625 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703-2637

Phone: (608) 280-2700 Fax: (608)280-2575 TDD: (608) 280-2676

Employment Opportunity

Emergency Telephone Worker
(Mental Health Technician)

Hourly Pool

Personnel Code #	28036	Program:	Emergency Services Unit
Date of Posting:	July 23, 2008	Closing Date:	Ongoing

Description

The Emergency Services Unit Emergency Telephone Worker is responsible for a variety of tasks related to telephone screening, assessment, intervention, counseling, referral and follow-up with persons who are experiencing a mental health emergency. He/she works rotating shifts as necessary to enable the unit to operate 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. In addition, this position involves availability to provide flexible fill-in coverage as an Emergency Telephone Worker in ESU. He/she is responsible to and directly supervised by the Manager of the Emergency Services Unit.
Additional Responsibilities: This staff person will also provide up to ten-shifts/ year on an unscheduled, fill-in basis, when the regularly scheduled staff is unable to work.

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Three years’ relevant experience
• Demonstrated ability to work alone, to make independent, sometimes-unpopular decisions
• Demonstrated ability to function collaboratively as part of a team, seeking and accepting consultation when appropriate
• Commitment to work toward improving cultural competence, as demonstrated by valuing difference/diversity, recognizing limitations in personal competencies and expertise, and having concrete ideas about how to improve cultural awareness, knowledge and skills.
• Commitment to respecting consumers and improving meaningful involvement of consumers in unit service delivery
• Excellent communication skills
• Skill and comfort with use of telephone as primary means of communication
• Ability/willingness to work rotating shifts

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in providing cross-cultural MH services
• Clinical experience in crisis intervention/emergency mental health service
• Meets appropriate state licensing requirements to provide clinical services

Responsibilities:

I. CLINICAL (85% of effort)
.
A. Receive and respond to inquiries, requests, and referral for services (high responsibility; 25% of effort)
1. Respond respectfully to all persons making referrals for themselves or others.
2. Gather sufficient information about the situation to perform initial triage screening, plan for further assessment, or refer to more appropriate community resource.
3. Consult with and provide recommendations to hospitals, police and other mental health and community service providers.
B. Perform initial telephone assessment of the presenting crisis, including psychiatric symptoms, suicide/homicide risk, and social system in which the crisis is occurring. (High responsibility, 25% of effort)
C. Make autonomous decisions in life-threatening situations when necessary. (High responsibility, 10% of effort)
D. Formulate, and work with other ESU staff and community helpers in carrying out, treatment plans aimed at the resolution of crisis situations. (High responsibility, 25% of effort)
1. Participate in the development of initial crisis treatment plans, utilizing the least restrictive settings; ESU resources, Crisis Homes, other outpatient services, or inpatient setting if appropriate.
2. Involve the necessary social system in planning and treatment.
3. Provide telephone crisis and supportive counseling; see clients face-to- face as necessary.
4. Participate in the passing out of pre-packaged medications.
5. Function as part of a team case management system, requiring--
-Clear and concise communication among staff
-Openness to consultation
-Routine consultation with Crisis Intervention and other staff
-Ability to work within an interdependent group in a way that promotes and maintains reliable, trusting and open working relationships with co-workers
E. Maintain computer database records of all contacts, and written records as needed. (High responsibility, 10% of effort)

II. GENERAL UNIT AND AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES (Medium responsibility, 15% of
effort)
A. Work actively and positively to maintain good working relationships between Emergency Services Unit and other segments of the community, informing ESU Manager of problems as they arise.
B. Work to improve own cultural competence; participate in the development and implementation of unit strategies to continue to improve the cultural competence of the unit’s services.
C. Work to improve consumer involvement in the unit’s services.
D. Attend all unit staff meetings, except when taking Earned Time off.
E. Assist in the training of CSP visitors when requested.
F. Participate in the training of students, other trainees, volunteers, and psychiatric residents.
G. Attend all Mental Health Center in-service training events, except when taking Earned Time off.
F. Participate in Mental Health Center work committees as requested.

Applications

Applications are available at the Mental Health Center of Dane County, 625 West Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, or by phone: (608) 280-2677; TDD (608) 280-2676. Applications can also be printed off our website at www.mhcdc.org under "Human Resources." Resumes are NOT accepted in place of completed application forms, but can be attached. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of criminal history and driver's record check.

Women, people with disabilities, and culturally diverse applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.