Community Intervention Specialist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Details

Job Status: Full-Time or Part-Time, Non-Exempt

Reports to:  Contact Center Operations Supervisor

Department: Gateway

Position Summary

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay brings help, hope and healing to people facing serious life challenges or trauma resulting from sexual assault or abuse, domestic violence, financial distress, substance abuse, medical emergency, suicidal thoughts, emotional or situational problems. The Community Intervention Specialist (CIS) position supports this mission by providing crisis counseling as well as comprehensive information and resources referrals via telephone, chat, and in person as needed. The CIS will also provide crisis intervention, safety planning, and connection to follow-up care services to those in need of short-term coordination. The CIS will provide advocacy and referrals for primary and secondary victims of crime, (reported or unreported) to include sexual assault, physical abuse, and domestic violence. This role requires understanding and execution of mandated reporter responsibilities. CIS staff report to the Contact Center Operations Supervisor and, in their absence, the Operations Manager of Gateway Services. 

Strategic/Transformational Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as a skilled first point of contact with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, linking community members with appropriate services and providing immediate crisis intervention as needed, and modeling a high standard of care in every interaction.
• Pursue ongoing professional development by actively engaging in required and available trainings, departmental in-services, and learning opportunities that strengthen practice.
• Participate in the performance quality improvement (PQI) process; use data to inform and improve services and outcomes; and contribute feedback on the accuracy and currency of the resource database as opportunities arise.

Transactional/Administrative Duties and Responsibilities

• Demonstrate proficiency in information and referral service delivery, with primary coverage of human services lines serving individuals, families, and communities in need as well as victims of crimes.
• Handle behavioral health and wellness calls on assigned crisis lines, including topics related to substance use, mental health responses to stress and stressors, and other areas within the scope of assigned line coverage.
• Apply de-escalation skills, active listening, and emotional support techniques during all crisis-related contacts to promote stabilization and positive coping.
• Demonstrate competency in crisis intervention, safety planning, and suicide lethality assessment; recognize and respond to crisis at any point in a contact, regardless of line specialization.
• Apply motivational interviewing techniques to support client engagement, ambivalence exploration, and movement toward positive change.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete call documentation in accordance with organizational standards to ensure data integrity and quality record-keeping.
• Demonstrate availability for off-hours assignments as required to support service area coverage, including holidays and during disasters or critical incidents.
• Uphold all applicable confidentiality standards, including HIPAA and organizational confidentiality policies, in every aspect of service delivery and documentation.
• Meet established performance expectations across quality assurance, documentation accuracy, follow-up referral rates, referral quality, and other metrics as defined by supervisory and contracted requirements. All staff working within the program share the responsibility to meet contract requirements around call answer rate.
• Perform other such duties as may be assigned by the supervisory team for which training has been provided.

Required Competencies

• Cooperation/Teamwork - Works toward win/win solutions; deals with conflict collaboratively; discusses root causes underlying the problem; develops effective working relationships.
• Engaging Communication - Relates to people in an open, honest, and sincere manner; treats people with respect; is friendly and approachable; listens attentively to others; communicates ideas clearly; communicates appropriately with leadership and coworkers.
• Customer Service (Internal & External) - Recognizes and attends to important details with accuracy and efficiency; treats customers courteously; responds to customer requests in a timely manner; elicits feedback from customers to monitor their satisfaction; considers both short and long-term interests of the customer in making service decisions; proactively identifies customer needs; takes responsibility to resolve customer complaints; takes business or personal risks to serve customers’ long-term interests; creates strategies to help the organization serve customers more effectively.
• Adaptability - Adapts readily to changes; works effectively under stress; needs minimal supervision; comfortable working in a fast-paced environment; is reliable, dependable and results oriented; maintains productivity and composure under pressure; effectively prioritizes work and establishes clear goals and plans.
• Problem Solving - Views problems as opportunities to create new solutions; anticipates potential problems and analyzes alternative solutions. 
• Judgment - Gathers sufficient input before making decisions; sees interrelatedness between issues; considers alternative solutions; makes appropriate and timely decisions.
• Valuing & Fostering Diversity - Demonstrates respect for individual differences and establishing a climate where all people can be comfortable and productive through sensitivity, empathy, and acceptance of cultural, racial, mental health, and socio-economic diversity.
• Self-Management - Takes responsibility for one’s behavior and well-being; works effectively under stress and adapting one’s style to changing situations; comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and needs minimal supervision; exhibits a professional demeanor.

Education and Experience

• Associate degree in a human service-related field OR one year counseling or crisis intervention experience in lieu of degree.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment (e.g., use a database and complete documentation while simultaneously providing excellent customer service).
• Demonstrated comfort and/or experience working with individuals from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and mental health backgrounds, with the flexibility to adapt service approaches accordingly.
• Proficiency in oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Windows-based computer systems; skill in word processing and database programs; ability to type at 50 WPM minimum.
• Complete required initial and ongoing training as needed, including Crisis Center Core Training and FCASV Advocacy Core Training within the first sixty days of employment. Complete Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care and Psychological First Aid within twelve months of hire. Complete Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) within the first twelve months of employment. Staff employed beyond one year may be required to obtain national certification through an applicable accrediting body (e.g., Inform USA or AAS).

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Physical Requirement: Must have ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs. Employee must be at to sit, climb or balance, hear, use hands, taste/smell, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, stand, walk, talk, and reach with hands and arms. The position requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, and hand and finger dexterity, including ability to visual acuity to use a keyboard. Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time.

Working Conditions: Duties are performed primarily in an office setting.  Operates computer and standard office equipment such as telephone and copier/printer.

Travel: Minimal

Hours: Determined by assigned schedule. Gateway Services is open 365 days a year 24-hours a day.  Employees are required to work holidays, evenings, and/or weekends; and during hurricanes and other times of disasters/critical incidents.

This job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of this position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for our applicants and employees. It is our policy to apply recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, and professional development practices without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or certain classifications based on genetic information, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The role requires DCF Clearinghouse clearance https://info.flclearinghouse.com.