Scott County Government is seeking a qualified and compassionate individual to join Georgetown Scott County Emergency Medical Services (GSCEMS).

The Mental Health Specialist serves as a behavioral health resource within GSCEMS, providing crisis intervention, behavioral health screening, suicide-risk identification, de-escalation, care coordination, and post-crisis follow-up for individuals experiencing behavioral health or substance-use-related crises.

This position works closely with EMS personnel, law enforcement, healthcare providers, behavioral health agencies, the Georgetown Police Department Recovery Team, and other community partners to connect individuals with the least restrictive and most appropriate level of care. The position plays an important role in reducing avoidable emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and repeat EMS utilization while helping individuals access appropriate behavioral health and community resources.

This is a grant-funded position that will be funded for a minimum of two years and is renewable on an annual basis for up to five years, possibly longer contingent upon the success of the program.

The Mental Health Specialist will:

• Respond to or participate in behavioral health crisis calls and follow-up encounters in coordination with GSCEMS and public safety or healthcare partners.
• Conduct behavioral health screenings and gather information regarding mental health history, substance use, social needs, protective factors, and immediate safety concerns.
• Perform suicide and self-harm risk screening or assessment within established protocols, training, and scope of practice.
• Provide crisis intervention, supportive counseling, verbal de-escalation, and stabilization services appropriate to training and scope of practice.
• Develop or assist with individualized safety and crisis-response plans.
• Assist individuals and families in identifying appropriate treatment, stabilization, recovery, and community-based support options.
• Coordinate safe dispositions and transitions of care with hospitals, behavioral health providers, crisis stabilization programs, substance use treatment providers, and other agencies.
• Provide post-crisis follow-up following psychiatric emergencies, suicide-related encounters, overdoses, and other behavioral health-related EMS responses.
• Serve as a primary liaison with behavioral health facilities and community providers.
• Coordinate with the Georgetown Police Department Recovery Team and Advanced Practice Provider regarding individuals encountered through EMS.
• Conduct telephone, in-person, and community-based outreach to determine whether referrals were successfully established and whether additional assistance is needed.
• Assist individuals in navigating mental health, substance use, healthcare, and social-service systems.
• Connect individuals with resources addressing housing, food insecurity, transportation, benefits, healthcare access, behavioral health, substance use, and other social needs.
• Identify individuals with frequent EMS utilization and assist in addressing behavioral, medical, and social factors contributing to repeated emergency service use.
• Develop or assist with individualized intervention and follow-up plans for high utilizers.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and confidential documentation of screenings, interventions, referrals, follow-up contacts, dispositions, and outcomes.
• Maintain and analyze program data related to behavioral health encounters, referrals, follow-up, service engagement, repeat EMS utilization, and program outcomes.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with constituent groups.

Requirements:

Master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, human services, behavioral health, or a closely related field. Two years of related experience in behavioral health, crisis intervention, substance use services, emergency medical services, healthcare, case management, community health, or a related field. Must be independently licensed to practice in Kentucky, such as possession of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license. Four or more years of related professional experience is preferred.

The successful candidate should possess:

·       Knowledge of behavioral health, mental health, substance use, suicide prevention, crisis intervention, de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and community behavioral health resources.

·       Knowledge of local and regional healthcare, behavioral health, substance use, crisis stabilization, and social-service systems.

·       Ability to recognize behavioral health and safety concerns and determine when escalation to a licensed clinician, medical provider, EMS, law enforcement, or emergency department is appropriate.

·       Ability to establish rapport and communicate effectively with individuals and families experiencing acute distress.

Please apply by October 23; however, resumes will be accepted until interviews begin.

Scott County Government is an equal opportunity employer.