Involuntary Commitment Specialist - Designated Crisis Responder (DCR)
- Summary
The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans and those with lived experience.
The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, self-reliant, and connected to community.
The responsibilities of the DCR includes investigating cases of adults and juveniles believed to have a behavioral health disorder and to be a danger to themselves, others, property and/or who are gravely disabled. Incumbents determine whether these persons should be involuntarily detained for treatment under RCW 71.05 and RCW 71.34 and coordinate cases through the legal system. The DCR team provides investigation services for involuntary detention on a 24-hour-a-day basis and must be able to meet with and interview patients in a variety of physical locations with difficult access, such as apartments on upper floors with no elevator service, alleys, parks, homeless camps and under bridges. Incumbents must also be able to anticipate and respond to threats by potentially hostile or violent patients.
Crisis and Commitment Services unit's mission is to provide quality care, and to protect public safety while maintaining individual rights by attempting to resolve the crisis in the least restrictive manner.
Who May Apply: The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.
Required Materials: Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, "see my resume" are considered incomplete and will not be considered
to be competitive.
Work Schedule: This applicant pool will be used to fill temporary on call positions. Work schedules may include nights (graveyard), weekends, and holidays. Shifts are typically 8 hours/day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible with prior supervisory pre-approval.- Job Duties
- Work collaboratively with community partners (i.e. hospital, evaluation and treatment facility, law enforcement, court, families, witnesses, etc.) to assist in evaluation and disposition plan for patients;
- Make a legal decision as to whether an individual meets the statutorily requirements to be taken into custody and involuntarily hospitalized under RCW 71.05 and 71.34;
- Determine nature and level of crisis, provide crisis intervention, assess credibility of witnesses, coordinate with law enforcement and treatment agencies, and determine if statutory requirements are met;
- Ensure proper preparation and filing of legal papers, prepare declarations, serve subpoenas and notice of hearings, consult with King County Prosecuting Attorney and public defender, testify in court if needed. If the DCR testimony is necessary to proceed in court hearing, may be required to be available to the court on scheduled time off;
- Maintain all aspects of case file in a timely manner and communicate with colleagues to ensure efficiency and completeness of record;
- Advocate for patients to obtain appropriate treatment and continuity of care. Provide assistance in finding less-restrictive alternatives to involuntary detention;
- Educate patients' families, service agencies and the community regarding clinical issues, legal issues and treatment alternatives;
- Participate in training new colleagues in the field, when so assigned, as mutually agreed to by supervisor and training employee;
- Provide shadowing opportunities for community partners approved by management to shadow the DCR, as long as it does not impede with safety;
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
- Must meet and maintain the definition of a Mental Health Professional as defined in WAC 246-341-0515. Must maintain a Washington State Department of Health credential that satisfies the definition of MHP in good standing.
- Must be able to pass initial and all subsequent King County Jail clearances;
- Be physically able to safely enter and rapidly exit residences throughout King County;
- Proficiency using MS Word, Outlook, and the Internet with the ability to learn electronic record systems;
- Participate in annual safety training and all required trainings;
- Maintain a valid, unencumbered Washington State Driver's License;
- Knowledge of RCW 71.05 and RCW 71.34 and related WACs and the legal process of detention and commitment;
- Knowledge of social services network and programs/resources offering alternatives to involuntary detention;
- Knowledge and experience in direct treatment of people living with behavioral health disorders;
- Demonstrated crisis intervention skills.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
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01Are you licensed in any of the following fields?
- Mental Health Counselor
- Registered Nurse
- Marriage and Family Therapist
- Social Worker
- I am not licensed in any of the above fields
02Describe where you have at least 2 years of relative experience. Please list the organization and dates.03Are you a mental health professional as defined in WAC 388-877-0500?- Yes
- No
04What is your understanding of the Involuntary Treatment Act?05How many years of work experience do you have with direct evaluation and treatment of persons with mental illness under the supervision of a mental health professional?- Less than 2 years
- 2 - 4 years
- more than 4 years
06Select what type of position you would like to be considered for.- Full Time (38 hours/week)
- Part Time (28 hours/week)
- Either FT or PT
- Per Diem (on call)
Required Question