Job Information
City of Cambridge CARE Responder in Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Cambridge Community Safety Department?s (CSD)?mission is to provide additional services to enhance the community?s health and well-being. We value compassion in our prevention and intervention efforts. The Community Safety Department is guided by the following values: We are continuously learning, evolving and reimagining our approach in order to best meet the needs of the community we serve. We embrace a growth mindset and value curiosity, humility, and our shared humanity. We commit to living restorative practices such as building empathy, compassion, trust and mutual respect in all we do. We center relationships, partnerships, authentic collaboration and joy in our work. We are guided by the wisdom, insights, and experiences of those who came before us and those who are doing the work today to build solutions community-wide. We are intentionally laying groundwork for the future we envision. We are consciously not reproducing systems of oppression. We aim to create equitable, anti-racist, and non-discriminatory ways of serving our community. We acknowledge the historical implications of the criminal legal system and the harm it has done to our communities. With this understanding, we value the dignity and humanity of all people. The City established the CSD in response to a City Council policy order to develop an unarmed alternative response program, as well as in response to community concerns about supporting Cambridge?s most vulnerable residents and enhancing violence prevention efforts. The CSD?s CARE (Community Assistance Response and Engagement) team will respond to 9-1-1 calls for assistance that do not include scene safety concerns. The CARE team provides an alternative response model for non-violent behavioral health crises with specialized field teams who serve as a primary response. These specialized teams employ their training as well as lived experiences to provide immediate and follow up support to individuals in crisis. The CSD will work toward operating 7 days a week and will respond to non-violent behavioral health and/or homelessness crises. Teams will use their combined training, department policies, knowledge, and lived experiences to provide immediate support. This is a new Department that will be consistently adapting the model based on data collected over time. The CSD will embody a growth mindset with a culture of constantly learning and growing. ABOUT THE ROLE: The City of Cambridge is looking for two CARE Responders to staff two (2) crisis response teams as part of the Cambridge Community Safety Department (CSD). Reporting to the Assistant Director of Clinical Services, the CARE Responders will respond as part of a two or three person team to non-violent behavioral health and/or homelessness crisis calls as they are received by Cambridge Emergency Communications (911). Teams will use their combined training, department policies, knowledge, and lived experiences to provide immediate support. CARE Responders may utilize applicable training to provide psychological and physical health evaluation to community members in crisis. This is a new Department that will be consistently adapting the model based on data collected over time. The CSD will embody a growth mindset with a culture of constantly learning and growing. The ideal candidate will bring flexibility, eagerness to learn and a willingness to shift approaches as new data is collected. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Specific duties/responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: Respond to behavioral health and/or homelessness crises utilizing harm reduction and trauma informed care principles in a variety of community settings. Provide non-judgmental, unconditional support to patients/clients. Assess individuals in crisis for immediate safety and stabilization needs. Maintain confidentiality and respect the boundaries of community members experiencing emot onal distress