Assistant Team Leader - Crisis Services

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the CTI Team Leader, the Assistant Team Leader supports the day-to-day clinical and operational oversight of the Nassau County CTI team, providing leadership, coordination, and guidance to team members while maintaining an active caseload. The role supports fidelity to the CTI model and applicable policies and requirements, coordinates referrals, transitions, crisis response, documentation, and quality assurance, and provides direct community-based services and crisis intervention. The Assistant Team Leader assumes designated Team Leader responsibilities in their absence.

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists the CTI Team Leader with clinical and operational oversight, including workload, caseload, referrals, and staffing coverage.
• Provides day-to-day guidance and support to team members and serves as second-in-command, assuming delegated leadership responsibilities in the Team Leader’s absence.
• Participates in CTI team, case consultation, staffing, operational, and stakeholder meetings and assists with facilitation as needed.
• Maintains an active CTI caseload and provides direct, community-based services in accordance with the Critical Time Intervention model and program requirements.
• Provides crisis intervention and support in response to the behavioral and emotional needs of individuals served, families, team members, and community partners, in-person and virtually.
• Supports the implementation and fidelity of the Critical Time Intervention model, including appropriate application of CTI principles, phases, engagement strategies, transition planning, and linkage to community-based supports.
• Provides consultation and clinical support to team members regarding complex individuals, service needs, barriers to engagement, hospital transitions, and crisis situations.
• Coordinates referrals, hospital and community transitions, and communication with internal and external providers to facilitate timely follow-up and continuity of care.

• • Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with hospitals, emergency and inpatient psychiatric services, community providers, Nassau County and OMH, and other referral and service partners to support coordinated care and services.
  • Monitors team documentation and data collection for timely completion and compliance with CTI, OMH, and FREE requirements; reviews records and supports quality improvement and staff development as needed.
  • Supports continuity of CTI enrollment and services and assists with developing, implementing, and improving CTI best practices, policies, procedures, and processes.
  • Assists with identifying staff training, coaching, and professional development needs and supports the implementation of training and skill development activities.
  • Assists with the orientation and onboarding of new CTI team members and provides ongoing mentoring and support as appropriate.
  • Provides the CTI Team Leader with feedback on staff performance, team functioning, service delivery concerns, and areas requiring additional support to inform performance evaluations and corrective actions.
  • Assists with monitoring compliance with CTI program requirements, applicable OMH guidelines, FREE policies and procedures, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
  • Maintains communication and collaboration with other regional and Nassau County CTI teams for purposes of coordination, consultation, and sharing of best practices.
  • Assists with required program reporting, data collection, and quality improvement activities.
  • Participates in emergency situations and provides appropriate response and communication in accordance with established policies and procedures.
  • Provides support to the CTI team during periods of increased referral volume, staffing shortages, or other operational demands.
  • Prevents, recognizes, and reports abuse toward the people we support.
  • Completes all required documentation associated with assigned caseload and other responsibilities in a timely manner and consistent with quality and compliance requirements.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Responsibilities of All FREE Employees

• • Always communicates in a respectful manner with all people including the people we support, supervisors, other valued team members, and members of the community.
  • Complies fully with FREE’s confidentiality policies by holding in strictest confidence all information pertaining to members, residents, the people we support and their families, clients, providers, contractors, and employees.
  • Meets all safety training requirements; adheres to all safety policies and reports any and all unsafe conditions; takes measures to prevent accidents and/or eliminate conditions that pose a safety or health risk.
  • Coordinates, supports, attends and participates in all required events/ meetings/ reviews/ committees, including ones outside of standard working hours.
  • Meets all job requirements and stays in compliance.
  • Adheres to FREE’s standard of ethical behavior as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct as well as applicable laws and regulations.

Responsibilities of FREE Employees in Leadership/Management Positions

• • Ensures compliance with FREE policies, procedures, and operating standards.
  • Implements a continuous quality improvement process for department services and administrative functions.
  • Assists in the development, implementation and administration of Human Resources policies and programs including compliance with Equal Employment Opportunities and Affirmative Action Programs.

Please note the above duties, responsibilities, and essential functions are a non-exhaustive list, and may be changed by FREE at any time, with or without notice to the employee.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s degree in social work, psychology, mental health counseling, human services, or another related field required.

Experience:

• • Minimum of three (3) years of experience providing behavioral health, mental health, crisis, care management, or other related services required.
  • Experience working with individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health Diagnoses, Substance Use Disorders, and/or co-occurring conditions strongly preferred.
  • Previous supervisory, lead-worker, mentoring, or team coordination experience preferred.

• • Experience in community-based, field-based, crisis, transitional, hospital, or care coordination settings, including collaboration with hospitals, psychiatric services, community providers, and other behavioral health systems; experience with CTI or a similar evidence-based model preferred.

Specialized Training, Licenses, Certifications:

• • LCSW, LMSW, LMHC, LMHC-D, or another related professional licensure preferred.
  • Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts (LPHA) status is preferred.
  • Complete the CTI certification process within 12 months of hiring.
  • Complete 9.58 designation certification within 6 months of hiring, as applicable to program requirements.

Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities:

• • Knowledge of Critical Time Intervention (CTI) principles and practices, or ability and willingness to learn and apply the CTI model.
  • Knowledge of OMH and OPWDD practices, policies, regulations, and service systems preferred.
  • Strong knowledge of behavioral health, mental health, crisis intervention, and community-based service principles.
  • Demonstrated leadership, coaching, mentoring, and team support skills, with the ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
  • Strong organizational, time management, interpersonal, verbal and written communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Ability to manage an active caseload while coordinating team operations, prioritizing competing needs, and responding effectively to changing program demands.
  • Proficiency with electronic health records (EHR) and Microsoft Office; ability to work independently in a field-based environment and maintain effective relationships with individuals served, families, providers, hospitals, and other stakeholders.

Other Requirements:

• • Valid Driver’s License and ability to satisfy criteria to be an agency driver required.
  • Ability to work a flexible schedule based on program needs, including occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or participation in on-call or emergency response activities as assigned.
  • A current PPD (tuberculosis) test or equivalent screening (will be administered upon hire if needed).
  • A physical examination completed within the last year by a licensed healthcare provider.
  • Up-to-date immunization records, which may include (but are not limited to) MMR, Varicella, Tdap, Influenza, and COVID-19, in accordance with hospital system protocols and applicable public health guidelines.

• Must sign a COVID-19 vaccine declination form if not vaccinated against COVID-19 and elects not to receive the vaccine.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This role is primarily performed in a community- and field-based environment and requires regular travel throughout Nassau County to hospitals, community providers, and other relevant locations. The position also requires participation in office-based meetings, virtual meetings, and other FREE locations as needed.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• • Employee is required to sit, walk and stand for prolonged periods of time.
  • Employee is required to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
  • Employee is required to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, fax and filing cabinets.
  • Employee may be required to travel independently throughout the community and enter a variety of community, hospital, residential, and other service environments.
  • Employee might be required to lift/move light items.

Notwithstanding the above listed physical requirements of this position, FREE will provide reasonable accommodations to allow employees to perform the essential functions of the position, provided such reasonable accommodations do not cause undue hardship on FREE.