MENTAL HEALTH TECH I -

About the role

Department: Behavioral Svcs at MATS Center. Position Summary: Provide child, adolescent, or adult patient care in a treatment or educational milieu; assist in the maintenance of a safe, secure environment that enhances treatment and/or educational effectiveness. May operate in an in‑patient/residential environment, or in outreach environment, such as in homes, schools, and/or community agencies. Ensure adherence to Hospitals and departmental policies and procedures. Patient care assignment may include neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric age groups.

Responsibilities

• Provide care to patient in a manner that considers and promotes safety, comfort, and the therapeutic environment
• Provide education and training specific to individual patient needs, abilities, learning preferences and readiness; provide educational resources to patients and/or family members in coordination with treatment team
• Chart observations and other required documentation on assigned patients, behaviors, following prescribed procedures and standards; chart according to treatment plan; use electronic medical record when required
• Assist with the physical needs of patients; may include taking manual vital signs, weights, and urine, stool, and sputum specimens as designated
• Assist patients with activities of daily living; attend to patient behavioral problems and provide assistance and coordination in crisis intervention as needed
• Participate in the development, coordination and implementation of patient treatment programs
• Maintain confidentiality of patient records, adhering to HIPAA guidelines
• In collaboration with treatment team, may act as liaison with other departments, staff and patients
• Transport patients to and from appointments, clinics, laboratories, and/or treatments
• Work with other multi‑disciplinary team members to lead milieu activities such as activities of daily living, current events, goals and fitness groups; community meetings, school and/or recreational activities as appropriate
• Attend and participate in group sessions, in‑service education, and staff meetings
• Process patient admission and registration as appropriate
• Demonstrate proficiency in utilizing and accessing appropriate computer and information system
• Ensure and monitor that the Crisis Response Team is adequately staffed per shift as appropriate and assigned
• Participate as a member of the Crisis Response Team responding to calls related to psychiatric services or assessed as a psychiatric crisis; assist staff with patients in crisis; assist with transports of psychiatric patients
• May perform phlebotomy duties as assigned
• In collaboration with treatment team, may act as liaison with other hospitals, law enforcement agencies and families of patients
• Provides staff training in coordination with Behavioral Health Education as directed by management; may include BLS, CPI and/or First Aid instruction
• Coordinate, lead, and/or train mental health and/or other patient care staff, as assigned and appropriate, in the performance of day‑to‑day patient assistance duties
• Provide direction and coordination to staff as assigned and appropriate
• Act as communication liaison to supervisor/charge nurse to report unit issues and provide end‑of‑shift report
• Complete order entry of lab work, x‑rays and/or other patient procedures as designated
• Oversees the logistics and functioning of assigned units to assure a therapeutic milieu
• Act as preceptor for staff as assigned and designated by management
• In collaboration with Behavioral Health Education or designated staff, may develop a staff or patient training/education course or group, or teach an existing/ongoing course or group as directed
• Monitor completion and accuracy of charting, cleaning and other unit duties as designated
• Assist patients to regain behavior control; escort patients to safe area using least restrictive means possible; apply restraints as needed; assist with administration of emergency medications and daily living activities
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested
• Follow and maintain established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, and quality assurance program, safety, environmental and infection control standards
• Enhance professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, reading current literature, attending in‑services, meetings and workshops
• Follow patient safety‑related policies, procedures and protocols
• Demonstrate proactive approach to patient safety by seeking opportunities to improve patient safety through questioning of current policies and processes
• Ident