Mobile Crisis Response Team Lead, FT, FTE 1.00

Job Details: Job Location: Hiawatha Main Office Kanza

• Hiawatha, KS, Position Type: Full Time, Education Level: 4 Year Degree, Salary Range: $57000.00 - $79000.00Salary, POSITION TITLE: Mobile Crisis Response Team Lead REPORTS TO: Clinical Crisis Manager DIRECT REPORTS: None. Provides designated shift-based leadership, workflow coordination, mentoring, and support to staff participating in Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) coverage. Formal supervision and employment actions remain with the designated manager unless specifically delegated. DEPARTMENT: Crisis Services / Mobile Crisis Response FLSA STATUS: Exempt; Regular Full-Time; Employment-at-Will Position WORK LOCATION: Hiawatha and/or Holton, with frequent travel throughout surrounding areas and Kanza's service region. SCHEDULE AND 24/7/365 MOBILE CRISIS COVERAGE Kanza's Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) program is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year as part of Kanza's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) crisis service continuum. The Crisis Team Lead role is part of a two-lead coverage model designed to ensure that an experienced, designated crisis resource is assigned at all times while maintaining sustainable alternating schedules. Crisis Team Leads work alternating coverage schedules. Depending on operational needs, schedules may include a 7-days-on / 7-days-off rotation or a 4-days-on / 3-days-off followed by 3-days-on / 4-days-off rotation, or another comparable alternating schedule established by Kanza. During assigned coverage periods, the Crisis Team Lead will work in the office during regular business hours and will provide designated crisis support and on-call coverage during nights, weekends, and holidays as assigned or needed. Serve as a liaison to community partners, including but not limited to jails, law enforcement, hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and schools, to ensure collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and mutual alignment in addressing community mental health and substance use needs. The Crisis Team Lead may cover vacancies, call-outs, or other gaps in the crisis on-call schedule to help maintain continuous MCR access. The position is not expected to be actively working every hour of an assigned coverage period. Outside regular work hours, the employee will follow Kanza's established on-call expectations, response procedures, and compensation practices applicable to the position. PURPOSE The Crisis Team Lead is a working case management lead position designed to strengthen Kanza's ability to meet its 24/7/365 Mobile Crisis Response requirement while providing consistent leadership, experienced operational support, direct crisis coverage, and continuity of care. The position serves as a designated resource for staff participating in crisis coverage and helps ensure that questions, unexpected situations, staffing gaps, and service-delivery needs are addressed in a timely and coordinated manner. Consistent with Kanza's CCBHC model, the role supports a crisis system that extends beyond the immediate intervention. In addition to responding to and supporting behavioral health crises, the Crisis Team Lead provides follow-up and supportive case management so individuals are connected to appropriate ongoing services, resources, and levels of care after the immediate crisis has passed. The Crisis Team Lead provides workflow and case management support within the employee's education, training, credentials, and assigned role. The position does not replace required QMHP or licensed clinical support and does not independently perform clinical functions that require credentials the employee does not hold. Clinical questions/ outside the Team Lead's scope must be escalated to the appropriate Kanza-designated QMHP or licensed clinical resource. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Designated Crisis Leadership and Staff Support Serve as an experienced, designated resource for Mobile Crisis Response questions, workflow needs, and operational support during assigned coverage periods. Provide day-to-day MCR leadership, coordination, and workflow support to crisis staff and employees who sign up to participate in crisis coverage. Remain available as an ongoing resource when staff encounter questions, unexpected situations, complex logistics, or uncertainty regarding crisis procedures. Provide practical guidance regarding MCR workflows, response procedures, documentation expectations, safety practices, communication, and coordination with community partners. Identify emerging staffing, access, workflow, or service-delivery concerns and communicate concerns to the Clinical Crisis Manager or other designated leadership.
2. Mobile Crisis Response, Deployment, and Coverage Provide direct Mobile Crisis Response and crisis case management services as a working member of the crisis team based on client, staffing, and program needs. Coordinate MCR response and deployment based on available staff, location, urgency, safety considerations, and established crisis procedures. Assist staff who are scheduled or who volunteer/sign up to provide crisis coverage by helping coordinate response needs, resources, handoffs, and escalation pathways. Cover vacancies, call-outs, or gaps in the crisis on-call schedule when needed to maintain timely MCR access and safe program operations. Respond calmly and professionally to behavioral health crises using approved engagement, observation, non-physical de-escalation, safety procedures, and crisis stabilization practices within the employee's role and training. Participate in multidisciplinary crisis response with clinicians, case managers, peer support specialists, medication providers, medical professionals, law enforcement, and other partners as appropriate.
3. Follow-Up Support and Continuity of Care Provide timely follow-up and supportive case management after crisis interventions to help ensure individuals are not left without connection to ongoing care after the immediate crisis has resolved. Contact or coordinate follow-up with clients, families or guardians when appropriate, treatment teams, and other supports according to program procedures and identified needs. Assist individuals with connection to outpatient therapy, medication services, community-based services, case management, peer support, substance use services, medical care, benefits, housing, transportation, and other appropriate resources. Support transitions from hospitals, emergency departments, crisis services, correctional settings, or other higher levels of care and help reduce gaps in services. Communicate relevant follow-up needs and unresolved barriers to the appropriate treatment team or program staff to promote continuity of care.
