Mental Health Specialist

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

8h

About The Position

The Mental Health Specialist provides direct care to children and adolescents experiencing behavioral challenges or mental health diagnoses, in accordance with individual treatment plans. Working 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 facilitating therapeutic patient groups. The specialist continually monitors the department milieu and patient spaces for hazards and patient safety concerns, and may use therapeutic approaches to support de-escalation and behavioral modification or management. The position may float to support mental health patients across the continuum of care, including locations 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 who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Patients have an average stay of five to seven days and receive care from an interdisciplinary team. The department emphasizes teamwork, open and respectful communication, learning, professional growth, and excellent care for patients and families.

Requirements

• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• 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 patient care to children and adolescents with behavioral challenges or mental health diagnoses according to individual treatment plans.
• Under the direction of a Registered Nurse, assist with ongoing collection of information about patients’ physical, psychological, and safety status.
• May help patients establish daily therapeutic goals or facilitate therapeutic patient groups.
• Continually monitor the department milieu and patient spaces for hazards and patient safety concerns.
• Use a therapeutic approach to assist with de-escalation or behavioral modification and management when appropriate.
• May float to provide care and support for mental health patients across the care continuum, including outside the inpatient mental health unit within the Children’s Minnesota system.

Benefits

• Medical benefits may be available.
• Dental benefits may be available.
• Vision benefits may be available.
• Retirement benefits may be available.
• Other fringe benefits may be available.
• 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