Job Description Summary: 

The ERE Counselor is a member of the Emergency Room Enhancement Team.  ERE Counselor provides services to adult individuals, 18 years of age and older, impacted by a variety of behavioral health (addiction/substance use and mental health) issues, recognizing that the individuals we serve often have experienced trauma that affects their development, adjustment and community functioning. The ERE Counselor assists individuals in making informed choices, and assures timely access by the client to psychiatric, medical and social systems while demonstrating a warm and welcoming empathic, hopeful attitude, conveying a philosophy of dual recovery.  The ERE Counselor will serve adults who are assessed as having a serious mental illness and/or who might be also dealing with addiction substance use issues who had had a least three contacts within three months or a minimum of six contacts within one year with emergency departments and/or law enforcement.  The ERE target population is not likely to engage in services and is not currently involved in treatment.  The ERE client may be in need of respite care, more stable housing, medical care/medication or transportation to and from treatment services.  The ERE Counselor will be trained in trauma-informed care and will work to help provide services in an environment that is sensitive and responsive which will prevent victimization, abuse, or trauma as a result of the care received.

Education:

• A graduate of an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in social work, special education, psychology, counseling or related behavioral health field. A clinical internship of at least four (4) months duration is required, while a full year of internship is preferred.
• A Qualified Addition Professional (QAP) as outlined by the Missouri Department of Mental Health

Work Experiences:

• The individual must have at least one (1) year experience in assessment and crisis intervention interviewing/assessment skills.

Responsibilities:

• The ERE Counselor shall assure that the following basic principles of crisis intervention underlie delivery of these services:
  • Assistance must be easily accessed and immediately available.
  • Crisis should be viewed in systems terms, suggesting the need to
  • involve significant others or other community safety net providers to resolve the precipitating event or crisis, if possible
  • ERE mobile response should focus on the present, attempt to reduce stress, tension and facilitate referrals to meet basic needs.
  • Medication may be a necessary strategy to reduce stress.
  • Active intervention including advocacy, supportive guidance, and identification of adaptive responses that are generally required to   solve the crisis at hand as well as restore the client to a higher level of self-sufficiency.                                       
• The ERE Counselor shall honor all requests for consultation on non-Ozark Center clients, who are at the emergency room, for psychiatric reasons (3 times in 3 months or 6 times within 12 months).
• The ERE Counselor will provide consultative services for these hospital patients and assist with the deposition/referrals to not only the ERE program itself but internal and external treatment providers/community resources.
• The ERE Counselor shall be knowledgeable in involuntary detention laws/procedures and consult/work with law enforcement, the Community Behavioral Health Liaisons (CBHLs) and the Access Crisis Intervention (ACI) team.
• The ERE Counselor will participate in staff meetings of all services offered under the auspices of this program. 
• The ERE Counselor shall report to and perform duties assigned by the Crisis Services Supervisor and/or the Assistant Director of Crisis Services for program specific supervision, as needed and shall be under the administration of the Director of Crisis Services.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:

• Normal office environment. 
• Typical demands include prolonged sitting, frequent standing, bending, stooping, and occasional lifting up to 25 pounds. 
• Requires normal range of hearing and manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator, and other office equipment as needed. 
• Requires ability to work under stressful conditions and to work irregular hours and deal with irate individuals.
• TB test upon hire.