Job Summary
The Crisis Intervention Specialist provides comprehensive, short-term crisis outreach services to youth, young adults, and families in King County experiencing a mental health or behavioral emergency. The Crisis Intervention Specialist supports clients through a team approach. The teams are made up of case managers, Parent Partners, and Youth Peers and collaborate to successfully stabilizes the initial crisis, provide intensive support, and link the client and families to ongoing formal and informal support systems.
This position is with the Y Social Impact Center, the social services division of the YMCA of Greater Seattle (YGS), serving around 5,000 youth, young adults, and families every year in communities across King County, Pierce County, and various counties across WA. Through our programs we aim to strengthen young people’s ability to develop to their fullest potential through four strategies: reducing risk factors; navigating systems towards successful life transition; establishing stability, safety and wellness in times of crisis; and building competencies and social capital. The Social Impact Center’s programs include homelessness prevention, housing, behavioral health, crisis response, foster care licensing, violence prevention, and employment. Since many of the young people we serve have been involved in the foster care, criminal justice, behavioral health, and/or homelessness systems, we truly value relatable lived experience of our staff and those applying for our positions as an asset.
What You Will Get From Working at The Y
Membership to the YMCA of Greater Seattle for you and your household
Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance
Retirement with generous employer contributions
Free access to mental health resources
Rapidly accruing paid time off (PTO)
Full-time employees qualify for a 50% discount, and part-time employees qualify for a 25% discount, on eligible Childcare Services.
Working at the YMCA may contribute to eligibility for student loan forgiveness
Hiring Range: $77,969 - $79,000/year
Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or related field. Other applicable education, training, and experience, which provide the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary to perform effectively in the position will be considered.
One or more years post-graduate experience in providing short-term mental health services to youth and families from a broad range of cultures and social needs.
Associate License or independent license through Washington Department of Health.
Strong knowledge of risk assessments, crisis intervention and de-escalation, wraparound service delivery, parent skills training and safety planning.
Training and experience in individual and family treatment modalities. Ability to work in a team approach.
Direct experience and proficiency with computers, basic office software and tracking software.
Strong organizational skills with an attention to details, timelines, and follow-through.
Ability to meet with clients at home and in the community. Experience and knowledge with youth behavior management and child abuse prevention.
Intermediate computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office suite.
Ability to visit sites and community organizations.
Preferred Qualifications:
Knowledge of and previous experience with diverse populations (language, culture, race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc.).
Ability to speak any language in addition to English may be helpful.
Reliable Transportation Requirement
This role requires the incumbent to have reliable access to a vehicle to meet clients in the community, attend trainings, and be in office.
Authorized Driver Potential
This is a driving-preferred role that could potentially involve transporting clients as an “authorized driver” for the Y. To become an authorized driver, you must be 21+, have had a driver's license for at least 3 years and with a driving record that meets Y standards (no more than 2 moving violations within the last 3 years, no major incidents such as reckless driving, DUI/DWI, no tickets 20+ miles above the speed limit etc.). As driving roles are safety sensitive, you will also need pass a drug screen that will test for impairing substances including marijuana. (*Due to state-specific reporting requirements in our fleet management system, we are not currently able to enroll California Driver's License holders as Authorized Drivers).
Fingerprinting Requirement
In this role, you are required to complete and pass fingerprinting with Puget Sound Education Services District (PSESD) to work with children and in schools. This is an additional background check, required within the first 30 days of employment. Incumbents must resubmit and pass the PSESD fingerprinting background check every two years. This background check will be expensed to the YMCA of Greater Seattle.
Works as part of a team to provides immediate, short term, acute crisis intervention services to families in King County to prevent out of home care and psychiatric hospitalization for children and youth.
This position provides services in homes, schools and other community locations allowing for flexibility and creativity in the work.
Provides short-term individual and family stabilization services and resource linkage, including risk assessments, safety planning, parenting skills training, behavior management, de-escalation training and brief counseling.
Develops Action Plans to address priority needs and makes treatment recommendations that are sensitive to the family's cultural, social, and mental health needs.
Works with families to help them advocate with systems, access community resources, identify and utilize natural support and use effective problem-solving techniques.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time, fully in-person position. The hours of work and days are generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00p.m, however flexibility is required with some evening and weekend work required as job duties demand.
This position is part of our CCORS Program Regional Expansion. There is the opportunity to support families in:
North King County (Bellevue, Bothell, Duval, Issaquah, Kenmore, Woodinville, etc.)
South King County (Auburn, Federal Way, Enumclaw, Maple Valley, etc.)
Central King County (Seattle, Vashon, Eastlake, Capitol Hill, etc.).
Code of Conduct for Applicants
Master's degree in social work, counseling or a related field.
Associate or Independent license through Washington Department of Health