Mental Health Specialist-1

Responsible for

Delivers paraprofessional mental health care under direct supervision.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Facilitates or co-facilitates the therapeutic group process.
• Applies effective communication techniques in collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team and in interacting with clients and significant others in therapeutic relationships.
• Affords clients support in structuring their lives in a therapeutic manner.
• Serves as an active member of the mental health team, taking into account the developmental age of the client (as determined and directed by the master treatment plan).
• Provides community-based mental health care, ensuring safety and respecting patients' rights and comfort.
• Utilizes the master treatment plan for assistance in identifying and implementing developmental age-appropriate interventions with clients.
• Intervenes appropriately utilizing the master treatment plan, supporting and reinforcing appropriate behavior while negatively reinforcing and setting limits for inappropriate behavior.
• Identifies and applies de-escalation techniques to manage potential aggressive behavior.
• Implements appropriate interventions and documents clients’ responses in the medical record.
• Identifies and intervenes with thought patterns and behaviors associated with different psychiatric diagnoses and developmental ages.
• Assists family members and other supportive individuals in accordance with program standards.
• Performs basic medical tasks such as obtaining and documenting vital signs, collecting samples, weighing clients, witnessing controlled substance waste, and obtaining blood glucose levels.
• Assists clients in their activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, eating, and ambulation) as needed.
• May transport and supervise clients to appointments and activities.
• Organizes and facilitates specific recreation, physical fitness, and age-appropriate leisure time activities.
• Answers the phone and responds to all calls, including Helpline calls, in an appropriate and professional manner.

Physical Requirements

• Heavy/hard work: Requires strength and/or stamina, lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, standing, walking, and occasionally physical restraint of a client.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• Inpatient setting or work within homes and living spaces of community-based clientele.

Skills And Abilities

• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Capable of working under highly stressful conditions and adapting to varying workloads and assignments.
• Able to make sound, independent judgments based on scientific principles and collaborate effectively with other multi-disciplinary team members.