City of Augusta - Community Response Specialist

Start Date: July 10, 2024 | End Date: July 24, 2024
County: Kennebec County
Job Type: Public Safety - Police

City of Augusta- Community Response Specialist

This position serves as a Community Response Specialist working with the City of Augusta Police Department and the Public Health and Community Services Department. This position will perform direct response services for citizens in Augusta upon referral from the Police department/dispatch. The response specialist will answer calls involving individuals who are suspected of suffering from substance use disorder and seek to diffuse tensions between individuals, businesses, and others that do not rise to the level of requiring law enforcement response.

Requirements

• Respond to individuals upon referral from the police by meeting people at various locations in the city where service needs are identified. This may include working with members including the Police Department, Fire/EMS Department, Community Services, liaison from the State of Maine, private and non-profit service providers, and other identified parties.

• Be a visible presence in the community by actively seeking and engaging with individuals who need support services.

• Provides a brief, assessment of individuals to adequately identify issues in all major life domains and generate a plan of intervention. These domains include financial, housing, relationship, substance use disorder, mental health, trauma, employment/income, and education.
• Conduct intake interviews to determine immediate needs and offer assistance. The response specialist may work with other city departments to link individuals to appropriate services (e.g., healthcare, case management, mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment). De-escalation and crisis intervention skills will be essential in day-to-day work.
• Remain the primary contact for the individual until a service or resources becomes available, to maintain them in the community, and provide the necessary support to keep them engaged, from short-term support to longer term.
• Provides supportive counselling, as deemed necessary to keep the individual engaged, to facilitate connection or placement in services.
• Refers to crisis services as required and remains in physical proximity to the individual until crisis services can be mobilized to conduct a risk assessment.
• Works closely with the OPTIONS Clinician in the department, to ensure non-duplication of services.
• Develops and maintains solid working relationships with area providers, and resources to connect individuals to. Will attend scheduled provider meetings in the surrounding communities to stay abreast of community resources.
• Communicate effectively in writing and verbally, particularly in situations where persons may have barriers and/or be resistant to help.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Pay Scale

This is a non-exempt, non-union position with a comprehensive benefits package.

Pay scale is NU15   $26.30 to $35.85

Position open until: 07/ 24 /2024

Please send application/resume to hr@augustamaine.gov, or MAIL TO: City of Augusta, Human Resources, 16 Cony Street, Augusta, Maine 04330