Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team Program Lead (Student Health & Well-Being Mental Health Services)

The BHCST clinical team is part of the Mental Health Services organization within the division of Student Health and Well-Being (SHWB). SHWB provides primary care, mental health, and health education and promotion services to JHU students and learners across the University's nine schools.

BHCST clinicians co-respond with Johns Hopkins Public Safety (JHPS) officers 24/7/365 to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises. Modeled after successful efforts in major cities, the JHU BHCST is one of the first mobile crisis co-responder programs in a university setting in the United States. The BHCST clinical team staffs the Access Line, which provides telephone support for individuals in crisis as well as consultation support for faculty, staff, and concerned parties. Clinicians triage phone calls and provide mobile crisis co-response with JHPS officers to calls for service within the Charles Village, Mt. Vernon, and East Baltimore campus footprints and in select off-campus residential locations. In general, JHPS transports clinicians to clients in crisis.

Reporting to the BHCST Associate Director, the BHCST Program Lead supervises 3 clinicians and provides direct clinical service, consultation, and supervisory coverage in the absence of the Associate Director. This position will have multiple reporting locations at the Homewood and East Baltimore campus locations.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• This position's direct clinical service responsibilities will be primarily based on and around the Baltimore campuses, as well as possible services in Washington, D.C. See minimum qualifications for required timeframes for licensure. Jurisdictions required, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
• Percentages of duties and responsibilities are provided as general guidelines and will vary depending on the time of year, the needs of the clinical service, and program coordination responsibilities.

Supervision and Administrative Duties (40%)

• Provides supervisory and consultation coverage to the team in the absence of the BHCST Associate Director.
• Effectively manages direct reports, including goal setting, performance evaluations, performance management, and related HR processes; works collaboratively with leadership team members to provide multi-dimensional supervision to assigned therapists.
• Serves as a consultant to campus partners to facilitate an appropriate response to individuals in crisis or in need of outreach or intervention.
• Oversees daily EHR workflows, including documentation, and maintains active oversight of current cases to ensure timeliness, support ongoing coordination efforts, monitor risk and acuity, and support clinical decision-making.
• Collaborates with MHS Clinical Services, Clinical Case Management, Consultation and Outreach teams to facilitate appropriate, coordinated referral and crisis management support for students and learners.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary clinical and administrative teams, including case consultation, student risk management, peer chart reviews, and other committees as directed.
• Co-leads onboarding and training plans for BHCST staff; contributions to training of staff across the MHS portfolio as appropriate.
• Leads and contributes to staff development, engagement, and teambuilding activities for BHCST staff as well as larger MHS-wide events.
• Serves as a member of committees, as requested or assigned.
• Completes documentation and administrative duties in accordance with MHS policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Mobile Crisis Response (35%)

• Creates a warm and welcoming clinical environment where clients feel supported and respected during times of crisis and as they pursue their personal, academic, and professional goals.
• Provides on-site, in-person, rapid co-response to students, staff, faculty, and neighbors for crisis intervention and welfare checks.
• Conducts in-depth mental health assessments and determines the level of risk to the individual and/or others, noting contributing environmental, medical, psychiatric, and/or interpersonal factors.
• Works closely with JHPS on scene to intervene in response to calls received through JHPS dispatch or the BHCST Access Line, consults JHPS lead, clinical team leaders, and colleagues to determine appropriate intervention(s) as needed.
• Provides referrals to appropriate internal resources for JHU faculty and staff, and community resources to non-affiliates.
• Arrange transportation for clients by JHPS or local law enforcement partners to emergency and crisis facilities, when appropriate.
• In consultation with the BHCST Associate Director, issues emergency petitions when a higher level of care is clinically indicated, and voluntary admission is declined.
• Accompanies clients in need of hospitalization to the emergency room or community facility; provides collateral information to hospital/facility staff and confirms disposition of the case.
• Provides or secures emotional and resource support for bystanders and others impacted by critical incidents, including family, roommates, friends, other first responders, and the community at large.
• Communicates and collaborates with SHWB and other campus resources to facilitate continuity of care for students and learners in crisis.
• Participates in on-call rotations for Access Line coverage and consultation.

