Jail Diversion Clinician

Tracking Code

3486

Job Description

The Clinical Staff Responder/Clinician position is situated within the Weymouth Police Department (32 hrs/wk) and within the Hingham Police Department (8 hrs/wk).  The clinician is a “Co-Responder” with the police officers on the scene for calls involving potential behavioral health disturbances.  The clinician performs brief assessments to determine appropriate dispositions for services, arrests, diversion from arrests, diversion from unnecessary emergency department visits, or some combination of criminal justice/behavioral health treatment involvement.  The clinician also facilitates training for police officers to increase competencies in intervening with behavioral health crisis.  The clinician works in conjunction with and collaboratively as part of the Emergency Services team.

Primary duties:

• Provide rapid crisis intervention and assessment to individuals who have come to the attention of the police, on an as needed basis
• Provide face to face or telephonic follow-up with persons served when clinically indicated
• Accompany police officers on patrol as allowed by officer in charge
• Work in collaboration with police to ensure that persons with behavioral health needs are appropriately diverted from the criminal justice system and referred for appropriate behavioral health services
• Work in collaboration with the Emergency Service team to divert unnecessary Emergency Department visits
• Provide and/or coordinate, as needed training to police personnel regarding mental illness, substance use, trauma spectrum disorders, and other behavioral health topics as identified
• Compile and submit monthly statistics in accordance with DMH and SSMH reporting requirements
• Attend all regular scheduled meetings with DMH, Police, SSMH/ESP team and agency as required
• Act as primary liaison between community providers to include SSMH/ESP team
• Establish and maintain regularly scheduled, and as needed, contact with the Court Clinicians to optimize appropriate dispositions and outcomes
• Establish and maintain regularly scheduled Community Police Collaborative meetings of all Stakeholders and community providers

Required Skills

• Experience and training in forensic mental health or criminal justice preferred

Required Experience

• Master’s degree in Psychology or Social Work that is license eligible, Clinical Licensure preferred
• Must have previous outreach based clinical experience, preferably within psychiatric emergency services
• Minimum of one year experience in a crisis intervention setting or related field placement in crisis intervention setting

Position Type

Full-Time