Behavioral Health Associate- Full Time- Day Shift

Summit BHC

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Associate I works under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse as an integral part of the multidisciplinary treatment team. This role is responsible for monitoring and reporting of patient behaviors, providing continuous patient care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling. The associate will assist in patient data collection, recording, and maintenance, and respond in crisis situations and medical emergencies as needed. The position ensures the wellbeing of patients and provides a safe, positive, supportive, and structured environment under the direction of the charge nurse or supervisor. This role requires maintaining constant awareness and supervision of patients, assisting clients with activities of daily living, conducting safety checks, and checking patients for contraband while managing their valuables and belongings. The associate will interact routinely with patients, observe behaviors, and communicate significant observations to the supervisor. They will engage with patients in activities and interactions designed to encourage achievement of treatment goals and facilitate patient educational-rehabilitative groups covering topics like social skills, coping skills, and independent living skills. Additionally, the role involves taking and recording vital signs, charting in patient records, applying de-escalation techniques, assisting with seclusion and restraints when necessary, and aiding with unit cleaning, organization, and the discharge process. The associate will also initiate patient/employee incident reports and provide or coordinate patient transportation. Receiving and giving shift reports is also a key responsibility.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent required.
CPR and de-escalation and restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).
First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

Nice To Haves

Six months or more experience working with the specific population of the facility preferred.
Knowledge of common psychiatric disorders and/or dual diagnosis and various treatment modalities of the population served preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensures the wellbeing of patients and provides a safe, positive, supportive, and structured environment, under direction of charge nurse or supervisor.
Maintains a constant awareness and supervision of patients.
Assists clients with activities of daily living, such as toileting, bathing, dressing, grooming, oral hygiene, meals, snacks, hydration and changing bed linens.
Conducts safety checks, ensuring that supervision is conducted at intervals in accordance with individualized supervision guidelines.
Checks patients for contraband and manages the patient’s valuables and belongings.
Interacts routinely with patients, observes behaviors and communicates significant observations to supervisor.
Engages with patient in activities and interactions designed to encourage achievement of treatment goals.
Facilitates patient educational-rehabilitative groups which cover a variety of topics including social skills, coping skills and independent living skills.
Takes and records vital signs properly and communicates significant changes in patient’s condition to the clinical team.
Charts in patient records timely, accurately, and appropriately.
Applies de-escalation techniques to help manage patient’s emotions, behavior and participation in treatment and assists with seclusion and restraints when necessary.
Assists with unit cleaning, organization of new admits charts, discharge process, filing, etc.
Initiates patient/employee incident reports.
Provides transfer or transportation for patients or coordinates transportation with appropriate staff members as required.
Receives report from previous shift to utilize information in planning shifts; give accurate and thorough report to oncoming shift.