Care Control Specialist I

*Position Summary:* Position involves answering multiple crisis line calls (including 988, Maryland Helpline, 211 Health Check, Howard County Homeless Services local line, and others), providing crisis counseling to walk-in clients, and conducting housing assessments for eviction prevention and shelter requests.
Grassroots is a 24/7 Crisis Program.
The position involves providing resources, de-escalation, scheduling appointments, completing warm hand offs, and following up with callers.
Care Control Specialists I can provide a range of support from emotional support to full scale crisis de-escalation.
This Care Control Specialist I is responsible for providing supportive services to help individuals regain a sense of safety, return to their normal level of functioning, and/or access ongoing treatment services as needed.
The Care Control Specialist I is responsible for providing excellent service to those accessing the service by applying the equivalent of reflective listening and motivational interviewing skills in the context of telephonic and face-to-face exchanges.
Care Control Specialists I have the special training and skills to interact via phone and in person, to understand consumers’ unique circumstances and needs, render immediate emotional support, provide options for ongoing support/treatment and follow up to ensure needs are being met.
The Care Control Specialist I is patient, knowledgeable, empathetic, and helpful.
*Qualified candidates for this position must have:* * High School Diploma or GED required.
* Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited school with a minimum of 120 college credits in Social Work or mental health related field preferred * Computer skills with various software – Microsoft Products proficient skills preferred.
* Crisis Worker Certification preferred.
Requirement to complete Crisis Worker Certification within 12 months of hire.
*Position Responsibilities:* * Have the ability to work in a highly stressful environment that deals with frequent suicidal callers.
* Assess each caller’s presenting problem, support systems, coping skills, and level of emergency to determine appropriate intervention.
* Intervenes appropriately with callers who present imminent danger to self or others, including assessing lethality and taking necessary steps to intervene.
* Access bed registry and other resources to connect callers to services.
* Comply with the GBRICS Crisis Standards in providing services to the community.
* Adhere to Lifeline Standards, Crisis Now Standards, and appropriate accrediting bodies best practices when providing services.
* Participate in regularly scheduled supervision and debriefing sessions as appropriate.
* If self-identified as a peer, participate in regular peer support sessions.
* Comply with the organization’s Secondary Trauma Prevention policy.
* Adhere to annual training requirements.
* Does an assessment of each caller/walk-in to determine the appropriate means of intervention.
* Achieves good closure on contacts with recommendations or arrangements for follow-up calls, walk-in, or referral to other agencies as needed.
* Is familiar with resources and provides information and referral to clients requesting information.
* Completes follow-ups for all required calls.
* Completes thorough documentation for all calls (incoming & outgoing) and face-to-face interactions.
Documentation must be at 100% completion rate and be input in the electronic system at the latest before the end of the shift.
Live documentation is strongly recommended.
* Professionally document consumer demographic data and interactions within designated database/databases.
* Follow-up with clients to monitor and track successes and concerns.
* Respect each participant’s privacy rights under HIPAA and other applicable laws and regulations during the provision of services.
* The program will provide daily ongoing monitoring of calls to ensure quality.
The expectation is for care control specialists to score a minimum of 75% on the quality evaluation.
* Completes weekly quality evaluation process.
* Arrives for shift on time and properly attired.
* Participates in a brief meeting at the beginning of the shift to review shift business including status of EOS, expected walk-ins, alerts, etc.
* Acts as a liaison between Crisis lines and other crisis programs, such as Shelter, Cold Weather Shelter, Code Blue Staff, Day Resource Center, Springboard, etc.
* Assures that the lobby, counseling and open EOS rooms are clean.
If the rooms are not clean, the care control specialist will clean the space.
* Assures that the Care Control Operations Room is properly stocked with copies of paperwork, linens, toiletries, etc.
If supplies are running low, the care control specialists will restock the room.
* Responsible for ensuring that the Care Control Operations Room is in clean and organized condition for the incoming shift.
* Meet with Crisis Line Supervisors and Program Manager regularly to discuss program operations, concerns, and potential improvements.
* Other duties as requested and required.
*Secondary Responsibilities:* * Assist coordination of services for Code Blue and Cold Weather Shelter Clients * Other duties as assigned, required, or needed.
*Skills and Abilities:* * Ability to work independently with confidence, as well as work as an integral part of a team of professionals.
* Must be mature, empathetic, flexible and adaptable to varying situations and coverage needs.
Reliable and able to adhere to schedules based upon call center needs.
* Ability to consistently adhere to call center program policies and procedures.
* Skilled in the use of technology including telephones, computers (PC), laptops, software and email.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
* Ability to function successfully in an environment requiring immediate response to urgent situations.
* Knowledge of and familiarity with local and statewide community resources.
* Analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Manages multiple tasks at one time; quickly and accurately shifts attention among multiple tasks under distracting conditions without loss of accuracy or appearance of frustration.
* Reads, writes and speaks fluent English in order to convey information and ideas effectively.
Demonstrates exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to prepare concise and accurate records and reports.
* Demonstrates a systematic approach in carrying out tasks and assignments.
* Demonstrates a strong ability to properly identify and analyze problems.
Able to follow the proper policies and procedures to solve identified problems.
* Consistently ensures that participants are provided with attentive, courteous and informative service.
Gains and shows personal satisfaction from delivering expected service elements.
* Willing to work with others, collaborating and compromising where necessary; promptly share relevant information with others.
* Is open to changing situations and opportunities and is willing to perform all tasks assigned.
* Maintains a positive outlook, rebounds quickly from frustrations and unpleasantness, and maintains composure and friendly demeanor while dealing with stressful situations.
* Gives full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate.
*Agency-wide Responsibilities:* * Reads 100% of all email communications and responds to emails in a timely manner prior or during their shifts.
* Participates in supervision, in-service training, and staff meetings.
* Maintains good working relationships with co-workers and positively contributes to group morale.
* Completes all administrative duties including time sheets, leave requests, etc.
on time.
* Uses appropriate channels of communication to resolve conflicts with other staff.
* Interacts with staff, clients, and visitors in a professional and courteous manner.
*Work Conditions:* * Holidays, Evening, and weekend coverage required.
Depending on scheduled shifts.
* Hours are flexible to meet program needs.
* Potential exposure to highly emotional and stressful situations, potential exposure to aggressive encounters.
* Some walking, telephonic work, standing, climbing stairs and sitting required.
* Must be able to lift 25lbs.
Job Type: Full-time Pay: $22.
00 per hour Benefits: * 401(k) * Dental insurance * Flexible schedule * Health insurance * Life insurance * Paid time off * Professional development assistance * Vision insurance Schedule: * 8 hour shift * Evening shift * Night shift Supplemental pay types: * Signing bonus Ability to commute/relocate: * Columbia, MD: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required) Work Location: In person