Mental Health Co-Responder Clinician - Targeted Violence and Prevention

The City of Lakewood is dedicated to upholding City values to include: Performance Excellence, Leadership, Respect and Collaboration. Best fit candidates will demonstrate innovation, customer service, dedication, passion and engagement. All people, citizens and employees, will be treated with respect, relevance, and importance.

HIRING RATE: $41.61 - $46.23/hour

This role is grant funded through August 2026 with the potential for reapplication. Start date is contingent upon the availability of grant contract funds, projected to be available in early November. Additionally, the hiring process requires a thorough background check and this must be complete before the candidate is hired.

As this program grows, we are working to extending its hours to nights and weekends. This role is anticipated to work from 10 am to 8 pm.

Lakewood’s Co-Response Team operates within the Community Engagement Section (CES). Under the Co-Responder Supervisor, the Targeted Violence and Prevention (TVP) Co-Responder will work in close collaboration with law enforcement to identify individuals on the pathway to violence and conduct comprehensive, timely threat assessments. The role includes development and implementation management plans guided by assessment to mitigate potential acts of targeted violence within the community. Through proactive and preventative interventions, the TVP Co-Responder connects individuals and their support nets with case management, resources and countermeasures to disrupt harmful behaviors before they escalate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Key objectives include reducing the impact on existing co-responders’ ability to perform their essential job duties of responding to active behavioral health calls by ensuring TVP cases receive the focused attention they require, and to provide education and resources aimed at minimizing firearm lethality in the community.
• Navigates resources and prepares legal documentation for the transfer of individuals to appropriate levels of care such as mental health holds (M1), court-ordered mental health evaluations and court-ordered emergency commitments.
• Works alongside Agents to provide clinical input on extreme risk protection order petition.
• Serves as the lead for the mental health component of threat assessment cases, with consultation of supervisor.
• Works with TVP multidisciplinary team to create, implement, monitor, update, and/or modify threat management plans.
• Conducts threat assessments with standardized professional judgement (SPJ) tools to guide intervention and case management.
• Provides detailed threat consultation as requested for community organizations, public schools, places of work, houses of worship, etc.
• Provides education to clients, families, clinical teams, support networks, and the public on measures to reduce firearm lethality
• Maintains and vets a network of resources and referral sources to meet the needs of client population. 
• Conducts follow-ups and provides intervention or countermeasures as needed.
• Ensures streamlined interagency and community partner communication to appropriately share information about individuals of concern in a timely manner.
• Coordinates with jails, hospitals, and other community partners for the purpose of continuation of care and smooth transitions for clients. 
• Conducts information gathering and coordinates multidisciplinary team meetings as necessary.
• Maintains appropriate and accurate documentation of services provided in a timely manner.
• Operates as a Co-Responder team member when there are no pending program-related tasks.
• Maintains a strength-based view on all cases in line with SPARK team mission statement.
• Work is primarily performed in-office due to the nature of cases. Occasionally, in-person assessments will be required, during which a team member or law enforcement agent will provide support.
• Safely operates department motor vehicles.   
• This position will be a four 10-hour FTE schedule.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships

• Supervision Received: General supervision from Supervisor of Co-Responder team. Clinical supervision and consultation will be available as needed and according to licensure requirements. 
• Supervision Given: None  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to maintain positive, ethical, and professional working relationships with communi