Mental Health Tech - Behavioral Health (Full-Time, Days)

Johnson Memorial Hospital•Franklin, IN

About The Position

The Mental Health Tech supports patients’ health and therapeutic treatment plans in a behavioral health setting. The role assists with personal care, observes and documents patients’ behavior and vital signs, monitors food and fluid intake, and completes required visual checks. The Mental Health Tech coordinates and participates in therapeutic activities, supports patients and families, and collaborates with physicians, nurses, and other members of the multidisciplinary team. The position helps maintain patient safety, dignity, privacy, and a clean, comfortable unit. It includes supporting admissions, transfers, and discharges; monitoring visitors; providing line-of-sight or one-to-one support as ordered; reporting safety concerns; and assisting with seclusion, restraints, and emergency care as directed. The role also maintains equipment, completes required training and documentation, and complies with applicable laws, regulations, and Johnson Memorial Health policies and procedures. The schedule is 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., totaling 72 hours per bi-weekly pay period.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Certification as a Nursing Assistant or equivalent on-the-job training specific to the area for a minimum of three months, or previous formal education or work experience in psychology, social work, or human services.
Maintain current BLS or CPR for Healthcare Providers certification.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with their individual therapeutic treatment plans and activities aligned with their diagnoses and needs.
Assist patients with personal care, including oral hygiene, toileting, bathing, dressing, and transferring, as required.
Observe and record patient behaviors, temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and weight.
Monitor and document food and fluid intake and feed patients as required.
Complete and document visual checks every 15 minutes or less, according to unit and facility policy.
Respect patient dignity and values.
Coordinate and supervise therapeutic activities for individual patients and groups according to treatment plans.
Assist with tele-psych equipment as required.
Attend and contribute to therapeutic groups, community meetings, and activities.
Collaborate with physicians, nurses, and multidisciplinary team members.
Document and communicate actions, irregularities, and continuing patient needs to maintain continuity among staff.
Assist with orientation for patients and families.
Check in and document luggage and personal belongings upon admission and maintain patient property lists.
Escort and monitor patients during admissions, transfers, and discharges.
Provide emotional and psychological support to patients, families, and friends.
Monitor visitors and supervise visitation.
Follow safety standards, infection-control policies and protocols, storage procedures, and controlled-substance regulations.
Use hygienic practices and teach patients hygienic practices.
Provide line-of-sight or one-to-one support when ordered by a physician.
Intervene when patients disregard or violate unit safety rules and report signs of aggression, suicidal behavior, elopement risk, smoking-rule violations, or other safety-rule violations.
At the direction of an RN and using approved methods, assist with safely placing patients in seclusion or restraints and observe suicide or seclusion precautions.
Assist with emergency care when necessary.
Maintain patient privacy and confidentiality and protect patient and program information.
Work within ethical standards and attend required in-service training, educational sessions, staff meetings, and competencies.
Complete preventive maintenance requirements for equipment, call for repairs, and evaluate new equipment and techniques.
Adhere to therapeutic standards and assess health outcomes against patient-care goals and regulatory standards.
Provide ongoing feedback to the supervisor about concerns, improvements, and changes.
Help maintain unit cleanliness and neatness for patient comfort.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Communicate and support the Mission and Values of Johnson Memorial Health.
Comply with applicable laws, regulations, standards, and Johnson Memorial Health policies and procedures, including Blood and Body Substance Precautions.