4. Complex and High-Risk Situation Support Support crisis staff in organizing safe, coordinated responses to complex or high-risk situations and help identify appropriate operational resources. Assist with communication, resource coordination, safety processes, and operational escalation when multiple systems or providers are involved. Recognize when a situation requires QMHP or licensed clinical consultation and promptly connect staff with the appropriate clinical resource. Support implementation of clinical recommendations communicated by qualified clinical staff while maintaining clear role and credential boundaries. Promote staff safety, client safety, professional boundaries, and adherence to Kanza crisis protocols during office-based and community responses.
5. Scope of Practice and Clinical Escalation Provide workflow support, information gathering, observation, de-escalation, supportive case management, resource coordination, and other crisis functions permitted within the employee's assigned role, training, and credentials. Use judgment within established policies to address operational and case management needs and determine when additional resources or leadership involvement are necessary. Do not independently provide clinical supervision, diagnosis, psychotherapy, or other clinical functions requiring credentials the employee does not hold. Do not make final clinical determinations regarding diagnosis, treatment, or level of care when those decisions require a QMHP or licensed clinician; promptly obtain the appropriate clinical consultation. Document or facilitate documentation of clinical consultations when required by Kanza procedure.
6. On-Call and Staffing Support Participate in the alternating Crisis Team Lead coverage structure and fulfill assigned on-call responsibilities outside regular business hours. Monitor and respond to staffing gaps, crisis coverage concerns, workflow questions, and escalation needs during assigned coverage periods. Help maintain consistent access to an experienced crisis resource 24/7/365 by coordinating handoffs between Team Leads and ensuring unresolved issues are communicated at transition points. Communicate significant staffing shortages, repeated coverage gaps, safety concerns, or service-capacity issues to the Crisis Services Manager in a timely manner.
7. QMHP and Health. Source Coordination Coordinate with Kanza-designated QMHP and licensed clinical resources so crisis staff have timely access to appropriate clinical consultation when needed. Work within Kanza's established external QMHP support arrangement, including Health. Source or another designated partner, and follow defined expectations for availability, communication, consultation, documentation, escalation, and accountability. Provide accurate operational and case information needed for consultation while maintaining confidentiality and limiting information to what is necessary for the purpose. Identify recurring delays, access barriers, communication concerns, or other issues with clinical support arrangements and communicate them to the Clinical Crisis Manager. Support a coordinated structure in which external QMHP services complement, rather than duplicate, Kanza's internal crisis leadership and workflow responsibilities.
8. Community and Emergency-System Coordination Coordinate with hospitals, emergency departments, law enforcement, schools, healthcare providers, emergency systems, and other community partners as needed during crisis response and follow-up. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with community partners that support timely, safe, coordinated, and accessible crisis intervention. Promote clear communication regarding MCR access, response processes, role expectations, transitions, and follow-up while maintaining all applicable confidentiality requirements. Participate in community coordination activities, meetings, or outreach related to crisis services as assigned.
9. Staff Mentorship, Training, and Program Support Provide field mentoring, workflow coaching, orientation support, and day-to-day guidance to crisis case management, peer support, and other staff participating in MCR coverage. Assist with reinforcement of approved crisis protocols, de-escalation practices, documentation procedures, safety expectations, data tracking, and reporting requirements. Provide feedback to the Clinical Crisis Manager regarding training needs, recurring staff questions, workflow concerns, coverage challenges, and opportunities to strengthen the crisis program. Clinical or licensure supervision may only be provided by an individual who holds the required credentials and has been formally authorized by Kanza to provide that supervision.
10. Documentation, Quality, and CCBHC Expectations Complete and support accurate, timely, and complete crisis documentation, including progress notes, follow-up documentation, incident reports, consultation records, timesheets, mileage, and other required records. Support documentation quality, data collection, data validation, and reporting activities related to MCR, grants, state requirements, CCBHC expectations, and organizational quality measures. Monitor operational barriers, response trends, staffing concerns, service access, follow-up needs, and other factors that may affect MCR performance or capacity. Participate in quality improvement activities and help implement workflows that improve crisis response, follow-up, care coordination, documentation, and continuity of care. Follow all Kanza policies, crisis protocols, CCBHC requirements, applicable payer and grant requirements, and state and federal laws and regulations.
11. Safety and Professional Expectations Maintain confidentiality, professional boundaries, ethical conduct, and respectful interactions with clients, families, coworkers, and community partners. Maintain required crisis, safety, agency, and department training and participate in scheduled supervision, team meetings, and program meetings. Use company vehicles safely and follow all organizational transportation and driving requirements. Maintain timely attendance and availability consistent with the assigned alternating schedule and on-call responsibilities. Perform other duties as assigned to support crisis operations, coverage, client follow-up, and organizational needs.

