Mental Health Associate

• Area of Interest: Behavioral Health Services

• Salary Range: $35.18-$52.78/hr*

• FTE/Hours per pay period: 1.0

• Department: Crisis Services- Non CCBHC

• Shift: 3:00 PM - 11:30 PM

• Job ID: 183695

Overview

Shift: Monday-Friday; 3:00 PM - 11:30 PM

Make a Difference When It Matters Most

Are you a passionate behavioral health professional looking to combine clinical expertise with leadership? Join our Crisis Services team as a Lead Clinician, where you'll play a vital role in supporting individuals and families experiencing behavioral health crises while mentoring and developing a team of dedicated clinicians.

Under the direction of the RYC Manager of Crisis Services, the Lead Clinician provides clinical leadership, supervision, and support to the Crisis Services team while ensuring the delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed, person-centered care. This role combines direct patient care with operational and staff leadership responsibilities, offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on both patients and team members every day.

Why UnityPoint Health?

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in.   Here are just a few:    

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program .

• Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family .

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.  

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience.

Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive crisis assessments in person and via telehealth to determine patient needs, risk factors, and appropriate levels of care.

• Provide crisis intervention, stabilization, and short-term therapeutic support for individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies.

• Assess suicide risk, formulate clinical recommendations, and collaborate with providers to ensure safe, least restrictive treatment plans.

• Advocate for patients by coordinating services, addressing immediate needs, and connecting individuals with appropriate community resources.

• Facilitate timely referrals to inpatient, outpatient, and community-based services, ensuring continuity of care.

• Provide clinical supervision, coaching, and mentorship to clinicians, interns, and nursing staff within the Crisis Services department.

• Lead onboarding, orientation, and training activities for new team members, including documentation, quality, and workflow requirements.

• Develop and maintain staff schedules, coordinate department coverage, and participate in the on-call rotation to support service needs.

• Monitor documentation quality through chart reviews, provide feedback to clinicians, and ensure compliance with regulatory, billing, and organizational standards.

• Support departmental goals, quality improvement initiatives, and strategic priorities while promoting trauma-informed, patient-centered care and the organization's values.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, or a related field from an accredited program.

License(s)/Certification(s):

• Independently licensed in good standing with the Illinois and Iowa Department of Professional Regulation as an LCSW, LCPC, or LMFT.  

• Valid Illinois driver’s license required.  

• CPI certification required within 6 months of hire.  

• Must obtain and maintain IM+CANS certification per Illinois Medicaid requirements.

Experience:

• Six months expereince in a community mental health setting or inpatient psychiarty or substance abuse setting is required.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrates an ability to apply critical thinking and problem-solving abilities to a range of client situations.

• Is able to recognize signs of suicidal behavior and assess for lethality.

• Is able to accurately assess and diagnose mental health conditions.

• Proficient in providing clinical supervision.

• Possesses interpersonal skills, professional attitude and understands the ethical standards of behavioral healthcare.

• Able to interpret rules and regulations.

*Specific offers are determined by various factors, such as experience, skills, internal equity, and other business needs. The salary range listed does not include other forms of compensation which may include bonuses/incentive, differential pay, or other forms of compensation or benefits that may be applicable to this role.