Licensed Clinician (LSCW, LMFT, APCC)

Job Title: Licensed Clinician (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC)

Dept/Pgm: Alternative Response to Mental Health (ARMH)

Reports to: Director of Crisis

Classification: Regular, Full-Time, FLSA Exempt

Schedule: Tuesday - Friday from 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

Location: Pleasanton, CA 94566

About Us: Bonita House is a nonprofit mental health agency with multiple sites in Alameda County and an operating budget of $14.5 million. Founded in 1971, BHI provides social rehabilitation including a full range of Medi-Cal services to adults with co-occurring serious mental health and substance use disorders.

Our Mission: To empower people living with mental health and co-occurring substance use challenges to achieve recovery, self-sufficiency, and deeply connected, meaningful lives within their communities.

Our Values: Compassion: Committed to caring, dignity and kindness. Respect: Honor each individual and provide highly ethical services. Progress: Leading the way in creating opportunities to change for the better. Resilience: Channeling hope, building strengths to successfully recover, adapt and grow. Embracing Differences: Honor and celebrate our diverse communities and individual uniqueness.

Position Summary

In collaboration with the City of Pleasanton and Pleasanton Police Department, ARMH responds to calls in the city limits for mental health emergencies. This program partners a Behavioral Health Clinician and plain-clothed officers in unmarked vehicles responding to 911 calls for mental health concerns. Working collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team, the Licensed Clinician will respond to the call, evaluate and assess for risk, determine the disposition of the person in need, and facilitate that process. You will utilize a variety of resources in consultation, including law enforcement, psychiatric prescribers, and hospital staff, to effectively provide rapid quality mental health care.

Primary Responsibilities

• Crisis Intervention and Assessment:
  • Respond promptly to crisis calls and provide on-site mental health evaluations.
  • Drive a motor vehicle and navigate to and from incident locations and during client transport.
  • Conduct thorough assessments of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, including risk assessments for self-harm or harm to others. This include assessing for and writing 5150/5585 involuntary psychiatric holds when necessary.
  • Develop and implement crisis intervention plans tailored to the needs of the individual.
• Stabilization and Support:
  • Provide short-term stabilization services to individuals in crisis, including de-escalation techniques and emotional support.
  • Administer appropriate therapeutic interventions and make recommendations for further treatment.
  • Coordinate with emergency services, law enforcement, and medical personnel as needed to ensure safety and continuity of care.
• Collaboration and Coordination:
  • Work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrists, social workers, and peer support specialists, to deliver comprehensive care.
  • Liaise with community resources, healthcare providers, and family members to facilitate referrals and follow-up care.
  • Participate in case conferences and team meetings to review and plan care for individuals in crisis.
• Documentation and Reporting:
  • Maintain accurate and timely documentation of assessments, interventions, and outcomes in accordance with legal and organizational standards.
  • Prepare reports and case summaries for internal use and for communication with external agencies.
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies regarding patient confidentiality and data security.
• Education and Training:
  • Provide education and training to community partners, including first responders and law enforcement, on mental health crisis intervention and management.
  • Provide outreach and engagement to unhoused community members in the city of Pleasanton, providing referrals to on going services when needed.
  • Stay current with best practices in crisis intervention and participate in ongoing professional development.
• Quality Improvement:
  • Participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of crisis response services.
  • Collect and analyze data on service delivery and outcomes to inform program development and policy.Direct crisis intervention and crisis management services
  • Attend clinical meetings and trainings
  • Assists with tracking program outcome data and ensure all consumers a provided with after-care follow-up
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field & active registration (ASW, AMFT, APCC) with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences or Board of Psychology.
• Experienced in rapid screening and assessment, DSM5 Diagnosis and works effectively and efficiently in stressful situations.
• Experience with Electronic Health Record systems (e.g., Welligent, Clinicians Gateway, Reddinet)
• Must be able/willing to work outside when needed for field shifts, travel in van with others between crises, and physically move during some shifts.
• Must be able to travel to and from worksite and other locations within Alameda County.
• Basic Life Support certification within 30 days of hire; and transport while working as a member of an emergency medical team to patients while in adherence to the scope of practice, patient care procedures, protocols and medical direction according to their level of certification/licensure.
• BHI conducts background checks on all candidates who have received a conditional job offer. Satisfactory completion of background checks is a requirement for employment with the agency.
• This position requires driving either a personal or agency-owned vehicle as necessary to fulfill essential duties. A valid California driver’s license, reliable personal vehicle, current personal auto insurance as required by law, and an MVR sufficient to obtain and reasonably maintain insurability under agency auto liability policies are all essential job requirements.
• Occasional local travel as required to fulfill primary job responsibilities and duties.
• Passion for the BHI mission.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Able to maintain fidelity to Roberts’ Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model (SSCIT), other evidence-based practices, other crisis management interventions, and the use of screening tools to help inform the decision-making process.
• Must have a strong knowledge and be able to provide practical application of Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (for depression, anxiety, psychosis, substance use disorder, insomnia, and suicide prevention), trauma-informed care, Solution Focused Therapy, mindfulness/mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, culturally specific mental health needs, and provide linkage to local community resources.
• Experienced in the field of co-occurring disorders; committed to the practices and principles of wellness and recovery within a harm reduction setting.
• Ability to work as part of a comprehensive community mental health team and to represent the agency in the community.
• Familiarity with community support systems, health care and human service resources, court and police activities, etc.
• Good organizational skills and administrative abilities.
• Flexibility in days and hours available for scheduled work including weekends.
• Understanding and practice of culturally sensitive components of direct service delivery.
• Ability to effectively intervene in crisis situations and employ de-escalation strategies.
• Excellent verbal and written skills and the ability to present information effectively; Solid written skills to meet the required documentation standards and provide direct feedback on and about documentation standards to staff consistent with Medi-Cal, CCL, and Agency requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.

Work environment/Physical demands:

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, in accordance with applicable laws.

Physical Activity:

The position requires periods of sitting, standing, and walking throughout the workday. Employees may be required to move between offices, program spaces, and meeting areas, including navigating stairs.

Lifting & Carrying:

Must be able to lift, carry, or move items up to 15 pounds on an occasional basis.

Manual Dexterity & Communication:

Requires the ability to operate a computer, keyboard, and other office equipment; to talk and hear in person and by telephone; and to read printed and digital materials.

Work Environment:

Work is typically performed in an office or community-based setting with standard lighting, temperature, and noise levels. Some positions may require travel between locations as part of regular duties.

Travel required:

This position requires regular travel to multiple agency and partner locations within the Bay Area. Employees must have reliable transportation and the ability to reach designated sites within reasonable travel times.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

EEO Statement: Bonita House provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.