Case Management, Clinical and Community Debriefing Activities (15%)

• Provides ongoing case management and follow-up to clients to facilitate stabilization and transition to counseling, psychiatry, or other appropriate SHWB and/or community resources.
• Provides group debriefing, CISM, and community interventions in response to critical incidents (e.g., deaths).
• Provides in-person or virtual brief therapy and bridge appointments to clients when needed.
• Consults and collaborates with campus partners, including Student Outreach and Support, non-clinical case managers, student affairs staff, and other relevant resources.
• With supplementary training, provides assessment and consultation as part of the Student Threat Assessment Team process.
• Receives on-call reports from after-hours contracted service; documents contacts in the electronic health record and conducts clinical or case management follow-up as appropriate.
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Collaborative & Other Activities (10%)

• Participates in ride-along with JHPS to develop relationships with officers and community members, and to maintain knowledge of service areas.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with JHPS officers and participates in joint training, meetings, and team-building activities.
• Remains abreast of current literature and research on student behavioral health and evidence-based intervention strategies.
• Contributes to the professional development of trainees and SHWB staff through the provision of didactic training and seminars.
• Facilitates outreach and educational activities, including resource fairs, community meetings, and training for JHU faculty, staff, and students.
• Participates in MHS recruitment and hiring processes.
• Leads and contributes to staff development, engagement, and teambuilding activities for BHCST staff as well as larger MHS-wide events.
• Completes documentation and administrative duties in accordance with MHS policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal, listening, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with teammates, campus partners, and community groups.
• Demonstrated ability to relate effectively to a wide variety of people of various ages and backgrounds, student developmental needs, nationality, culture, faith/religion, language differences, ability differences, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
• Specialized training or experience working with one or more populations historically underrepresented in the utilization of traditional mental healthcare.
• Familiarity with research on the mental health needs of college students, including suicide prevention and trauma-informed care.
• Understanding and appreciation of Baltimore communities and culture.
• Knowledge of Baltimore-area community mental health resources.
• Bilingual proficiency (Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and/or Cantonese), or Korean) is highly desirable.

Additional Information (Working Conditions)

• This is a 37.5-hour/week position.
• This role is designated as 100% in person, with reporting locations at the JHU Homewood and East Baltimore campuses between 8:30 am and 5 pm, 5 days a week.
• The BHCST operates 24/7 with varied shift schedules, including during university holidays and closures; compensatory time is available if scheduled to work during these periods.
• This position may require evening and weekend work, depending on the programmatic needs of the University and activities during the academic year (e.g., orientation, special events, etc.)
• This role requires on-call responsibilities, which may include travel to campus during overnight shifts when coverage is needed to support high-impact/critical incidents involving BHCST operations. When covering remote on-call, staff must arrive on campus within 30 minutes.
• This position is designated as a Required Attendance Employee, designated as vital to the operation of a work group, so may be required to work during a university closure in response to operational needs.

• Master's Degree in Counseling, Psychology, or Social Work from an accredited institution.

• Minimum of 2 years of clinical experience delivering mental healthcare in a setting in which both trauma-informed care and crisis assessment were required.

• Minimum of 1 year of clinical supervisory experience.

• Minimum of 1 year of experience in a supervisory role responsible for the management and evaluation of employees.

• Independently licensed as a mental health provider in required jurisdiction(s) noted in job description (psychologist, LCMFT, LCPC, LCSW-C) or license-eligible (independently licensed as a mental health provider in another jurisdiction, must obtain licensure in required jurisdiction(s) within 6 months of hire).

This position does not allow for substitutions for education or experience.

• Experience working on a mobile crisis co-response team is strongly preferred.
• Critical Incident Stress Management training and/or certification strongly preferred.
• Experience in a university/higher education setting preferred.

Classified Title: BHCST Program Lead
Job Posting Title (Working Title):Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team Program Lead (Student Health & Well-Being Mental Health Services)
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MF
Starting Salary Range: $75,100 - $131,700 Annually ($90k - $110k targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F, 37.5-hour workweek; evening, weekend, and holiday work is required due to programmatic needs
FLSA Status:Exempt
Location: Homewood Campus
Department name: Mental Health Services
Personnel area: University Student Services