Behavorial Health Technician - Acute

Behavioral Health Technician - Acute

The Behavioral Health Associate I works under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse as an integral part of the multidisciplinary treatment team and is responsible for monitoring and reporting of patient behaviors; providing continuous patient care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling; assisting in patient data collection, recording, and maintenance; and responding in crisis situations and medical emergencies as needed.

Essential Functions:

• Ensures the wellbeing of patients and provides a safe, positive, supportive, and structured environment, under direction of charge nurse or supervisor. Maintains a constant awareness and supervision of patients.
• Assists clients with activities of daily living, such as toileting, bathing, dressing, grooming, oral hygiene, meals, snacks, hydration and changing bed linens.
• Conducts safety checks, ensuring that supervision is conducted at intervals in accordance with individualized supervision guidelines.
• Checks patients for contraband and manages the patient's valuables and belongings.
• Interacts routinely with patients, observes behaviors and communicates significant observations to supervisor.
• Engages with patient in activities and interactions designed to encourage achievement of treatment goals.
• Facilitates patient educational-rehabilitative groups which cover a variety of topics including social skills, coping skills and independent living skills.
• Takes and records vital signs properly and communicates significant changes in patient's condition to the clinical team.
• Charts in patient records timely, accurately, and appropriately.
• Applies de-escalation techniques to help manage patient's emotions, behavior and participation in treatment and assists with seclusion and restraints when necessary.
• Assists with unit cleaning, organization of new admits charts, discharge process, filing, etc. Initiates patient/employee incident reports.
• Provides transfer or transportation for patients or coordinates transportation with appropriate staff members as required.
• Receives report from previous shift to utilize information in planning shifts; give accurate and thorough report to oncoming shift.

Education/Experience/Skill Requirements:

• High school graduate or equivalent required.
• Six months or more experience working with the specific population of the facility preferred.
• Knowledge of common psychiatric disorders and/or dual diagnosis and various treatment modalities of the population served preferred.

Licenses/Designations/Certifications:

• CPR and de-escalation and restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).
• First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

Work Location:

This position is onsite and is not a remote position.

Supervisory Requirements:

This position is an Individual Contributor.