Mental Health Worker II, full time 1st shift

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Tewksbury, MA

19d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Mental Health is seeking candidates to provide direct care to individuals by participating in and instructing activities of daily living, including personal care, community integration, and recreation and leisure activities. The role supports patients’ daily and rehabilitation needs while protecting their dignity and human rights. Mental Health Workers interact with patients respectfully, affirm their needs and preferences, and incorporate their perspectives into care. This is a full-time position of 40 hours per week on the first shift, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The listed days off are Wednesday and Thursday. Employees are required to perform mandatory overtime. Base salary does not include shift differential; salary placement depends on factors including directly related experience, education, and the applicable compensation structure. Tewksbury Hospital is a 370-bed facility on a campus of more than 700 acres. Its patient care services are provided under the auspices of the Department of Public Health and the Department of Mental Health. The Joint Commission-accredited long-term acute care hospital provides comprehensive treatment and care to adults with chronic medical and mental illness, with services including nursing, medical and psychiatric care, dialysis, laboratory, radiology, rehabilitation, therapeutic recreation, and pharmacy. The Department of Mental Health’s mission is to assure and provide access to services and supports for people of all ages, establish standards for effective and culturally competent care, promote recovery and self-determination, protect human rights, and support mental health training and research. The position is subject to state requirements concerning COVID-19 and influenza vaccination or applicable mitigation measures. Pre-employment processes include criminal background checks and verification of education, licenses, and certifications.

Requirements

At least one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience providing direct care services to individuals with mental illness or physical disabilities, or an equivalent combination of experience and the specified education substitution.
Ability to follow written and oral instructions.
Capacity to perform basic mathematics.
Ability to gather information through observation and questioning.
Ability to communicate effectively orally, write clearly and concisely, and develop ideas in a logical sequence.
Ability to interact with people under emotional stress and remain calm in stressful or emergency situations.
Depending on assignment, may be required to hold a current, valid motor vehicle driver’s license at the class level specific to the assignment.
Depending on assignment, must obtain and maintain one or more certifications after successfully completing a training program: CPR, first aid, and/or Medication Administration Program (MAP) certification.
Must acknowledge and attest to COVID-19 and influenza vaccination status; vaccination or required mitigation measures apply under the stated regulation.
Must complete the required pre-hire criminal background check; education, licenses, and certifications will be verified.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with individuals with serious, persistent mental illness, substance abuse, and/or homelessness.
Bilingual or multilingual fluency.
An associate’s degree or higher in psychology, human services, or a closely related field may substitute for the required experience.

Responsibilities

Provide direct care and instruct or assist patients with activities of daily living, including feeding, bathing, toileting, dressing, clothing maintenance, oral and physical hygiene, and self-preservation.
Assist with implementation of individual treatment plans by discussing and reporting observations about patient behavior, needs, desires, and problems.
Work effectively with staff to serve patient needs and promote a non-threatening, therapeutic milieu.
Perform tasks normally handled by other staff when they are absent to maintain continuity of services.
Apply the principles of Collaboration, Assessment, Recovery and Environment (CARE) to provide a safe environment.
Perform patient-related housekeeping as needed and observe and report maintenance needs.
Document patient-related information in MIS, including progress notes, incident reports, and restraint/seclusion forms.
Accompany patients to appointments, programs, and treatment areas, and assist professional or medical staff in providing services.
Provide leisure activities during unstructured time to promote and enhance patients’ social skills.
Instruct patients in fire safety and preservation skills.
Attend meetings and trainings to maintain knowledge of skills, hospital and departmental policies and procedures, and HCFA and The Joint Commission regulations.
Participate in Improved Operational Performance at the unit and hospital-wide levels to promote improved patient care.
Provide specialized services to patients in the hospital or other locations when required to support them and ensure safety.
Work with staff to plan and implement therapeutic and educational programs for patients and their families.
Perform other related duties as assigned.