required federal, state, county and agency training including Narcan administration, evidence-based assessments, person-centered and trauma-informed approaches. Demonstrates a high standard of professionalism and collaborative efforts when working with law enforcement, providers and other collaterals. Must possess a valid NYS driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.

Pay Rate

• $32.15 per on-call shift (which equates to $225 for one week and provides advanced compensation for telephonic crisis response) Additional $100 per on-call shift on an agency observed holiday
• Mobile
• Crisis
• Response: 1-90 minutes: $100 91-180 minutes: $150 181+ minutes: $200
• In-Person
• Follow Up: 1-90 minutes: $50 91-180 minutes: $75 181+ minutes: $100

Liberty Resources is committed to creating a diverse inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Liberty Resources offers equal employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, parental status, housing status, source of income or military status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.