Co-Responders are part of a Co-Response Team consisting of a Co-Responder Supervisor, Case Management Coordinator and four licensed clinicians within the Westminster Police Department. The purpose of the Co-Response team is to support law enforcement during behavioral health calls for service. Co-Responders are licensed mental health therapists who work with law enforcement to safely de-escalate crisis situations during active police calls for service. The Co-Responders respond within the community with the goal of increasing the safety of both individuals and the community by de-escalating behavioral health crisis situations. Additional goals of the program include diverting at-risk community members from the criminal justice system by providing stabilization within the community or through other care options. Co-Responder and case management coordinator provide community members with resources for continued, long-term care options. Co-Responders frequently collaborate with other community partners to reduce recidivism with positive outcomes for everyone affected. The Co-Responder and Case Management Coordinator report to a Co-Responder Supervisor with oversight by a Police Department Commander.

The starting range of pay is dependent on qualifications and experience of each individual candidate. The City of Westminster offers a bonus of up to $1,500 per year depending on the employee’s fluency in Spanish, Hmong, Laotian and/or American Sign Language (ASL).

The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: Westminster’s purpose is to provide core services and foster economic resilience to give our community the opportunity to thrive. Westminster is a city of beautiful, safe, well-maintained neighborhoods and destinations with a vibrant, diverse economy, rich and resilient environment and a strong sense of community belonging. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service – Pride – Integrity – Responsibility – Innovation – Teamwork).

This position supports the goals of the Police Department, which is “To Provide Law Enforcement Excellence in Community Safety and Service through Vigorous Policing, Professionalism, Leadership, and Innovation.” The Department is responsible for enforcement of State Laws and Westminster Municipal Ordinances pertaining to criminal and traffic issues, and to uphold the Constitution of the United States, the State of Colorado, and the Charter of the City of Westminster. The Department is primarily focused on public safety, maintaining peace and order, prevention of crime, and the apprehension of criminals.

Every employee is accountable to:

• Demonstrate a high level of customer service; encourage others to focus on the customer; foster an environment where customer service is a priority
• Communicate with customers to ensure that, where possible, they are satisfied, and that their needs are being addressed; solicit and evaluate customer feedback
• Act as an ambassador by understanding and fostering the organization's mission and vision
• Exhibit pride in self, the department, the city, and the community; conduct self in a professional manner
• Demonstrate integrity and builds trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty, and ethical behavior
• Address difficult or contentious issues in a constructive manner
• Support and promote change; demonstrate flexibility, and take calculated risks when appropriate
• Participate in personal growth opportunities, and attend trainings designed to enhance capacity to bring new skills and ideas to the job and the organization.
• Work to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service or product being delivered
• Demonstrate support for team efforts by accepting new roles and responsibilities, and helping others achieve objectives
• Value diversity; demonstrate an awareness of differences; demonstrate sensitivity, and adapt behaviors and communication to accommodate these differences

GENERAL COMPETENCIES

Citywide - Every employee in this position is accountable to:

• Establish effective interpersonal relationships through honest, open communication and follow-through on commitments
• Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses, and target areas for personal self-development
• Demonstrate initiative in performing job tasks
• Exhibit problem-solving skills leading to sound judgment and quality decisions
• Achieve goals, and handle assigned workload and new assignments effectively; demonstrate an ability to work independently
• Communicate effectively with individuals and groups using clear and concise verbal and written communications
• Demonstrate accountability for work, and take ownership in job performance
• Demonstrate concern for the accuracy and quality of work; take steps to correct mistakes and improve the overall product
• Work efficiently and effectively with little or no direct supervision

Job Specific – Every employee in this position must be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to work with fellow clinical staff
• Demonstrate knowledge of modern principles, practices, and procedures with respect to behavioral crisis situations
• Demonstrate an ability to work within a police department and alongside police officers, fire department employees and professional staff
• Demonstrate knowledge of modern office practices, procedures, equipment, business English, spelling, and mathematical computations and tabulations
• Deal tactfully, courteously, and continuously with the public
• Establish and maintain respectful and effective working relationships with superiors, fellow employees and community partners and members
• Effectively obtain information through interviewing skills and techniques, active listening skills, and clearly expressing thoughts, ideas, and direction in an organized manner
• Communicate sound decisions in accordance with precedents and regulations consistently and timely, conveying facts and points of decisions logically and concisely, both in oral and written form
• Operate a department issued personal computer and be familiar with current computer software applications (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), Computer Aided Dispatch/Records Management Systems and Health Care Management Systems.
• Communicate, understand, and follow oral and written instructions

