IDD Crisis Specialist

Job Code: IDDCRS - 113

Revision Date: December 19, 2024

Starting Salary: $20.50 hourly; $42,636 annually

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Overview

We are an agency committed to innovative behavioral health services in trauma-informed care that promote healing and recovery to instill a sense of empowerment and foster a lifelong sense of resilience.

General Description

The purpose of this job is to provide immediate response to individuals diagnosed with IDD who need immediate crisis services such as community and/or hospital placement. Ability to triage cases within a hospital placement with psychiatrists, medical professionals, and paraprofessionals for appropriate treatment and placement planning. Evaluate and identify service gaps and strengthen the system that is involved with the individual. Provide trainings for dually diagnosed with IDD/MI consumers.

This class works under general supervision, independently developing work methods and sequences.

Duties And Responsibilities

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position, as necessary.

• Crisis Prevention and Management
• Provides immediate response to individuals diagnosed with IDD who need immediate crisis services such as community and/or hospital placement.
• Ability to triage cases within a hospital placement with psychiatrists, medical professionals, and paraprofessionals for appropriate treatment and placement planning.
• Focuses on being a step-down service to divert psychiatric hospitalizations.
• Evaluates and identifies service gaps and strengthen the system that is involved with the individual.
• Complete Comprehensive Service Evaluations that involved acquiring extensive amounts of medical, school, psychological records/assessments/evaluations to create a well-rounded service plan and recommendations for effective continuity of services.
• Ensure Coordination of IDT/Support meetings Participate in recurring meetings with CIS program manager.
• Participate in recurring meetings with START leadership, Interdisciplinary team, and Lead Crisis Intervention Specialist
• Provide outreach visits to the individuals' home, day, and vocational settings weekly regularly.
• Provide on-call support on a rotational basis as part of a crisis team. responding to contracted facilities to complete crisis assessments, staff each assessment with program manager and/or director prior to providing disposition.
• Education/Training
• Continuously participate in trainings to mental health professionals and caregivers in topics specific to dually diagnosed with IDD/MI complex and behavioral health needs.
• Provide training for dually diagnosed with IDD/MI consumers about safety, coping skills, social skills, and crisis management strategies.
• Train mental health providers, emergency responders, legal professionals, medical professionals, and direct care service workers on appropriately implement CIS crisis plans/crisis management strategies, and biopsychosocial/systems approaches when working with this population.
• Engages in intensive research to gather answers for onset, frequency and duration of symptomology that led to challenging behaviors in individual with IDD.
• Attends behavioral support workshops to assist in working with IDD population.
• Provide on-going support to family members, the individual, and the treatment team involved.
• Participates in group and/or individual supervision weekly.
• Develop materials and present cases weekly Psychiatric Consultation meeting.
• Provides information about IDD programs and services to individuals with IDD, their families, and IDD providers in the local service area.
• Collaboration
• Collaborates with the service coordinator, other members of the service planning team, paid provider, if any, and natural supports regarding crisis follow-up and relapse prevention activities.
• Collaborates with an MCO and YCOT to develop criteria for referring an individual with IDD in crisis-to-crisis respite.
• Collaborates with appropriate LIDDA staff and Transition Support Team members to identify individuals with IDD in the LIDDA's local service area who are at risk of requiring crisis services, such as individuals who exhibit repeated and severe behavior disturbances that jeopardize the individual's safety or current living arrangement.
• Collaborate with service coordinators, other members of the service planning team, and paid provider, if any, to identify prevention strategies to avoid potential crisis events and promote the individual's coping skills.
• Support the service coordinator's provision of on-going follow-up and monitoring activities, including assisting the service coordinator, other members of the service planning team, and paid provider, if any, in addressing concerns and issues identified during follow-up and monitoring visits, such as involvement with law enforcement or emergency room visits.
• Consultation
• Be available to provide consultation to an MCOT as needed or as clinically indicated regarding a crisis event involving an individual with IDD.
• For an individual referred to crisis respite, develops a crisis respite service plan describing the therapeutic support needed by the individual.
• Assists with an individual's transition from crisis respite back to his or her home or other appropriate setting; addressing concerns and issues identified during follow-up and monitoring visits, such as involvement with law enforcement or emergency room visits.
• Caseload
• Maintain an active caseload of individuals referred for CIS Services (variability occurs depending on activity level of cases and the project scope).
• Complete weekly outreach visits to clients and/or caregivers/direct care staff to monitor progress and ensure stability.
• Provide weekly updates to CIS Program Manager and Director
• Begin working on a case presentation and provide bi-weekly updates in preparation for NADD Specialist Certification
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  

Minimum Education And Experience Requirements

Preferred Master's Degree in Health or Human Services, Social Services, Behavioral Health, Rehabilitation or related field, a qualified intellectual disability professional as defined in 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR); and at least two years of experience working with individuals with IDD who have mental health and behavior support needs or linking people with IDD to mental health supports, in addition to the one year of required experience of a qualified intellectual disability professional described in 42 CFR.

Experience with trauma-informed services; cognitive behavioral therapies, including DBT; and motivational therapies including the use of incentives, preferred.

Required Knowledge And Abilities

Knowledge of trauma-informed theories, principles, and practices (includes multi-faceted understanding of concepts such as community trauma, intergenerational and historical trauma, parallel processes, and universal precautions), preferred.

Physical Demands

Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or sustained keyboard operations.

Unavoidable Hazards (Work Environment)

• Involves routine and frequent exposure to: ­
• Bright/dim light; Dusts and pollen.
• Extreme heat and/or cold; Wet or humid conditions.
• Extreme noise levels, Animals/wildlife.
• Vibration; Fumes and/or noxious odors.
• Traffic; Moving machinery.
• Electrical shock; Heights.
• Radiation; Disease/pathogens.
• Toxic/caustic chemicals; Explosives; Violence.
• Other extreme hazards not listed above.
  

Special Certifications and Licenses

• Must be able to be credentialed as a Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP) in the timeframe designated by EHN.
• Must complete NADD Specialist certification within one year of employment.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.
• Must be able to pass a TB, criminal background and drug screen.
  
  

Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance (ADA)

Emergence Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Emergence Health Network to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

Other Job Characteristics

• Staffing requirements, including criteria that staff have diverse disciplinary backgrounds, have necessary State required license and accreditation, and are culturally and linguistically trained to serve the needs of the clinic's patient population.
• Credentialed, certified, and licensed professionals with adequate training in person-centered, family centered, trauma informed, culturally competent and recovery-oriented care.
• Responsible for adhering to the EHN common purpose and service framework to continuously provide exceptional care to all constituents.
  
  

Note: This Class Description does not constitute an employment agreement between Emergence Health Network and an employee and is subject to change by the Emergence Health Network as it's needs change.