Mental Health Counselor, MHU

Heywood Hospital•Gardner, MA

6d•$27 - $35

About The Position

The Mental Health Counselor works in the Mental Health Unit and provides admission intakes, individual and group therapies. The counselor participates in planning, implementing, and evaluating the Patient Therapy program and collaborates with other healthcare disciplines to provide psychiatric services to clients. This is a per-diem position with hours that vary based on unit needs. The role includes gathering and evaluating patient information, assessing patient needs and condition, developing initial treatment plans, coordinating care with providers and multidisciplinary teams, delivering and documenting therapies, and supporting case management. The counselor may also help supervise students and interns and is expected to pursue professional growth and share knowledge with team members.

Requirements

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Human Services, or a related field.
At least 1 year of clinical experience in the Human Services field.
Evidence of effective personal interactions with a wide range of patients and caregivers.
Physical and mental health sufficient to meet the demands of the position.
AHA BLS certification required, or must be obtained within 90 days of hire.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Gather and evaluate relevant patient information from interviews and other available sources.
Ensure patient exams, tests, and procedures are consistent with patient needs and orders; identify variations from expected findings and inform the charge nurse.
Assess and reassess patient condition and prioritize requests based on the request and patient situation.
Plan and provide patient education, involving family, significant others, or friends when appropriate.
Coordinate and communicate with healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care; delegate to other healthcare professionals when appropriate.
Work with departmental and healthcare team members to complete assignments and support comprehensive case management.
Collect patient information from available resources to formulate a comprehensive database and initial treatment plan.
Coordinate care with the patient care provider, outpatient providers, and other services.
Participate in multidisciplinary treatment planning to ensure care meets identified patient needs.
Respond to assigned case management within Heywood Hospital for differential diagnostics, treatment planning, and disposition.
Identify insurance and obtain approval or referrals for services provided.
Provide individual and group therapies according to Mental Health Unit standards and identified patient needs.
Document interventions and patient responses according to established policies and procedures.
Support Mental Health Unit staff in supervising students and interns to meet performance and documentation standards.
Seek professional growth experiences and share learning with team members.