Mental Health Technician

Lehigh Valley Health Network•Bethlehem, PA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Technician assists with planning and implementing individual patient care and therapeutic milieu groups to support treatment of psychiatric inpatients. The role provides direct care to patients, including mental health support for children and adults, and assists with intakes as required. The technician performs treatment and diagnostic procedures such as EKGs, phlebotomy, blood sugar checks, and bladder scans. The position documents patient interactions and maintains complete records for staff and authorities involved in decision-making. Patient care activities are performed in collaboration with and under the direction of an RN. The position is onsite at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg, with a day-shift schedule of 7:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m., full-time, including every third weekend and holiday rotation.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and at least one year of experience in a related human-services field, such as healthcare, social services, criminal justice, education, or pastoral care; or at least one year of completed college credits, preferably in psychology, sociology, social work, special education, nursing, healthcare administration, or medicine.
For candidates with less than one year of experience: at least six months of direct-care experience that includes individual and group counseling skills; acute behavioral healthcare or behavioral education experience is preferred. Direct-care experience may include formal internship or clinical practicum experience.
Alternatively, one year of experience in behavioral health.
Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and adapt readily to emergency situations.
Ability to speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Ability to use reasoning to solve problems.
Ability to recognize others’ reactions and understand possible causes.
Knowledge of mental health and/or substance abuse.
Individual and group counseling skills.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association upon hire.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, education, nursing, medicine, or healthcare administration.
At least one year of direct-care experience with individual and group counseling skills in an acute behavioral healthcare setting.
Previous direct-care experience in a behavioral health setting and working knowledge of mental health technician practices.

Responsibilities

Document client behaviors observed during the shift and enter notes into electronic medical records.
Accept emergency and crisis calls; respond to first-responder needs by telephone and triage calls based on intensity, service needs, timing, and staff assignment.
Assist patients with physical care and hygiene.
Support activities of daily living, align interactions with treatment-plan goals and interventions, and follow unit-specific guidelines.
Study current relevant literature and present findings to staff annually.
Demonstrate at least one behavior supporting the professional practice model, such as clinical supervision, committee participation, performance-improvement monitoring, coordinating scheduling, patient-care-committee measurement, patient-satisfaction follow-up, or peer review.
Maintain competencies in accordance with established procedures and department- or unit-specific assessment criteria.
Provide input for developing and revising treatment plans and perform treatment and diagnostic procedures.
Pursue personal and professional growth through continuing education and self-directed learning.
Participate as a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team and contribute to others’ professional learning, including serving as a resource for students.
Assist with orientation of new personnel and support the professional practice model.
Perform patient care activities in collaboration with and under the direction of an RN.