Mental Health Specialist Details

Mental Health Specialist

Behavioral Health -Navos - Seattle, WA

Employment Type : Full-Time

Job DetailsJob ID: 88714 Location: Seattle, WA Entity: Behavioral Health -Navos Category: Behavioral Health Specialty: Not Applicable Department: Admin BHS Employment Type: Part Time - Regular Primary Shift: Day Work Schedule: Shift: Day, 7a-3:30pm
***Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) highly encouraged to apply!***

About the Company
The mission of Navos is to improve the quality of life of people vulnerable to mental illness by providing a broad continuum of trauma informed care with a focus on recovery and resilience. Navos responds to the needs of people with mental illness in King County. Services are targeted to those who live at or near poverty, often as a result of their mental illness. Navos is committed to embracing equity and inclusiveness in everything we do. Our efforts are intentional, deliberate, and a fundamental part of the everyday expectation for working at Navos.

About the Position
As part of a multidisciplinary team, the Mental Health Specialists provide general therapeutic procedures and personal care service for patients admitted to an acute care psychiatric treatment facility.

The Mental Health Specialist (MHS) functions as part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary treatment team responsible for providing a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients and assist with the provision of basic patient care and recovery needs under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. The MHS provides and documents interventions in a variety of modalities individually matched to the needs of each patient. The incumbent provides group as well as individual interaction with patients receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment in adherence with established treatment guidelines and agency policies and procedures.

Position Functions & Responsibilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

– Assists with maintaining a safe and hazard free environment by observing and documenting patient behavior, conducting patient room searches, reporting unsafe conditions and applying appropriate emotional and physical support.
– Performs or assists with the admission of new patients by gathering routine information for nursing assessment, searches patients and belongings for contraband, documents belongings and other appropriate information.
– Orients the patient and patient's family to the facility and the policies and procedures.
– Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team.
– Assists with initiating and contributing to patient treatment planning, teaching and discharge planning.
– Participates in patient care team conferences by sharing observations of patient's progress toward identified goals and assists the RN with the development, evaluation, and revision of patient care plans.
– Collaborates with therapy team to develop and implement groups that support the recovery process and enhance patient goal attainment
– Participates in the implementation of treatment plans which clearly identify the patient’s voice, treatment strategies, and specific outcome measures
– Meets unit documentation standards
– Tailors effective interventions to meet diverse patient diagnostic and cultural needs
– Provides person-centered advocacy for patients as needed and directed by the care team
Assists with milieu management by being present with patients on the unit and assisting as needed with daily activities
– Contributes to the success of the organization by meeting organizational competency expectations and core values, continuously learning, and by performing other duties as needed or assigned
– Adheres to MHS Attendance and Punctuality Policy and Procedure standards. Maintains reliable attendance.


Position Requirements

Skills, Education, & Experience:

• Washington State Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration.
• CNA License OR Bachelors Degree in Behavior Sciences required OR High School Diploma or equivalent with two-year experience in a psychiatric/medical setting required.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification and King County Food Handlers Permit.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all matters.
• National provider identifier (NPI).

Supervisory Responsibilities:
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Requirements & Disclosure of Risks:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Patient care delivery involves lifting, pushing, pulling, twisting, and stooping requiring upper and lower body strength. Lifting up to 50 lbs. may be required without assistance. Must be able to manipulate small tools.

Personal Traits & Qualifications:
Possess the knowledge, values, attitude and skills to create a trauma-informed, safe, trusting healing environment that respects the perspectives and experiences of the individuals, families, staff and communities we serve with safety and healing.

– Ability to recognize when a patient is having an adverse reaction to medication and report it in a timely manner to the Registered Nurse.
– Ability to utilize de-escalation techniques to assist patients with behavioral challenges
– Ability to assess a patient that can possibly hurt himself/herself and others and report this information to the Registered Nurse, and has the ability to assist with restraints and seclusion.
– Interpersonal skills to acquire the trust of the patients and respond appropriately in a crisis situation.
– Ability to utilize the principles of group dynamics when co-leading a group to facilitate the development of social, behavioral, and communication skills among group members.
– Knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit.
– Knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient's status and provide care as described in the department's policies and procedures manual.
– Ability to respond to patients with empathy, maintaining their dignity and confidentiality
– Knowledge of and skill in the use of personal computer and related systems and software
– Skill in good interpersonal, oral, and written communications
– Skill in time management
– Ability to interact with a wide variety of people, communicates effectively verbally and in writing, possesses strong interpersonal skills, and demonstrates kind and collaborative behavior.
– Ability to work within the structure of a multidisciplinary team.
– Ability to maintain confidentiality.
– Ability to represent the department in a positive and professional manner.

• Ability to effectively coordinate, perform, and complete multiple duties and assignments concurrently and in a timely manner.