MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST, DUKE POLICE

Occ Summary

The Mental Health Specialist serves as a key member of the campus and hospital safety team, combining security expertise with mental health crisis response. This role focuses on de-escalation, crisis intervention, and compassionate engagement with individuals experiencing homelessness, behavioral concerns or other crises. The specialist provides trauma-informed, respectful, and resource-driven support to ensure the dignity and safety of all members of the community, with particular attention to unique needs of the unhoused population.

Work Performed

• Respond to incidents involving individuals in mental health or behavioral crisis, utilizing crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques. 
• Provide compassionate engagement and support to individuals experiencing homelessness on campus and in hospital settings, ensuring they are treated with dignity, respect, and care.
• Connect unhoused individuals with emergency shelter options, medical care, food resources, and longer-term housing support services in collaboration with local outreach organizations.
• Safely transport individuals in crisis to appropriate facilities or services, following established protocols.
• Collaborate with internal departments (security, social work, counseling, emergency services) and external partners (law enforcement, mental health agencies, shelters, and outreach programs).
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of incidents, interventions and outcomes, including referrals and follow-up efforts for unhoused individuals.
• Serve as a resource to campus and hospital staff regarding crisis response, homelessness-related concerns, and available community support options.
• Assist in developing and implementing proactive strategies to reduce homelessness-related incidents and enhance campus/hospital safety through prevention, education and, outreach. Provide follow up support and referrals to individuals in need, connecting them with long-term services housing assistance, and community reintegration opportunities where possible.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $ 21.42 to USD $28.94. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at:https:// hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends onthe robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.