Behavioral Health Associate

Duties & Responsibilities

• Utilizes crisis and/or de-escalation intervention practices, when necessary and appropriate, with patients whose behavior cannot be otherwise supported without such interventions.
• Affords assistance in the application and removal of restraints and the implementation of seclusion, when deemed necessary by appropriate personnel; ensures the physical and emotional health and safety of the patient when using such methods.
• Identifies patient characteristics and environmental variables that may trigger agitated behavior(s) and communicates such information to the treatment team.
• Escorts patient to required location(s), within and outside of the health care setting.
• Maintains control of patient, family, visitors and staff traffic flow through behavioral health services.
• Ensures the safety of patients and staff through electronic scanning and safety checks prior to entry to clinical areas.
• Responds appropriately to patient emergencies, including those requiring the Behavioral Response Team, and other emergencies, as necessary.
• Inspects and categorizes patients’ belongings at time of admission and ensures that property is safely maintained and returned at the time of transfer or discharge; notifies appropriate personnel of illegal items for proper handling.
• May lead or co-lead discussion groups in areas such as anger management techniques and practices; appropriately documents group activity.
• Affords assistance in the facilitation of therapeutic groups and related activities.
• Affords assistance with patient grooming needs, including shaving when deemed appropriate by clinical staff and the patient is not able to shave themselves.
• Takes patient vital signs, when directed to do so by clinical staff, and enters patient vital sign data into the electronic medical record.
• Observes and monitors assigned patients on a one-to-one basis.
• Conducts patient checks/rounds and video surveillance, as required, and reports observations, interactions and patient activity to assigned nursing staff.
• Communicates clinical matters to assigned Registered Nurse or other professional staff, as required.
• Participates in staff, departmental and team/committee meetings.
• Participates in departmental quality assurance/performance improvement (QA/PI) activities.
• Participates in departmental and/or health care setting-wide training, as required.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice, Social Services or a health-related discipline; or High School diploma or its educational equivalent, approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization; and one (1) year of full-time experience in law enforcement, nursing or psychiatric/behavioral health in a high volume, intensive care environment.
• Successful completion of NYC Health + Hospitals training program in the application and use of restraints and seclusion must be completed prior to an individual performing such work.
• Holds or obtains a valid and current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) within sixty (60) calendar days of appointment to the title.