Mental Health Associate - Addiction Recovery Center

Carle Health•Peoria, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Associate works with the treatment team to ensure complete coordination of the patient treatment plan from admission through discharge. This role involves assisting in patient assessments, developing goal-directed treatment plans, and providing comprehensive services to patients within an addiction recovery center. The associate is responsible for accurate documentation, providing emergency assistance when necessary, and working with patients who have co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. A key aspect of the role is maintaining a safe, caring, and therapeutic environment, facilitating educational sessions and therapeutic groups, and incorporating recovery principles into all interventions.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in related field.
Certified Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor (CADC) Must possess and maintain a current certification from Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association within three years of hire/start date.
Must have control over personal use of all mood-altering chemicals and behaviors.
If recovering from an addiction, must currently have a minimum of 2 years of uninterrupted recovery and must actively treat this addiction by appropriate recovery practices.
Use of usual and customary equipment used to perform essential functions of the position.
Advanced reading skills
Advanced writing skills
Advanced oral 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
Basic computer knowledge: Uses word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail application, and web browser.
Comfortable within a Windows OS and learning new applications.

Responsibilities

Assists the interdisciplinary treatment team in patient assessments and the development of goal-directed treatment.
Works with the treatment team to provide complete services to patients.
Accurately documents activities according to the policies and procedures of the IIAR.
Is knowledgeable of and capable of providing emergency assistance in regard to inappropriate acting out behavior by any patient. Always attempts to utilize verbal redirection, interaction of other staff, utilization of quiet room, etc. before instituting emergency measures such as Security Alerts, restraints, etc.
Is knowledgeable and capable of working with patients who present a dual problem, Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorder.
Is knowledgeable of and appropriately institutes the daily program format on the adult. Guides activities on the daily schedule to provide optimum treatment while instilling a sense of positive empowerment to patients.
Provides that all patient contact and interaction is based upon inherent dignity, individuality, culture and beliefs of each patient. Patient care is provided in a compassionate, humane, and non-enabling manner.
Provides patient care with attention/knowledge of age specific care.
Conducts Addiction Assessments including but not limited to patient rights, obtaining releases of information, advanced directives, etc.)
Participates in interdisciplinary clinical staffing or ensures pertinent information is provided to team
Demonstrates Motivational Interviewing skills when working with patients.
Serves as the witness for RNs when wasting medication.
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
Provides group and individual therapies for all patients as assigned in order to provide comprehensive, quality treatment.
Facilitates educational sessions, structured 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 DAR 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
Gives accurate, objective data during report to oncoming shift in supplement to RN report.