Mental Health Worker I​/II

Mental Health Worker I/II This position is assigned to a locked inpatient Psychiatric Health Facility, Sempervirens. Sempervirens is a trauma-informed organization dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality psychiatric care to adults. The facility is licensed to serve up to sixteen adult patients admitted on a voluntary or involuntary basis due to acute psychiatric symptoms involving danger to self, danger to others, or grave disability.

Staff work as part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team in a structured setting that prioritizes safety, dignity, and recovery.

Job Highlights:

• Assist licensed nurses with patient’s activities of daily living
• Participate in the management of assaultive behavior
• Maintain accurate and complete safety checks of all patients and the environment every 15 minutes, as assigned.

Work Location: This position is located at 720 Wood Steet in Eureka, CA.

Work Hours: The schedule for this position varies; 12-hour shifts plus a 4-hour shift. The day shift is  and the night shift is .

Definition

Under general supervision, provides non-professional nursing care and out- or in-patient support for mentally disabled patients; performs related work as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Mental Health Worker I is the entry level class in this specialist support class. Initially under close supervision, incumbents learn departmental and treatment policies and procedures. This class is alternately staffed with Mental Health Worker II and incumbents may advance to the higher level after gaining experience and demonstrating proficiency which meet the qualifications of the higher level class.

Mental Health Worker II is an experienced class responsible for providing services to mental health patients in an out- or inpatient setting under the direction of a mental health professional. Responsibilities include extensive contact with mentally ill patients and effective follow-up. This class is distinguished from Mental Health Clinician and Psychiatric Technician classes in that the latter are licensed classes providing professional clinical patient care and treatment.

• Assists patients with personal hygiene activities.
• Observes and charts vital signs, collects samples for routine lab tests, and ensures that treatment rooms are set up for examinations and treatment.
• Assists in managing assaultive behavior of patients and assists with placing difficult patients in seclusion and/or restraints, as required by treatment staff.
• Provides supportive services in a psychiatric health facility or a day treatment center including facilitating various groups and activities such as exercise and art; monitors patient adjustment and progress.
• Performs crisis intervention, in person and over the phone, to provide support and assistance in problem resolution and coordinates or arranges for the provision of needed services.
• Documents behavior in patient charts.
• Confers with treatment staff regarding patient needs and ways of improving staff's ability to impact on patient.
• Performs driving, facility or house cleaning, cooking and other household living tasks for mental health patients.
• Coordinates food ordering and recordkeeping for patients.
• May serve as case coordinator for assigned patients or clients.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and techniques related to facilitating groups and activities and care of the mentally ill.
• Basic concepts of mental and emotional disturbances and mental deficiencies.
• Basic medical and nursing terminology and concepts related to basic mental health care. Community resources providing assistance to the mentally ill.
• Business arithmetic.
• Recordkeeping principles and practices.
• Household management and personal care activities.

Skill in:

• Providing support for the mentally disabled in out- or inpatient settings.
• Assisting in managing assaultive behavior, and responding promptly to patient emergency situations.
• Taking effective action to control potentially violent incidents, as directed by treatment staff.
• Observing and accurately describing patient behavior and activities.
• Maintaining accurate records and files.
• Preparing clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials under…