Behavioral Health Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Rod’s House is all about building authentic connections. We are committed to equity and inclusion and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

We encourage people with lived experience of homelessness and those who identify as LGBTQ+ and people of color to apply.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Position Information

Title :

Behavioral Health Specialist

FLSA Status :

Hourly, Full-Time, Non-Exempt

Location : Reports to :

Reports to :

Director of Behavioral Health

Job Description

The Behavioral Health Specialist at the Resource Center provides youth-centered, early intervention services aimed at identifying the skills young people have to regulate their emotions, work through complex traumas, and gain coping mechanisms.

This role implements trauma-informed education, provides peer mediation between young people, and facilitates crisis interventions.

This role develops new behavioral health services to meet the needs of young people accessing the Resource Center and impacts the environment of the program through tiered interventions aimed at building a positive and youth-led culture.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Complete behavioral health intakes and assessments for every young person accessing the Resource Center;
• Develop individualized behavioral health plans incorporating young people and Behavioral Health Specialist responsibilities;
• Support young people (ages 13-24) with complex behavioral health needs through creating, implementing, and analyzing the effectiveness of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 interventions;
• Offer (provide) individual therapy to any young person accessing the Resource Center;
• Facilitate weekly therapeutic support groups based on the needs of young people;
• Implement weekly behavioral health skill-building lessons;
• Facilitate crisis intervention by using de-escalation techniques, as needed;
• Build relationships with behavioral health agencies for additional behavioral health and / or substance use disorder services;
• Conduct conflict resolution and peer mediation, as needed;
• Collaborate with site-specific program leadership to implement an accountability system that prioritizes restorative justice measures for young people, as needed;
• Participate in collaborative treatment planning with Resource Center staff to advocate for the behavioral health needs of young people;

Treat all young adults in a trauma-informed, strengths-based, culturally-sensitive manner.

• Educate staff and volunteers on the therapeutic modalities and interventions most commonly used by behavioral health staff within their site;
• Regularly train staff and volunteers on crisis intervention strategies;
• Provide social-emotional support to staff and volunteers, as needed;

Support Behavioral Health Interns in successfully completing their practicum requirements.

• Maintain accurate and quality client documentation in HMIS, InfoNet, and any other database Rod’s House uses;
• Submit End of Month reports to supervisor;
• Participate in program, department, and agency meetings, and relevant trainings;

Facilitate and participate in local and state interagency work groups, as needed.

Proven ability to create a system or process when one does not exist;

Complete all duties as assigned and other duties as required.

Education and / or Experience

• Masters-level degree in mental or behavioral health field (e.g. social work, counseling, therapy, psychology, psychiatry or psychiatric nursing, applied behavior analysis) Required;
• Bilingual (Spanish-English) Required;

Experience working directly with youth and young adults, particularly youth and young adults experiencing homelessness

Experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma, specifically severe mental illnesses and substance use disorders

Additional Agency Requirements (for all staff)

• Must be at least 21 years of age Required;
• Pass a Washington State criminal background check Required;
• Pass a Federal (FBI) criminal background check Required;
• Valid driver’s license and auto insurance is Required;

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

An understanding of evidence-based therapeutic modalities for youth and young adults

An understanding of and adherence to a strengths-based philosophy with youth and young adults

Lived experience relevant to the population served

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate;
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships;
• Proficient in using technology, including Gmail, Microsoft Office Suite, and related software;

Salary / Compensation and Benefits

• Starting hourly wage of $25.00 per hour;
• Eligible for up to $8,000 per year towards obtaining license;
• Medical, Dental, Vision;
• 401K;
• 10 paid Washington state holidays;
• Vacation Time;
• Sick Time;
• Opportunity for career growth and professional development;

Work Conditions and Physical Requirements

Shifts include overnight, evening, and early mornings including holidays. This position requires daily interactions with youth experiencing homelessness and with community members, social service providers, and other organizations.

Physical requirements for the position include frequent walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, grasping, climbing, and repetitive motions.

This position requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force to lift, carry, pull, or move objects. Ability to safely drive a 14-passenger van is strongly preferred.

Rod’s House will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability so they can perform the essential functions of a job unless doing so causes a direct threat to these individuals or others in the workplace and the threat cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation or if the accommodation creates an undue hardship to Rod’s House.

This Job description is not meant to be all inclusive with regard to the requirements needed to perform this role.