Mental Health Specialist

Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota • St. Paul, MN

6d

About The Position

The Mental Health Specialist provides direct care to children and adolescents with behavioral challenges or mental health diagnoses, following each patient’s individual treatment plan. Under the direction of a Registered Nurse, the specialist helps collect ongoing information about patients’ physical, psychological, and safety status. The role may include helping patients establish daily therapeutic goals and participating in therapeutic patient groups.

The specialist continually monitors the unit environment and patient spaces for hazards and safety concerns. Using a therapeutic approach, they may assist with de-escalation and behavioral modification or management. The position may float to support mental health patients across the care continuum, including areas outside the inpatient mental health unit within the Children’s Minnesota system.

The St. Paul Mental Health Unit has 22 beds and serves patients ages 6 to 18 experiencing a mental health crisis. Patients typically stay five to seven days and receive care from interdisciplinary teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.
• Education and experience providing gender-, culture-, and age-appropriate care.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to display a professional attitude in all aspects of performance.
• Ability to develop rapport with a wide variety of patients and families.

Nice To Haves

• One year of experience working with patients in a pediatric healthcare setting.
• Experience working with children with behavioral dysregulation, autism, intellectual or cognitive impairments, or developmental delays.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct care to children and adolescents with behavioral challenges or mental health diagnoses according to individual treatment plans.
• Under a Registered Nurse’s direction, assist in collecting ongoing data about patients’ physical, psychological, and safety status.
• Help patients establish daily therapeutic goals and participate in facilitating therapeutic patient groups as appropriate.
• Continuously monitor the department milieu and patient spaces for hazards and patient safety concerns.
• Use therapeutic approaches to assist with de-escalation and behavioral modification or management when appropriate.
• Float as needed to support mental health patients across the care continuum, including outside the inpatient mental health unit within the Children’s Minnesota system.

Benefits

• Medical benefits
• Dental benefits
• Vision benefits
• Retirement benefits
• Other fringe benefits
• Shift differentials or premium pay may be available for positions requiring night, weekend, or on-call work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time