Rural Crisis Specialist will respond to Crisis Hot/Avail Line calls, calls from Law Enforcement, Hospital, and community calls from Jones and when needed Taylor County communities (excludes city of Abilene). Most Responses are in-person, may have some virtual. Crisis Team Leader or approved protocols will determine type of response and priority. Crisis assessment and interviews will inform decisions determining the most appropriate resolutions for individuals with psychiatric crisis. Will perform crisis assessments for adults and children. Options may include community options with safety plans or inpatient options. The lease restrictive environment providing care and safety will be considered when assessing. To access inpatient options collaboration with law enforcement, judges and contract hospitals will be required. crossed trained to help with short term case management and follow ups. This position will provide crisis follow up and relapse prevention services to the crisis customers in rural areas to help them avoid re-occurrence of crisis. Relapse prevention services are designed to be intensive, time limited support services that include coordination of crisis services, ongoing risk assessment, education on effective treatments for mental health and substance abuse disorders, problem solving and skills building to reduce precipitating crisis factors and engagement/linkage with mental health and substance abuse services.
The Rural Crisis Specialist, on a regular basis, will check in with Law Enforcement leadership, Judges, and hospitals to facilitate quality crisis response services. Along with assessing a crisis response, the position will also work with the jails in the counties involving jail diversions.
This position may also be asked to assist the Assessment and Referral Department by completing Intake Assessments on incoming adults/children to determine eligibility for services. This position will interface with community stakeholders and maintain a professional relationship and boundaries with stakeholders in all interactions.

This position will be primarily an 8am-5pm position but may be asked to assist with crisis assessments and shift coverage as needed in support of the Crisis Outreach Team. This position is directly supervised by the MH Program Administrator.

Hours will be Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

All Betty Hardwick Center campuses are Tobacco Free. Use of any tobacco products is not permitted on any of our grounds.

Betty Hardwick Center strives to provide a trauma-sensitive culture of safety, compassion and choice. We value applicants who have training and personal experience in Trauma Informed Care.

• Prefer previous experience in Mental Health Crisis Work and Assessment.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a social, behavioral, human service or health-related field including, but not limited to, psychology, social work, medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, counseling, sociology, human development, gerontology, educational psychology, education, and criminal justice.
• Prefer a master’s degree and clinic license (LPC, LMSW or other license that qualifies as a LPHA).
• Must be eligible to be certified as a Qualified Mental Health Professional.
• The qualified candidate will need to have excellent communication and writing skills, problem resolutions skills, demonstrated effectiveness in working under pressure, can work collaboratively as part of the team, utilize Trauma Informed Principals in day-to-day work, and can accurately assess needs of customers in crisis situations.
• Must possess a valid Texas Driver’s License and be an insurable driver.