Mental Health Technician

Schuylkill • Bethlehem, PA

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Technician assists in planning and implementing individual patient care and therapeutic milieu groups for psychiatric inpatients, provides direct care, and performs treatment and diagnostic procedures such as EKGs, phlebotomy, blood sugar checks, and bladder scans. The role provides mental health support to children and adults, assists with intakes as required, maintains complete documentation, and performs patient care activities in collaboration with and under the direction of an RN.

The technician documents patient behaviors and interactions in electronic medical records, responds to crisis calls, triages front-line calls, assists patients with physical care and activities of daily living, and contributes input to treatment plans. The role also participates in the multidisciplinary team, continuing education, professional learning, staff orientation, and activities supporting the professional practice model.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Either at least one year of experience in a related human services field, or at least one year of college credits; relevant fields include healthcare, social services, criminal justice, education, pastoral care, psychology, sociology, social work, special education, nursing, healthcare administration, or medicine.
• For the less-than-one-year experience pathway, at least six months of direct care experience involving individual and group counseling skills is required; professional formal internships and clinical practicums may count.
• Alternatively, one year of behavioral health experience.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of patient information and adapt readily to emergency situations.
• Ability to speak clearly, reason through problems, and recognize and understand others' reactions.
• Knowledge of mental health and/or substance abuse.
• Individual and group counseling skills.
• BLS - Basic Life Support from the American Heart Association, required upon hire.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning and implementing individual patient care and therapeutic milieu groups for psychiatric inpatients.
• Provide direct care and mental health support to children and adults, and assist with intakes as required.
• Perform treatment and diagnostic procedures, including EKGs, phlebotomy, blood sugar checks, and bladder scans.
• Document observed client behaviors and interactions in electronic medical records and maintain complete records.
• Accept emergency and crisis calls; respond to first-responder needs by telephone and triage calls according to intensity, service needs, timing, and staff assignment.
• Assist patients with physical care, hygiene, and activities of daily living in accordance with treatment goals, interventions, and unit guidelines.
• Offer input used to formulate and revise treatment plans.
• Perform patient care activities in collaboration with and under the direction of an RN.
• Conduct independent study of relevant literature and present findings to staff annually.
• Demonstrate at least one behavior supporting the care model, such as clinical supervision, committee participation, performance improvement monitoring, scheduling coordination, patient satisfaction follow-up, or peer review.
• Maintain competencies according to established procedures and department- or unit-specific assessment criteria.
• Participate in continuing education and self-directed learning for personal and professional development.
• Participate as a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team, support others' professional learning, and serve as a resource for students.
• Assist with orientation of new personnel and support the professional practice model.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED