Mental Health Associate - Community Behavioral Health

Position Summary:
Provides care to adults with behavioral/emotional/mental health problems.

Qualifications:
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's Degree in in the field(s) of psychology, social work, or related field required.

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
If hired after August 1, 2019 must possess and maintain Crisis Prevention (CPI) certification within 3 months of hire/start date.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Use of usual and customary equipment used to perform essential functions of the position.
Work may occasionally require travel to other UPH facilities/hospitals.
Required to drive your own vehicle for business purposes.

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Required English Skills,Advanced reading skills, Advanced writing skills, Advanced oral skills. Communication Skills, Ability to respond, appropriately to customer/co-worker, Interaction with a wide variety of people, Maintain confidential information, Ability to communicate only the facts to recipients or to decline to reveal information, Ability to project a professional, friendly, helpful demeanor, Computer Skills, Basic computer knowledge: Uses word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail application, and web browser. Comfortable within a Windows OS and learning new applications.

Essential Functions:

• Assessment and Treatment Planning: Assists the interdisciplinary treatment team in patient assessment and the development and implementation of the plan of care ensure individualized, goal-directed treatment. Obtains pertinent information from referral sources seeking patient admission; assists in facilitating admissions. Completes admission assessments (except for nursing components) Ensures compliance with legal components of admissions (voluntary/involuntary admissions, patients' rights, obtaining releases of information, 5-day request for release) Maintains sound knowledge base of advanced directivesAdministers/scores assessment scales per protocol. Participates in interdisciplinary clinical staffing's or ensures pertinent information is provided to team. Develops, reviews, and revises plan of care on assigned patients. Completes required documentation as appropriate including assessment scales. Addresses the patient's strengths, impairments and interventions identified in the plan of care to achieve expected patient outcomes.
• Therapeutic groups and individual therapies: Provides group and individual therapies for all patients as assigned in order to provide comprehensive, quality treatment. Facilitates individual therapy sessions, structured therapy groups and psychoeducational groups in accordance with the patient's plan of care. Utilizes a variety of therapeutic models as appropriate to the clinical situation, but primarily has a brief therapy/cognitive behavioral therapy focus. Ensures the milieu maintains a therapeutic environment. Incorporates Recovery principles in all therapeutic interventions. Documents interventions in a succinct and goal directed manner using DAIR format. Recognizes and reports abuse/neglect situations as required by law. Provides support, sets limits, and/or facilitates learning from the situation when providing situational 1:1 interventions. Adheres to group rules and scheduled groups start and end on time. Follows group content outlines in group manual and individualizes groups to needs of current patient population. Engages patients to participate of all patients as appropriate in community meetings. Interacts with parents/significant others to answer programming questions, patient progress, etc.
• Therapeutic environment and safety focus: Assists in the creation and maintenance of a therapeutic milieu so that the unit is a safe, caring, nurturing, healing, and educative environment. Sets behavioral limits on patients according to unit policies, individual plan of care and behavior modification plans. De-escalates patients utilizing CPI techniques. Participates in application of seclusion/restraints when appropriate; provides monitoring of patients in such situation; completes appropriate documentation, including restriction of rights forms. Provides supportive care to patients and families. Conducts safety rounds. Assists patients in conflict resolution. Role models stress management. Ensures patient safety of unit by following policies/procedures and adhering to unit protocols and national patient safety goals
• Performance improvement focus: Assists in Performance Improvement activities on unit. Actively promotes and achieves customer satisfaction ( patient, family, departments and physicians) Generates ideas for improving processes, treatment, and patient care. Participates in Root Cause Analysis and assists in development of action plans and implementation of action plans. Serves on unit-based committees. Precepts new employees. Follows through on assignments generated by Nurse Manager or unit committees. Volunteers for assignments which are designed to affect needed changes.