POSITION SUMMARY:

Boston Medical Center is taking an innovative interventional approach to address the urgent public health crisis at Mass & Cass. The unit will consist of two adjacent and interconnected clinical units, a "bridge" clinic and a short stay-stabilization center that serve as an accessible entry connection point to services.

The stabilization care center (SCC) and transitional care center (TCC) is a judgement free substance use disorder (SUD) and behavioral health urgent care program that medically stabilizes individuals and prepare them for entry into housing. The stabilization care center offers low-barrier services including SUD/BH treatment navigation, medication for addiction treatment, and supported sobering. Staff members provide acute treatment for substance use disorder and behavioral health needs by addressing acute withdrawal, sedation, agitation, and substance-induced psychosis and connects patients with outpatient services and transitional housing.

The stabilization care center is a low-barrier way for people to stabilize and begin to connect with substance use disorder treatment services. Staff members help those experiencing substance use disorders and mental illness by treating acute symptoms such as withdrawal, sedation, agitation, and psychosis and connect them with outpatient services and transitional housing.

The third part to our services is running a 60 bed crisis housing unit within the Roundhouse. The Stabilization Care Center Support Specialist is responsible for supporting the daily management of patients in the Stabilization care center, operational needs of the unit, and facilitating service delivery to patients engaged in services. Clients in the emergency shelter. The Stabilization care center support specialist is an integral part of the team providing medical and non-medical services to people in the facility during both daytime and night.

Position: Support Specialist

Department: Stabilization Care Center

Schedule: Full Time (11pm-7am)

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Harm Reduction and Recovery Services

• Provide appropriate recovery information, referrals and linkages to recovery services including, but not limited to: acute treatment services (ATS), clinical stabilization services (CSS), detoxification facilities, psychiatric bridge clinic, and recovery coaching
• Engage patients in outpatient setting and provide harm reduction education and overdose prevention education to patients
• Work collaboratively with patient, provider and nursing to develop and implement patient discharge place
• Provide on-going support and follow up as necessary to support recovery and healthy life style; support and understand different paths to recovery.
• Follow all overdose response protocols including using Narcan when necessary

Patient Management and Milieu management

• De-Escalate any situations that arise in the stabilization care center and transitional care center
• Ensure that the environment is safe and community-oriented by helping the participants follow the general rules of the space
• Exhibit good stress reduction skills and strive to encourage an environment that minimizes the stress level as much as possible.
• Use effective conflict resolution skills to resolve issues between guests, patients, and staff
• Assist patients with storing belongings while they are being observed in the SCC
• Clean and disinfect recliners, tables, and pick up trash on the ground after the patients are discharged from the unit. Replace soiled dividers as needed
• Check general surroundings to ensure that they are clear from trip hazards, clutter, debris
• Maintain a clean environment; and address any spills or clean-up as needed

Teamwork

• Develop and maintain strong and professional relationships with teammates and participants through effective, and cross-functional communication and collaboration. This includes coordinating with clinical staff in transitional care center and stabilization care center including providers, nursing, and case management
• Write out shift reports documenting any incidents, issues, or changes that the next shift and management need to be aware of
• Use language that conveys caring and is non-judgmental and utilize motivational enhancement techniques and motivational interviewing that helps encourage guests to identify and prioritize their personal needs.
• Clerical duties such as answering phones and checking voicemail for Clinic, scheduling appointments and providing reminder/follow up calls as needed.
• Conforms to hospital standards of performance and conduct, including those pertaining to patient rights and privacy
• Utilizes hospital's policies and standards as the basis for decision making and to support the hospital's mission and goals.
• Performs other duties assigned or as necessary
• Must adhere to all of BMC's RESPECT behavioral standards.
• (The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• High school diploma or equivalent experience. Associate degree preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• At least 2+ year of experience working in a hospital or residential behavioral health treatment setting
• Preferably, at least one year experience serving the homeless, mentally challenged, or adults with substance use disorder
• Experience working with diverse patient population, experience working with patients experiencing homelessness and our substance use disorder strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, e-mail, and the internet.
• Requires ability to provide de-escalation and redirection to patients and guests
• Medical assistants (MA) or certified nursing assistant (CNA) experience preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Professional conduct required at all times; including appropriate professional boundary setting
• Empathic understanding of patients and skilled in performing multicultural milieu management Expertise in establishing working relationships with patients, their family, professionals, and the community, including the ability to collaborate with a multidisciplinary health care team.
• Computer competency, inclusive of the ability to access and enter data.
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment, inclusive of organizational skills, critical thinking, and problem solving abilities.
• Effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to facilitate interactions with various members
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills (beyond that of English) appropriate to the patient population served, is preferred.
• Sensitivity to ethnic, cultural, gender, and sexual orientation diversity; values; beliefs; and behaviors.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem solving ability.
• Ability to perform vital signs screening or complete vital signs screening training.
• Distribute snacks, meals, and beverages as needed
• Escort patients to different services in the building as needed
• Register patients upon arrival to SCC and collaborate with the nurses for an effective admission process.
• Perform routine screening for vital signs (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation).

Req id: 29170