Mental Health Technician

ABOUT US:

Formerly Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital, SRBHH was opened in 2016 and is regarded as an integral part of the greater Santa Rosa and Northern California mental health system of care. Conveniently located in the North Bay, this hospital consists of 144 acute psychiatric inpatient beds.

Santa Rosa Behavioral Healthcare Hospital (SRBHH) is regarded as an integral part of the greater Santa Rosa and Northern California mental health system of care.

Conveniently located in the North Bay, SRBHH serves adolescents and adults. We treat both mental health and co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse conditions.

POSITION TITLE: Mental Health Technician (Assessment & Referral)

PAY RANGE: $23.50-$27.50 Per Hour

REPORTS TO: Director of Assessment and Referral

SHIFT: NOC

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

The Mental Health Worker provides direct patient care to all patients with emotional or psychiatric disorders, supports therapeutic milieu, ensures safety and well-being of patients and carries out general nursing assistance necessary to treatment of adolescents, adults, or older adult patients as assigned. The Mental Health Worker is the primary person responsible for the safety of the unit milieu. Environmental safety rounds are required each shift and ongoing safety assessments including securing contraband found within the milieu will be completed by the Mental Health Worker. Safety Observations are required to be documented and recorded in the patient’s medical record as ordered by the psychiatric provider or under the direction of the Registered Nurse. The Mental Health Technician (I – III) (Assessment and Referral) maintains knowledge of, participates in further training provided, and understands the potential risks regarding occupational health hazards (e.g. bloodborne pathogen exposures).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Treatment Planning: Participate in treatment planning: (a) helps identify patients' problems, needs, and strengths; (b) suggests modifications to treatment plan based on observations of patients' behavior; (c) provides input into discharge planning.
• Patient Care: Participate in implementing patients' treatment plans by: (a) monitoring patients' progress; (b) communicating information regarding patients' behavior to other members of treatment team; c) maintains communication with patient, family members, and referral sources in patients' interests; (d) co-facilitates didactic, educational, and community groups within the context of the adolescent treatment program; (e) encourages and facilitates patients' participation in therapeutic activities; (f) supervises patients to ensure their safety and their involvement in treatment; (g) provides input during shift report.
• Hall Monitor: An important role in the care of the patient includes the assignment as Hall Monitor. The Hall Monitor is responsible for the safety and security of both staff and patients. The Hall Monitor observes the interaction between patients as well as the interactions between staff and patients that occur in the hallway. The Hall Monitor must report all suspicious activity to the appropriate nurse in charge of the unit as soon as possible and also notify unit staff of potential boundary violations.
• Patient Attendant: Accompany and transport patients as assigned. Orient new patients to unit, program, and milieu. Assists patients in carrying out activities of daily living, when congruent with the patients' treatment plan and needs, age, and developmental level. Maintains a safe, orderly, and therapeutic physical environment for patients. Participates in maintaining the therapeutic milieu on the unit, enforces the level system or other methods of behavior management.
• Patient Records: Maintain patient, program, department, and related documentation. Carry out clerical and administrative assignment to support patient care and department and organization operations.
• Training Activities: Complete orientation and competency assessments as required for position. Participate in activities enhancing professional growth and development.
• Assist patients with activities of daily living such as hygiene and toileting.
• Other Duties: Upholds the Organization's ethics and customer service standards. Performs related duties, as requested.

Education/Licensure

• High school, GED, or equivalent required.
• Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification required, or obtained within initial orientation period. 
• Verbal de-escalation and physical intervention program as approved by the CNO.
• English proficiency required.

Knowledge and Experience

• High school level reading and writing skills; legible handwriting
• Familiarity with medical and psychological terminology and human behavior principles preferred
• Basic knowledge of human growth and development helpful
• Experience with therapeutic limit-setting helpful or an understanding of level systems or other behavior management modalities helpful
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries

Skills and Abilities:

• Maintains confidentiality of patients at all times
• Sensitivity to and willingness to interact with persons of various social, cultural, economic and educational backgrounds.
• Skills in teaching or assisting with activities of daily living helpful
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Good judgment, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, expanding environment

Physical Requirements:  

Ability to exercise self-control in potentially volatile situations such as being verbally or physically confronted in a threatening or aggressive manner; must be able to work and concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversation and foot traffic; ability to handle interruptions often and be able to move from one task to another; must be flexible and not easily frustrated in dealing with differences of opinions.

Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, and/or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips. Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken word during activities in which they must convey detail or important spoken instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly. Hearing to perceive the nature of sound with no less than 40 dB loss @ Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz with or without correction; ability to perceive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound. Perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers.

Individual must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and to be able to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Work requires a minimum standard of visual acuity with or without correction that will enable people in the role to complete administrative and clerical tasks and visually observe patients on the unit and in therapeutic activities. While worker may possibly be subjected to temperature changes, the worker is generally not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside.

• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Healthcare Spending Account
• Life Insurance
  (Supplemental Life, Term and Universal plans are also available)
• Short and Long-Term Disability
  (with additional buy-in opportunities)
• PTO Plan with Holiday Premium Pay
• Discounted Cafeteria Meal Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement