Mental Health Associate

Job Summary

The Mental Health Associate will work with a multi-disciplinary team to care for and provide treatment for patients with psychiatric illness in an inpatient hospital setting. The Mental Health Associate will perform daily tasks including but not limited to: implementing planned interventions with patients to help them meet their goals, leading patient evidence-based group activities, helping create patient treatment plans, case management (making phone calls, following up on patient goals, etc.), assisting patients to develop goals addressing their problem areas, working with patients to develop money management skills, being an advocate for the patient and presenting treatment results to the treatment team, helping patients gain insight into their mental illness or behavioral disturbances, assist patients improve their decision-making skills to enable them to return to a less restrictive environment, providing patient transportation, assisting patients with activities of daily life (eating, bathing, dressing, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Implement planned interventions with patients to help them meet their goals.
• Lead patient evidence-based group activities.
• Help create patient treatment plans.
• Case management (making phone calls, following up on patient goals, etc.).
• Assist patients to develop goals addressing their problem areas.
• Work with patients to develop money management skills.
• Be an advocate for the patient and present treatment results to the treatment team.
• Help patients gain insight into their mental illness or behavioral disturbances.
• Aid patients in improving their decision-making skills to enable them to return to a less restrictive environment.
• Provide patient transportation.
• Assist patients with activities of daily life (eating, bathing, dressing, etc.).

Requirements

• Preference will be given to applicants with an associate or bachelor’s degree in psychology, human services, social work or related field.
• Preference will also be given to applicants with a minimum of one year experience working with mentally ill individuals or individuals who have completed two years of college in the fields previously outlined.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of: severe and persistent mental illness; serious emotional disturbances; chemical dependency/substance use; crisis management; verbal and physical de-escalation skills; therapeutic communication skills; principles of basic human behavior across the lifespan; CPR and first aid.
• Ability to deal effectively with patients from diverse ethnic and sociological backgrounds; pay attention to and be empathetic with patients; accurately remember and recall information; utilize computers and other electronic devices for charting and other tasks as needed; maintain flexibility while ensuring safety and security in an in-patient psychiatric setting; provide individual and/or group crisis and de-escalation interventions; lead patients in assigned tasks; effectively diffuse potentially explosive confrontations between patients; plan and organize work; lift 75 pounds; effectively communicate with patients, staff, family members, professionals, and others; maintain records and prepare documentation; interpret and follow established policies, operations memoranda, procedures, and guidelines.

Skills

• Knowledge of severe and persistent mental illness.
• Knowledge of serious emotional disturbances.
• Knowledge of chemical dependency/substance use.
• Knowledge of crisis management.
• Knowledge of verbal and physical de-escalation skills.
• Knowledge of therapeutic communication skills.
• Knowledge of principles of basic human behavior across the lifespan.
• Knowledge of CPR and first aid.

Benefits

• $3000.00 Hiring Incentive
• NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application.
• Class A retirement under SDRS.
• Retirement benefits.
• Other insurance options.
• Eleven paid holidays.
• Generous vacation and sick leave accrual.
• Dental, vision, and other insurance options.

Pay

$24.76 hourly, depending on qualifications.

Schedule

Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly.

Agency

Department of Social Services / Human Services Center.

Location

Yankton, SD.