Mental Health Program Assistant

Location: Bemidji

Full-time, unlimited position within Direct Care and Treatment’s Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment Services at the Community Behavioral Health Hospital (CBHH) Bemidji.

About the role

The CBHH is a 16-bed inpatient psychiatric facility providing rapid assessment and stabilization for adults experiencing an acute mental-health episode. Typical stays are under 60 days; treatment focuses on stabilization, patient education, and discharge planning with community supports to prevent future episodes.

Mental Health Program Assistants support and mentor staff on evidence-based practices, collaborate with the team to develop and implement individualized treatment plans, and serve as role models to patients to promote mutual respect, independence, personal responsibility, and self-control. These positions also deliver quality medical and psychiatric care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse.

Responsibilities

• Implement behavior-management components of treatment plans using behavior-modification theory and techniques.
• Design and implement individual treatment plans, identify and control aggressive, violent, or inappropriate behavior.
• Apply therapeutic intervention techniques to de-escalate and control aggressive or violent behavior.
• Ensure compliance with laws, rules, regulations, and policies governing treatment of mental illness and vulnerable adults to protect client rights.
• Perform basic health-care procedures, including taking vital signs and administering medications.
• Observe, interpret, and document client behaviors to provide information needed for evaluation and treatment planning.
• Read, write, and speak English sufficiently to interpret, implement, and evaluate individual treatment plans.
• Interact with clients to assist in delivering group therapy, teach specialized and vocational skills, and teach recreation and life skills.

Requirements

• Knowledge of behavior-modification theory and techniques.
• Knowledge of mental illness sufficient to design and implement individual treatment plans and manage aggressive or inappropriate behavior.
• Knowledge of therapeutic intervention techniques sufficient to control aggressive or violent behavior.
• Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, and policies governing treatment of mental illness and vulnerable adults.
• Ability to perform basic health-care procedures (e.g., taking vital signs, administering medications).
• Ability to observe, interpret, and document client behaviors for evaluation and treatment planning.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English sufficiently to implement and evaluate individual treatment plans.
• Ability to interact with clients to assist in group therapy, teach skills, and promote life skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Patient-care experience within a mental-health or behavioral-health setting.
• Experience working with adults in a treatment setting.
• Experience working in a secure facility.

Additional Requirements

• Resume must clearly describe experience in the required areas and include beginning and ending month and year for each job held.
• Reference checks and a criminal background check will be conducted prior to appointment.
• Documentation of freedom from tuberculosis via a blood test is required before employment; TB skin tests are not accepted.
• Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States at the start of employment; sponsorship for work visas is not provided.

Schedule

• Rotating shifts: 6:45 a.m.–5:15 p.m. or 10:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
• Days of work vary and include every other weekend and holidays.

Pay

$24.54 – $31.43 per hour ($51,239 – $65,625 annually).

Eligible candidates may receive a hiring incentive up to $2,500.

Benefits

• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• 12 paid holidays each year.
• Low-cost medical, dental, vision, and prescription-drug plans.
• Fertility care, including IVF, and diabetes care.
• Dental and orthodontic care for adults and children.
• 6 weeks paid leave for parents of newborn or newly adopted children.
• Pension plan providing income after three years of service.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Tax-free expense accounts for health, dental, and dependent care.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for work/life support, including mental-health, relationship, grief, financial, and legal challenges, plus daily-living/convenience services.
• Training, classes, and professional development.
• Potential eligibility for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.