Job Description

Position: Mental Health Counselor, CIRCLE
Term: Full-time, hourly
Pay: $30-$35/hour + health insurance, paid time off, and other benefits
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reports To: Mental Health Director, CIRCLE
Direct Reports: None
Updated: November 10, 2022

Organization Description:
Urban Alchemy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of transforming people and places through respect, compassion, and love to heal communities challenged by the intersection of extreme poverty, mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. The name Urban Alchemy references the process of spiritual and social transformation that our staff engage in – both internally and in practice with all members of the public. Since our founding in 2018, Urban Alchemy has grown into a thriving social enterprise with over 1,300 employees and a budget of nearly $70 million. We provide community outreach and engagement, temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, mobile bathrooms and showers, and street cleaning services. Urban Alchemy currently operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and Austin, Texas. Over 95% of Urban
Alchemy employees, including leadership, experienced incarceration and/or homelessness.

Project Description:
Urban Alchemy in partnership with the City of Los Angeles is proud to have embarked on an innovative alternative program that is human-centered and evidence-based, to respond to our most vulnerable neighbors in crisis. We believe this program to be history-making so we are seeking Mental Health Counselors who strongly desire to make an impact to the lives of individuals as well as be part of a greater movement to help shift our society’s viewpoint about our most vulnerable citizens and how they should be treated.

The CIRCLE program is the first of its kind in California established to provide contact and intervention to Los
Angeles’ most vulnerable residents – Angelenos who are unhoused and live on the streets in extreme poverty. In the past, these neighbors were the most likely citizens to come into contact with law enforcement. These interactions with law enforcement can further traumatize those experiencing homelessness, fails to lead to critical referrals for care and resources, which exacerbates the cycle between homelessness and the criminal justice system, pulling resources away from traditional law enforcement efforts.

As the first of its kind in California, the CIRCLE program is groundbreaking in providing an alternative response to non-emergency 911 calls involving unhoused individuals in Hollywood, Venice, and other highly impacted areas within Los Angeles. Crisis Response Teams will be available 24/7 to respond to PEH-related non-emergency calls from LAPD’s 911 system and the police non-emergency number. Crisis Response Teams will be deployed during the day, seven-days-a-week, in areas of high need. CIRCLE teams will deploy out of and operate a decompression center in each area where services for PEH who need respite from the street will be provided. CIRCLE teams are

not armed or provide any law enforcement duties.

Position Summary:
Mental Health Counselor, CIRCLE (MHCC) will be responsible for leveraging their knowledge and skill in identifying psychiatric symptomatology, assessment, intervention and treatment plans to their teams in order to collaboratively and correctly assess the mental health of PEH’s who are the subject of CIRCLE dispatch calls. Upon assessing the individual, MHCC will collaboratively develop an intervention, with their teams, that is trauma informed, utilizing harm reduction that is rooted in respect and kindness. MHCC is responsible for utilizing evidence-based practices which validates the importance of lived experience in the ability to relate and effectively communicate with PEH’s and individuals in emotional distress resulting from mental illness, trauma, or ingested substances. MHCC teams are adept at listening, accurately observing, adjusting their words and body language to engage with individuals, de-escalating the energy of a situation to create a safe and calm interaction, assessing and determining if the situation requires an intervention by your team or another partner. MHCC will be supervised by Clinical Director, CIRCLE or Clinical Supervisors, CIRCLE who will be available remotely by phone throughout all shifts worked by MHCC.

Position Duties and Responsibilities:
Position Specific:

• Work collaboratively as part of a co-responder team to address non-violent, behavioral health crises referred to CIRCLE

• Communicate with many sources including courts, Los Angeles County Law Enforcement Agencies, District

Attorney Offices and Victims Advocate Representative, Department of Children and Family Services and other community agencies that is appropriate to the cases

• Provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed, gender-responsive, harm reduction, and person-centered mental health and substance use crisis assessment, intervention, de-escalation, and appropriate follow up, specifically for individuals experiencing non-violent, behavioral health crises

• Maintain strong working knowledge of DSM V diagnostic criteria, particularly for substance use,

PTSD/Acute Stress, psychotic, panic, bipolar, mood, and personality disorders

• Assess for suicidality, homicidal intent, violence risk, grave disability, and substance use using appropriate measurements, including C-SRRS, Mini Mental Status Exam, and others

• Engage with individuals in distress to assess the cause of their distress, determine strategies that will be useful in decreasing distress, support individuals to resolve any identified issues, de-escalate potential or existing conflicts and/or heightened emotions, and support individuals to connect to supportive services, as appropriate

• Ensure services at the Decompression Centers are fluid and adequate to the therapeutic needs of guests being served

• Work collaboratively with other team members and persons in crisis to quickly assess the needs of individuals experiencing mental health crises; and create a response plan

• Maintain timely and thorough administrative and service documentation and records related to client care and program-related monitoring, in accordance to standards specified by CIRCLE policies and oversight agencies

• Complete all live and online training in a timely and thorough manner to form a strong foundation for clinical work; training will include street crisis de-escalation, emotional intelligence, harm reduction, strengths-based psychology, trauma informed care, motivational Interviewing, ethical boundaries, confidentiality, first aid, CPR, COVID-19 precautions, and others

General:

• Follow all Urban Alchemy’s policies as well as the procedures
• Perform other duties as assigned by direct supervisor

Position Requirements:
Position Specific:

• Possess high level of emotional intelligence, including the ability to engage and connect with individuals in

crisis, a strong ability to remain calm and attentive during crises, as well as to work through several separate crises during a single shift.

• Demonstrate a high level of resilience and self-care as part of maintaining wellness in a high crisis and first responder position

• Demonstrate ability to have self-awareness and cultural humility as a member of a diverse team; be conscientious and sensitive to power and other interpersonal dynamics with other team members

• Show competency in use of Narcan for opioid overdose reversals
• Has excellent communication and people management skills
• Has excellent organizational and time management skills
• Enjoys problem solving
• Enjoys being a team player
• Has genuine and demonstrated interest in Urban Alchemy’s mission, values, and model

General:

• Must be able to work compassionately and respectfully with people from all backgrounds
• Must be prepared to deal with challenging circumstances related to serving people struggling with poverty, mental health, addiction, and/or homelessness
• Must be able to obtain and maintain background clearance based on Urban Alchemy’s policies
• This position requires the ability to use a smart phone or tablet to enter data
• Lived experience with incarceration and/or homelessness strongly preferred
• Driver’s license and a good driving record preferred

Physical Requirements:

• Walking: 3-6 hours
• Standing: 3-6 hours
• Sitting: 2+ hours
• Bending at Waist: 1+ hours
• Must be able to and be willing to travel in vehicles with others between crises
• Ability to work effectively and produce quality work under pressure in noisy environments where adults are free to talk loud and expressive
• Expected to work in all weather conditions

License Requirement:
Position Specific:

• Licensure (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC) or registration (ASW, AMFT, APCC) with the California Board of Behavioral

Sciences or Board of Psychology

Statement of Non-discrimination:
Urban Alchemy shares a special bond with society’s most vulnerable because we see ourselves in their struggle.
When doing our work, we recognize the humanity in those who are struggling and treat them how we once wished others had treated us. People who have been incarcerated, experienced homelessness and/or come from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply because we believe they have unique skills and abilities to engage with people who are struggling. Urban Alchemy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment 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. Urban Alchemy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $62,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Medical specialties:

• Psychiatry

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Holidays
• Night shift
• On call
• Weekend availability

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Los Angeles, CA 90013: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: One location

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