Community Response Specialist - Felton Institute

Community Response Specialist

Angelo Quinto Community Response Team (AQCRT) 

Agency Overview

Felton Institute responds to the needs of our community by providing innovative, evidence-informed social services that transform lives. Our organization offers 50+ programs that address mental health, the unhoused, early care and education, those impacted by the justice system, transitional age youth, as well as aging adults. Our programs combine the latest scientific research with cultural sensitivity and a deep commitment to supporting and reflecting the communities we serve. Felton offers a dynamic, challenging, and supportive work environment where we encourage the use of professional development, that staff can utilize throughout their career.

AQCRT Program Description

The goal of the Crisis Antioch Response Program is to provide 24-hour alternative response services to low-level 911 calls from Antioch Residents. The AQCRT non-police personnel can assist with crisis intervention and connect individuals to community-based services/resources. Resident involvement with this program is voluntary and the team's response will focus on deescalation, mitigation, and prevention of repeated non-life-threatening emergency situations. Implementation of the AQCRT Program will build a collaborative network of service providers in the City of Antioch, provide a safer response to behavioral health, quality of life and low threshold medical calls and allow law enforcement personnel to focus their efforts on major emergencies and investigative efforts. Data collection activities from the AQCRT Program will support opportunities for evaluation and inform strategies for improvement.

Position Summary
Under the direct supervision of the AQCRT Program Director, Community Response Specialists, CRS will respond to a broad range of low-level calls and situations without police or EMS personnel 24 hours per day, 7 days per week citywide. CRS will provide on-site crisis assessment, de-escalation, and conflict mediation. Community Response Specialist, CSR support linkages that can address resident’s goals, including engaging in mental health, substance use treatment and employment via facilitating the linkage to a AQCRT case manager/network developer and/or another provider. The Community Response Specialist will act as a liaison with community partners and other social service agencies in addressing resident’s needs while also conducting community outreach and may provide transport to necessary service locations so that engaged Antioch resident can begin a relationship with a provider immediately. The position requires strong interpersonal skills to make connections and build relationships with community residents in need.

Program-Specific Responsibilities

• Conduct community outreach and engagement both reactively and proactively to residents in need of support who are not housed, insecurely housed, or struggling to maintain their housing, as well as those with mental health, physical health and or substance use needs who may need linkage to services.
• Provide low-threshold case management services for residents with substance use, mental health, and/or other social service needs and challenges, including homelessness
• Ability to work a flexible full-time schedule to accommodate program/client needs. Both evening and weekend hours are required to accommodate a 24hr/7 day a week schedule. This is a community based, highly mobile position
• Maintain documentation of program activities, response calls and assists in tracking data related to program activities
• Maintain inventory of health education/outreach materials necessary to conduct outreach efforts and to supply internal providers and other staff as needed
• Provide hands-on support for clients in reaching and accessing services according to their intervention plan (medical and social service appointments, assist in some activities of daily living, such as grocery shopping) and/or assist clients in connecting with and accessing available transportation resources
• Help residents access resources, including scheduling appointments, and assisting with completion of applications for programs for which they may be eligible
• Complete assessments, service plan development, and service linkage (housing, financial, medical, etc.) following a harm reduction model
• Assist residents in implementing their wellness and recovery plans and goals, as appropriate
• Conduct intake interviews with participants, and provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate
• Establish positive, supportive relationships with residents, stakeholders, and providers in community

Minimum Qualifications

• High school graduate (or GED), Associates Degree preferred
• Minimum of one year of experience working with transition-age youth and/or adults who are experiencing substance use disorders, mental illness, homelessness, or related challenges
• Interest in engaging and connecting with a diverse, high-need community of adults and young adults
• Desire and ability to work from a strength-based, client-centered model with an emphasis on harm reduction practices
• Ability and willingness to provide non-judgmental encouragement to clients is essential
• Ability to work cooperatively on a multi-disciplinary team, and to work with clients with various ethnic background
• Basic knowledge and experience working with computers, including word processing and data entry program
• Written communication skills in English adequate to draft basic progress reports and meet the documentation requirements of the program
• Ability to effectively organize and present information in group settings
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively
• Verifiable clean driving record (Community outreach, such as home visit and health screenings appointments may be required) preferred
• Valid California Driver’s License, insurance, and ability to travel as required to perform duties
  (preferred)

Additional Information:

Reports to: Program Director

Job Type: Full-Time - must be available for any shift

Work Schedule: Onsite

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Salary Range: $31.25 per hour

Benefits (subject to election and eligibility): Fully-Paid Medical and Dental Plans; Health Reimbursement Card, Paid Time Off (personal, vacation, and sick time), 403B with company match.

Applying Instruction:

Candidates should apply for the position at our career page “careers.felton.org” OR directly email resumes to “jobs@felton.org”.

IMP NOTE: Job responsibilities are subject to change according to program requirements.