Mental Health Assistant

Comprehensive Healthcare • Kennewick, WA

1d

About The Position

Comprehensive Healthcare provides behavioral health and integrated healthcare services to clients of all ages through a collaborative, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented environment. The Mental Health Assistant interacts with clients in crisis and provides supportive services under close supervision of Mental Health Professionals. The position gathers, assesses, and documents information from clients and referents about current concerns and relevant history; supports crisis staff with referrals, crisis planning, and placement at the appropriate level of care; and, when assigned to the acute care team, responds to crisis calls, conducts community outreach, and provides follow-up contacts.

The role may involve working with children, youth, young adults, and older adults; crisis evaluation and intervention; service documentation; and crisis outreach. The assistant may accompany Crisis Outreach Professionals into the community, monitor detained clients awaiting transportation, support arrangements for transportation and other logistics, answer crisis line calls, coordinate follow-up with treatment teams, and provide English/Spanish translation services as needed.

The stated schedule is Monday and Tuesday, 2:00 p.m.–10:30 p.m., and Thursday and Saturday, 10:00 p.m.–6:30 a.m.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• One year of work experience.
• Must be eligible for registration as an Agency Affiliated Counselor.
• Valid driver's license and vehicle liability insurance.

Responsibilities

• Collect, assess, and document information from clients and referents about current concerns and relevant history.
• Facilitate referrals, assist with crisis plan development, and coordinate placement at the appropriate level of care.
• When assigned to the acute care team, respond to crisis calls, conduct community outreach, and provide follow-up contacts.
• Apply knowledge of development and behavioral health problems in children, youth, and young adults; communicate with them at differing ages and developmental levels.
• Work with confidentiality, consent, and capacity issues, and collaborate with families, caregivers, and community and natural supports.
• Use appropriate crisis intervention techniques to stabilize clients; screen for risk to self, others, or property and for grave disability; and make appropriate referrals.
• Document, report, or notify as required by law; apply QPRT principles in risk assessment and safety and treatment planning; develop and document safety plans.
• Apply knowledge of normal aging, age-related changes, neurocognitive disorders, and how medical issues can affect mental status.
• Complete required service notes according to agency guidelines, policies, and procedures, ensuring notes are timely, respectful, clear, concise, client-centered, and consistent with the clinician’s scope of practice and treatment plan.
• Accompany Crisis Outreach Professionals on calls outside the office, including to residences, jails, nursing homes, and schools.
• Monitor detained clients awaiting transportation and assist Crisis Outreach Professionals with arranging transportation, delivering papers, and making phone calls.
• Make initial contact with referents and clients to gather information about presenting problems.
• Provide referrals and arrange appropriate follow-up when needed; provide follow-up as directed by crisis staff.
• Respond to outreach requests with Crisis Outreach Professionals to assist and support safety.
• Follow up with clients admitted to a Stabilization Bed to monitor symptoms and arrange discharge.
• Notify treatment teams of crisis contacts involving their assigned clients and coordinate follow-up contact and stabilization plans.
• Answer Open Line and Crisis Line calls, screen for risk, make appropriate referrals, and consult with Crisis Outreach Professionals.
• Review after-hours call center reports to determine whether follow-up contact or referral to the assigned treatment team is needed.
• Provide English/Spanish translation services for clients as needed.

Benefits

• Training and development, including regular training, support, supervision, and consultation.
• Career opportunities across a range of settings, with potential for mobility and promotion.
• Healthcare coverage for the employee and qualified family members.
• Vacation, paid holiday, and sick leave.
• Employee Assistance Program services.
• Agency-funded retirement plan with contributions equal to 5% of compensation.
• Additional retirement investment opportunities with a 50% investment match of up to 4% of compensation.
• Agency-funded life and disability insurance.
• Financial incentives to further employee education.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED