Police Department Navigator

The City of Port Townsend is recruiting for a Navigator for our Police Department. This is a fulltime, temporary, grant-funded position that will end December 31, 2024.

JOB SUMMARY

The Navigator provides community-based prevention, co-response crisis intervention, and navigation of referrals in the City of Port Townsend for community members experiencing behavioral health challenges, to reduce recidivism in jails and emergency rooms in Jefferson County.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Embodies, models and embraces the Port Townsend Police Department's core values of INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, and PROFESSIONALISM.
• Co-responds to calls for service with police officers to engage eligible participants who appear to be experiencing behavioral health-related challenges, including mental health, substance use, homelessness, and other social service needs.
• Provides crisis response and de-escalation support to police officers when requested.
• Conducts crisis assessments, including determining the nature of the crisis, evaluating immediate needs, applying clinically appropriate interventions, identifying ongoing needs, and following up with individuals as needed.
• Provides support and resources to individuals within Port Townsend experiencing behavioral health-related issues, facilitating acquisition of treatment and/or services that address mental health, physical health, substance use, legal, and housing issues.
• Helps individuals identify and overcome barriers to obtaining services.
• Consults and collaborates with social service agencies after care has been established with individuals, as needed and with appropriate HIPAA and WA State law- approved release(s) of information.
• Provides cross-training to Port Townsend Police Officers, to enhance a collaborative working environment.
• Collaborates with local agencies and service providers to identify specific needs within the community and co-responds with other agencies within Port Townsend and Jefferson County when requested.
• Collects and report data requested by various agencies about individuals assisted.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Evidence-based practices, including but not limited to techniques associated with Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Motivational Enhanced Therapy.
• Social services providers and community resources available within the City, Jefferson County, the region and the State of Washington, as well as any federally related programs.
• Symptoms and behavioral and social characteristics affecting the population served.
• Counseling and interviewing practices and techniques relevant to the population served.
• HIPAA rules and regulations as related to the continuation of care.
• Substance abuse impacts, treatment approaches, and expected outcomes.
• Assessment and social casework techniques.
• Conflict resolution principles, de-escalation and problem-solving techniques.

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations.
• Effective public speaker in the areas of presentations, facilitation, and conflict resolution.
• Excellent interpersonal skills for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees, other departments and City staff, City officials and the public.
• Skilled using computers and various software programs and applications, including word processing, data management, spreadsheets, and other programs.

Ability to:

• Practice a trauma-informed approach and employ methods that diminish the risk of retraumatizing individuals with a history of trauma.
• View and address the total spectrum of social needs.
• Work effectively with law enforcement, in a chain of command structure, in situations that include but are not limited to high stress, dynamic crisis situations, rapidly evolving incidents, community events, and related public safety cultural environments.
• Recognize the presentation of mental illness related behaviors and understanding appropriate clinical interventions.
• Professionally and appropriately discuss sensitive topics with community members and team members to address individual needs, goals, and barriers.
• Follow all safety instructions given by Port Townsend Police Department personnel.
• Follow all established Port Townsend Police Department policies regarding safety, security, and interaction with the public.
• Manage and maintain confidentiality of medical, personal, and criminal history information and material.
• Carry, don, and doff personal and safety equipment, including a ballistic safety vest, while on calls.
• Be available for on-call work, as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Master's degree in counseling, psychology, or social work.
• Associate license as a mental health counselor or social worker, under the supervision of an approved supervisor that meets the criteria in WAC 246-809-134.
• Valid Washington State driver's license and ability to maintain a driving record acceptable to the City's insurance authority.

Preferred

• Licensed mental health counselor, independent clinical social worker, or advanced social worker.
• One year of paid experience in a health care setting, including public health or behavioral health.
• Experience working with law enforcement personnel.
• Experience working with people in crisis and/or victims of trauma.
• Experience in treatment of mentally ill, unsheltered, and/or chemically dependent individuals.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed both in an office setting and in the field, accompanying police officers in designated areas in a patrol car, including outdoor work in all types of weather. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand or sit, walk, climb stairs, use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms. Must have the use of sensory skills in order to effectively communicate and interact with other employees and the public through the use of the telephone, radios and personal contact as normally defined by the ability to see, read, talk, hear, handle or feel objects and controls.

The employee may be required to navigate rugged terrains and unsanitary public places, homes, shelters and emergency and non-emergency scenes. May be exposed to repeated emotionally disturbing situations, high-stress dynamic situations, hostile and/or aggressive behaviors, which could present a personal risk of harm. Work may require visits to jails and out-of-town locations, emergency rooms, and other medical facilities. Potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens or other potentially infectious material. The Navigator will primarily work a daytime shift but is expected to have flexibility to adjust and work later or earlier hours and on weekends, as needed to work with and ride along with any of the police officers.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Punctual and consistent attendance.
• Dress and grooming appropriate to the position.
• Safety attire, equipment and practices appropriate to the position.
• Deal tactfully and respectfully with the public.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees.
• Receives at least one hour per week of supervision provided by a licensed mental health professional and follows a written training plan that meets yearly continuing education licensing requirements.

BENEFITS

• WA State PERS retirement and optional 457 Deferred Comp
• Medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account
• Life, AD&D, long-term disability, and long-term care insurance
• Sick leave (earns 1 day per month)
• Vacation (graduated accrual schedule starts at 8 hours per month)
• 12 paid holidays plus one floating holiday
• Up to 5 days of bereavement leave, if applicable
• Up to four weeks jury duty pay during service
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The City of Port Townsend is an equal employment opportunity employer. The City employs, retains, promotes, disciplines and otherwise treats all employees and job applicants strictly on the basis of job-related qualifications and competence. These policies and all employment practices shall be applied without regard to any individual's sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation (including gender identity), pregnancy, age, marital status, military status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed. The employee occupying the position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisors.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the City and the employee and is subject to change as the needs of the City and requirements of the job change.