Qualifications

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Bachelor's degree in a human services field, such as psychology, social work, counseling, or a related field, preferred. Alternatively, a combination of education and significant relevant human services experience totaling at least four (4) years may be considered. Must be at least 21 years of age; proficient in the English language; able to successfully complete required pre-employment background and drug screening; and able to complete required crisis case management and crisis training within the timeframe established by Kanza and applicable Kansas requirements.

Previous experience providing crisis intervention, Mobile Crisis Response, case management, behavioral health services, or other community-based human services strongly preferred. Experience working with individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), Substance Use Disorders (SUD), or co-occurring needs preferred.

Demonstrated ability to remain calm, organized, responsive, and supportive while coordinating urgent, complex, or high-stress situations. Ability to serve as a trusted resource to staff while maintaining clear role boundaries and escalating clinical matters appropriately. Knowledge of de-escalation, crisis response procedures, safety practices, follow-up care, case management, community resources, and professional boundaries.

Strong written and verbal communication, organizational, analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills. Proficiency with computers, electronic health record systems, data tracking, and standard office technology. Must possess a valid driver's license, maintain an acceptable driving record, and be physically capable of safely operating a company vehicle.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS Remaining stationary, including sitting or standing, for prolonged periods. Frequent movement between worksites, offices, hospitals, schools, client homes, law enforcement settings, and other community locations. Adjusting, lifting, or moving objects weighing up to approximately 25 pounds. Repetitive motions involving wrists, hands, or fingers.

Communicating effectively in person, by telephone, and through electronic communication, including hearing and responding to emergency calls, alarms, or alerts. Withstanding outdoor conditions including varying temperatures, precipitation, and wind. WORKING ENVIRONMENT Work is performed in Kanza offices and throughout the community, including client homes, hospitals and emergency departments, schools, law enforcement settings, healthcare environments, and other locations where crisis services are needed.

The position requires frequent travel and use of a company vehicle. The employee may encounter individuals experiencing significant emotional distress, behavioral health crises, substance-related concerns, elevated risk, or aggressive behavior and must maintain professional judgment, safety awareness, appropriate boundaries, and effective de-escalation practices.

The position includes alternating scheduled and on-call responsibilities that may occur during evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. The position may also require use of telehealth or other approved communication technology to support crisis coordination, consultation, follow-up, and continuity of care. CONFIDENTIALITY All Kanza Mental Health & Guidance Center employees are expected to maintain the highest level of confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, applicable behavioral health confidentiality requirements, organizational policies, professional ethical standards, and all other applicable federal and state privacy requirements.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, expectations, or qualifications associated with the position. Duties may be added, removed, or modified based on organizational, program, client, regulatory, staffing, or operational needs.

Employees are expected to perform all assigned duties within their role and scope of practice, follow organizational policies and procedures, and perform other duties as assigned. Employment with Kanza Mental Health & Guidance Center is at will. Nothing contained in this job description creates a contract of employment or alters the at-will employment relationship.