Essential Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities, and Tasks

• Respond to in progress crisis situations within the community; Co-Responder s must be able to intervene and de-escalate situations with persons who are actively in crisis
• Engage in crisis intervention on the telephone, and in face-to-face settings within the community, in a variety of environments including parks, homes, businesses, fields, emergency rooms or other places where a person in crisis is located; response may be indoors or outdoors in both good and bad weather, during the day or at night
• Understand the criteria and procedure for Emergency Mental Health Holds within the State of Colorado; asses a person’s risk of harm to self or others and arrange needed resources or immediate placement if necessary
• Collaborate with other Co-Responders, law enforcement, court personnel, and external providers to provide services to consumers that may include intervention and diversion; maintain close and cooperative relationships with community agencies and other public agencies in carrying out treatment/service plans
• Co-Responder are continuously collaborating with individuals to provide person-centered assessments; they devise safety plans, identify support systems, reduce and mitigate risk factors and point consumers to supportive services, subsequent care, and treatment for mental health and/or substance use issues
• Understand HIPPA regulations as it applies to mental health information and records collection, retention, and release within crisis situations and follow up
• Possess the ability to utilize health records management systems specific to Co-Response; works to complete accurate data collection, input, analysis and reporting to ensure a proper monitoring and application of the program
• Possess the ability to learn police related CAD/RMS computer systems for information review
• Maintain and update health records within established departmental or program directed timelines
• Embrace the goals and objectives of the Co-Response team, according to WPD project plans, policies and procedures, standards and protocols
• Advocate for the City’s interests in all situations to evoke a positive public image; raises awareness in the target population about the existence of WPD and City programs and how they may be accessed
• Collaborate with team members, other WPD and City personnel to identify community needs. Establish and maintains contact with key stakeholders both within the City and with community partners; is innovative while working with the Co-Response team and others to identify potential fields of intervention and works to implement plans and programs to meet those needs
• Maintain clinical competencies within DORA requirements for licensure

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• The Co-Responder is accountable for all duties of this job
• Other projects and responsibilities may be added or changed at the City or Police Department’s discretion

Education, Experience, Skills, Formal Training, Licenses, and Certifications

Required:

• Master’s or doctorate degree in counseling, social work, psychology or related field from an accredited university or college
• Current license in the State of Colorado as a psychologist, LPC, LAC, LMFT, or LCSW
• Experience working in a clinical, co-response, or related crisis service position, knowledge and expertise in crisis intervention strategies
• Understanding of medical record keeping platforms and the federal and state guidelines regarding information collection, retention and release (HIPAA)
• Experience working with community behavioral health treatment systems and supportive services
• Exceptional organizational skills for necessary reporting requirements, data analysis and other clerical duties
• A valid driver’s license

Preferred:

• Experience working and collaborating with law enforcement officials
• Certified Addiction Technician (CAT), Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) or Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in addition to primary licensure

Any combination of education and experience may be substituted for position requirements on case by case basis.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to respond to in progress crisis situations in the field and effectively communicate with team members, law enforcement and persons in crisis
• Ability to constantly carry a police portable radio (up to 5 pounds) and listen to it during working hours
• Constant sitting to perform daily tasks; occasional walking through a multilevel facility to retrieve information; frequent standing, sometimes for extended periods
• Frequent squatting, reaching above shoulder, and twisting to file documents and lift supplies and material; occasional bending, kneeling, climbing, balancing, and reaching below shoulder to store documents, material, and supplies
• Constant light grasp, fine manipulation, and handling to perform daily duties; occasional firm grasp to safely use equipment
• Frequent lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of up to ten (10) pounds to move material and supplies; occasional pushing and/or pulling of up to twenty-five (25) pounds with dollies and carts
• Ability to enter, exit and operate a motor vehicle in a safe and prudent manner

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This work is performed primarily within the community in a variety of environments including parks, homes, businesses, fields, emergency rooms or other places where a person in crisis is located; response may be in outdoors in both good and bad weather. The Co-Response team operates seven (7) days a week with coverage from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.; hours and schedule for this position will be determined in concert with the Co-Responder Supervisor to meet the needs of the organization, including nights and weekends
• City vehicles are provided for use by the Co-Response team to travel to calls for service and other City related meetings or obligations
• Co-Response team members will be trained in Westminster police culture and will be shown how to utilize police tools (radio and RMS/CAD systems) and understand scene and co-response physical safety
• Work requires the ability to work closely with others, with frequent interruptions, during periods of high activity and high stress under demanding conditions
• Work may also include adversarial conditions related to in progress crisis situations involving persons suffering from mental or behavioral health crisis and substance disorders
• The position requires a great deal of communication with City employees, the public, other police agencies and community organizations

Required Materials and Equipment

• Work requires visual, auditory and physical capabilities to operate a motor vehicle, and general office equipment including computers, copiers, fax machines, telephones, printers, and the ability to listen to and hear a police radio

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Background checks could include, but is not limited to, the following: employment references, criminal history, credit check, job suitability and psychological fitness evaluation and education verification
• Drug screen, voice stress test or polygraph examination
• Must be legally entitled to work in the United States
• Must have a clean driving record

• Health and Dental
• Flexible Spending
• Pension/ Retirement Plans
• Term Life Insurance
• Long-term Disability
• Survivor Benefits
• Wellness Program
• General leave that provides vacation, holidays, illness leave and administrative leave
• Education and Training Reimbursement, and
• Exempt Reimbursement Program