Program Specialist, AM

AltaPointe Health•Mobile, AL

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Specialist works at BayPointe Hospital, a psychiatric acute care facility serving children, adolescents, and adults in Mobile, Alabama. BayPointe provides 24-hour clinical care for patients in psychiatric crises, with the goal of stabilizing symptoms and helping each patient return home or move to the least restrictive level of care. Its residential program for children and adolescents provides a structured setting and developmentally appropriate therapeutic services, with families, caregivers, schools, DHR workers, and other appropriate parties involved in treatment and discharge planning. The Program Specialist monitors and engages consumers, supports their safety and daily needs, leads groups and activities, and helps maintain the program schedule. The role also involves supporting consumers with personal care, education, basic living skills, meals, and recreational activities; responding to crises; maintaining a safe and orderly environment; communicating with the treatment team; and completing timely, accurate documentation. The specialist may work on any unit according to facility needs and may transport consumers if assigned to a driving position.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Knowledge of child and adolescent specialty areas, to be attained within six months of employment: psychiatric disorders; child and adolescent growth and development across intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects; principles of play therapy; behavior management, crisis intervention, and interventions for acute psychosis and nonviolent crisis situations; family dynamics and parenting issues; effects and treatment of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect; relevant community resources; cultural diversity; educational methods appropriate to children and adolescents; and basic interventions for child and adolescent mental and behavioral health disorders.
Ability to monitor and engage consumers, support daily living needs, follow schedules, document care, communicate with treatment teams, and respond appropriately to crises.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a mental health discipline or Social Work.

Responsibilities

Monitor consumers and complete required observation documentation in accordance with medical orders.
Engage consumers to support safety, meet their needs, and encourage participation in planned activities.
Assist consumers with personal hygiene, medical appointments, chores, recreational activities, and safety needs.
Support teachers during class, including helping consumers with assignments, keeping them on task, and intervening when needed.
Ensure unit schedules are followed and encourage participation in planned activities.
Provide hand-off communication at shift change.
Train consumers in Basic Living Skills according to treatment goals and complete related documentation.
Lead program groups and activities to engage consumers in treatment.
Complete Environment of Care unit checklists and report findings to a supervisor.
Ensure consumers receive meals and confirm information on meal count sheets.
Collaborate with nursing, therapy, and recreation therapy staff to support effective milieu management.
Respond to facility crisis situations using appropriate interventions; recognize crises and de-escalate or resolve situations.
Maintain neat, tidy, and operational units, rooms, and common areas, encouraging consumers to help.
Communicate consumers’ progress, regression, interactions, moods, attitudes, issues, and crises to treatment team members accurately and collaboratively.
Use discretion when discussing consumer information and report consumer or staff problems to a supervisor promptly.
Work on any BayPointe unit as directed based on facility needs.
Model appropriate behavior, including communication, grooming, manners, and emotional maturity.
If assigned to a driving position, transport consumers to prescribed locations or complete unit errands as directed.
Follow the curriculum and program schedule, conduct groups and consumer engagement on time, and manage assigned units so consumers attend groups and meals and complete hygiene as scheduled.
Apply seclusion and restraint according to policy and procedures.
Collaborate with treatment team members and outside sources in delivering clinical services and demonstrate child- and adolescent-specific competencies.
Meet AltaPointe productivity standards.
Complete timely, legible, appropriate, and comprehensive clinical documentation in accordance with policy, with attention to spelling, grammar, and content.
Seek clinical supervision and consultation as needed, accept and apply suggestions for improvement, and develop clinical and leadership skills.
Treat consumers with care, dignity, compassion, respect for privacy and confidentiality, and sensitivity to individual needs and differences; interact courteously and cooperatively with consumers, visitors, and coworkers.
Assist consumers and visitors as needed and maintain a gentle, calm, and respectful approach with consumers and families.
Participate in Performance Improvement activities, complete tasks in a timely manner, and follow policies and procedures.
Perform other related administrative duties as assigned.