Mental Health Tech | Behavioral Health | PRN Days

About the Role

The Mental Health Technician is responsible for providing a safe and structured therapeutic milieu, including monitoring individual and/or group counseling with Behavioral Health/Psychiatric Services inpatients. This role models appropriate behavior as exemplified in MLH Mission, Vision, and Values, contributing to a compassionate and excellence-driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Participates in admission and discharge processes and orients patients and families to the psychiatric unit.
• Performs clerical and data entry activities related to patient care.
• Provides high-quality patient care and assists Mental Health Counselors by contributing to the interdisciplinary treatment planning process through communicating observations, suggesting interventions, and participating in patient care-related meetings.
• Leads recreational, leisure, and skills activities.
• Maintains unit orderliness, safety, and supplies according to unit safety policies.
• Documents patient interactions, including clinical interventions, patient's progress, and quality improvement activities.
• Utilizes and maintains effective communication systems within Psychiatric Services and with other units and departments of Methodist Health Systems.
• Assists and/or provides patients with personal care, ADLs, and basic needs under the direct supervision of the licensed nurse.
• Maintains a safe, clean, and orderly environment.
• Performs other job functions as assigned or requested.

Requirements

• Associate’s Degree in Behavioral Science (Required).
• Bachelor’s Degree (Preferred).
• High School Diploma or Equivalent (Preferred).
• Experience in a behavioral health treatment environment (Preferred).
• HEARTSAVER certification from the American Heart Association (Required).
• BASIC LIFE SUPPORT certification from the American Heart Association (Preferred).

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of basic medical terminology (Preferred).
• Proficiency in basic computer functions and operations; previous keyboard experience or computer education (Preferred).
• Skill in interpersonal relations, communications, and application of principles and concepts of human behavior and abnormal psychology.
• Ability to react quickly to emergency situations and de-escalate tense, potentially violent situations involving patients who may be delusional, aggressive, and/or agitated, according to principles of NVCI and established policy.
• Paraprofessional clinical skills, including taking vital signs, temperature/pulse/respiration, assisting with bed/bath, ADLs, CPR, and NVCI.
• Ability to record, analyze, and report mental status, special precautions (suicidality, homicidality, elopement), physical problems/medical acuity (withdrawal, nutritional needs), and ethnic concerns (social, religious, cultural needs).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including clear speech, acceptable pronunciation, spelling, grammar, and telephone etiquette.
• Ability to tolerate verbal abuse without loss of control.
• Ability to provide individual counseling and facilitate group counseling.
• Ability to perform basic arithmetic calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).

Physical Demands

• Occasional exposure to violent and physically aggressive patients.
• Physical activities include climbing, pushing, standing, hearing, walking, reaching, grasping, kneeling, stooping, and repetitive motion.
• Must have good balance and coordination.
• Medium work: exerting up to 50 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 200 lbs. unassisted and 300 lbs. with assistance.
• Close visual acuity required, including color, depth perception, and field of vision for assessing patients, preparing data, and extensive reading.
• Frequent invasive and non-invasive patient contact.
• Exposure to patient body fluids and hazardous or poisonous materials.
• Occasional travel outside the facility.
• Annual TB skin test, CPR, and NVCI certification required.