Provincial Overdose Mobile Response Team, Crisis Intervention Specialist, HEMBC

Job Summary:

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Provincial Health Services Authority, patient and employee safety are a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.
Reporting to the Program Manager, Provincial Overdose Mobile Response Team (MRT), the MRT Crisis Intervention Specialist provides training, education and crisis response to first responders, frontline workers, and people with lived experience/peers working on the frontlines of overdose public health emergency throughout British Columbia. This includes people who have been impacted by the psychosocial effects from critical incidents, multiple overdoses, and deaths.
The MRT Crisis Intervention Specialist assesses incidents, working environments and the need for care and/or emotional wellness of individuals at the site, scene, workplace or meeting area to provide appropriate support. Crisis Intervention Specialists network and advocate on behalf of the first responders, frontline workers, and people with lived experience/peers by raising issues of importance or concern to management in a professional confidential manner. This program requires the Crisis Intervention Specialist to be on-call 24/7 based on an on-call schedule for provincial deployments in response to identified needs and/or critical incidents. The Crisis Intervention Specialist is part of an integrated and interdisciplinary team that liaises with Health Authority representatives, stakeholders, and community.

Duties/Accountabilities:

• Provides one-to-one and group support following critical incidents, overdoses and deaths by coordinating and delivering customized flexible psychosocial outreach support services that help promote resilience and emotional wellness.
• Promotes long-term, sustainable peer-led psychosocial programs.
• Develops and facilitates skill-based training and education related to psychological first aid such as grief and loss workshops, road to mental health readiness training, managing human responses to trauma, dealing with critical incident stress and vicarious trauma.
• Provides individual and community defusings and debriefings immediately following an incident or in follow-up. Applies trauma informed care in response to grief and loss, traumatic deaths and critical incidents and effectively manages emotionally charged situations in rapidly changing environments.
• Commits to carry and administer Naloxone when required. Delivers training to community members on overdose intervention and the use and application of Naloxone.
• Collects qualitative and evidenced-based data for research and evaluation with the goal of informing future interventions. Identifies challenges and barriers potentially impacting the work and service delivery. Conducts analysis and summaries of service evaluation data collected.
• Works collaboratively with stakeholders, the community and in partnership with Health Authorities and Government to provide client or agency-centered psychosocial supports. Assists with program communication and promotion of new programs by staying in contact with various agencies.
• Provides ongoing communication and recommendations to MRT Leadership.
• Complies with MRT policy and protocols related to safety and weekly reporting.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

A level of education, training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus a minimum of five (5) years’ recent and related experience working with clients in the field of crisis response, mental health and addiction.
Should have working knowledge and understanding of the provincial overdose public health emergency. Knowledgeable in the delivery of critical incident response and crisis management. Experience in providing leadership and/or coaching in diverse and complex work environments. Ability to remain calm in emotionally volatile situations. Should have experience in community engagement and facilitation. Strong diplomacy skills, and superior verbal, written and presentation communication skills, including the ability to present complex information to a variety of audiences and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams. Superior decision making, analytical, and problem solving skills. Demonstrated discretion in preparing and handling confidential or sensitive information. Ability to self-direct, work well independently and multi-task in challenging work environments. Should be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities in an active deployment situation. Demonstrated knowledge of technology and equipment to effectively deliver education and information sessions. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other software applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook and Explorer). Ability to be on call 24/7 and be able to travel extensively throughout the province of British Columbia. Valid B.C. Driver’s License required.