Responsibilities

The Crisis Worker will provide crisis support, coping, safety planning and intervention to crisis patients who present within the Emergency Department. The Crisis Worker provides emergency mental health assessments to patients across the lifespan who are experiencing a crisis. Able to complete rapid and effective assessments to recommend appropriate treatment disposition. Along with the care team, the Crisis Worker uses clinical judgment to develop care plan for appropriate placement and/or resources. Plan for, obtain approvals and facilitate placement as needed.

Essential Functions:

• Provides consultation to members of hospital staff, community agencies and other persons or groups to assist those patients experiencing mental or behavioral health crises.
• Provides crisis support and intervention to crisis patients who present in the Emergency Department.
• Completes appropriate and accurate assessment on the mental health of patients. Will also interface with law enforcement, parents and other individuals to complete assessment.
• Along with Emergency Department physicians, determines treatment disposition based on patient needs.
• Develops and maintains good relationships with intake personnel at local inpatient facilities and refers patients as appropriate.
• In a timely and efficient manner, coordinates care and treatment by prioritizing placements and securing financial authorization.
• Arranges for and facilitates transportation resources as appropriate.
• Completes all paperwork needed to fully document both involuntary and voluntary placements.
• Facilitates 303 hearings by coordinating both medical and legal resources.
• Coordinates telepsych resources for all inpatient areas. Coordinates with providers, nursing and others needed to ensure telepsych consults are available to inpatients as needed.
• Adequate organizational skills to complete assignments.
• Adequate prioritzing skills to complete assignments.
• Able to effectively manage and complete assignments.
• Documentation meets legal and department content, quality and frequency requirements.
• Works collaboratively with Emergency Department staff and other healthcare disciplines, utilizing the expertise of all in a team effort, to facilitate discharge planning and care coordination to meet patient/family and organizational needs.
• Documents all interventions in the medical record via computer according to departmental standards on the day of occurrence.
• Arranges community services prior to discharge to meet patients' post-discharge needs with recognition and documentation of patient choice of service providers.
• Interprets health insurance benefits for patients/significant others.
• Collaborates with physicians and hospital staff, as indicated, regarding a patient's condition to determine appropriateness of the anticipated discharge plans.
• Advocates for patient/family with other healthcare professionals and community agencies to enable them to negotiate social systems and obtain needed services.
• Documents in medical record all interventions with patient/significant other.