Summary

Distinguish yourself in public service and make a commitment to our future.

Whatcom County, WA is truly special and a great place to call home!

Are you passionate about providing support to vulnerable community members with unmet needs?

Do you want to join Whatcom County’s crisis response network?

Are you interested in applying your skills and expertise in a field setting supporting our emergency response system?

Do you enjoy working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and working within a multidisciplinary team?

If you enthusiastically answered yes to these questions, the Whatcom County Health Department’s Response System Division is interested in learning more about your qualifications and experience to fill the position of Public Health Nurse for the new Alternative Response Team (ART).

Whatcom County ART (Alternative Response Team) program is a community-based program that provides a rapid alternative response to aid people in crisis from known or suspected mental illness, substance use, or inability to care for themselves in the moment of crisis. ART will respond to non-emergent 9-1-1 and be deployed as an alternative to Law Enforcement encounters and unnecessary Emergency Department use.

This response effort will improve the lives of people experiencing crisis by diverting them from the criminal justice system, the hospital, and from using 9-1-1 as a service provider; and will provide alternative pathways to address their mental health and behavioral health crisis, linking them to essential services. Thereby, improving the health and well-being for people who experience crises they are unable to manage and for the community in which they live.
You will be part of a dynamic team that provides services to our community:

• Respond to community members who are in crisis when Law Enforcement and EMS are not required.
• Provide on-scene health assessments for individuals in non-emergent crisis. Triage medical needs for those individuals in, make recommendations and assist in facilitating the appropriate level of treatment/services/support, and communicate with their health care providers.
• Work in close collaboration with other crisis responders on scene to create a plan to address immediate needs (such as shelter, medical stability, detox, wound care, a ride to the grocery store) and work to find solutions to more chronic issues (such as refusal to engage in care, poor management of chronic illness, criminal history, and ongoing use of drugs/alcohol.)
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with physicians, nursing staff, and health professional affiliates at the hospital and health care providers where the population most likely interacts, including the jail. Provide follow through and work to bridge the gap in situations where individuals historically fall through the cracks and do not get connected with the services they need.

Whatcom County Health Department’s Response Division provides services to vulnerable and widely diverse populations with unmet needs or in some level of crisis, often in adverse situations. Response Teams work in community settings such as public spaces, homes, homeless shelters, encampments; not out of an office or a clinic setting. They work with a variety of interagency co-workers—paired with law enforcement or emergency medical professionals, co-workers—or independently; some may be deployed from What-Comm 9-1-1.
We serve all members of the Whatcom County community as we strive to fulfill the Health Department’s mission to lead the community in promoting health and preventing disease. If you are looking for work with a positive impact on our community we hope to learn about your qualifications to fill this key role!

For more information, please review the following:

• Job Description

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor of Science Degree (or higher) in Nursing with coursework in public health AND a current, valid Washington State license to practice as a Registered Nurse.

• Education requirement can be met with current enrollment in a Bachelor or Master of Science in Nursing program, with graduation within six months of hire.

Desired:

• Public health experience or specific internship or practicum in public health desired.

• Spanish language fluency desired.