PSYCHIATRIC TECHNICIAN III / EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS HOMELESSNESS

Psychiatric Technician III Emergency Recruitment

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. The Department of Mental Health is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Psychiatric Technician III vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment. Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Psychiatric Technician III.

Essential Job Functions

• Administers, either orally or by injection, prescribed medications to clients in acute psychiatric settings.
• Interviews the clients, family members, and friends to obtain collateral information that may have bearing on the clients, treatment.
• Makes program services referrals for persons identified as mentally ill.
• Conducts the auditing of client records for compliance with documentation guidelines.
• Participates in multidisciplinary team conferences and collaborates with other mental health staff to develop the most effective treatment plan.
• Provides direct client care, completes required documentation, updates treatment team regarding client progress.
• Provides client, family members and significant others with referrals and linkage to community resources.
• Provides consultation to community agencies in the utilization of mental health and support services provided by directly operated clinics, in-patient facilities and contractors of the department.
• Provides in-service training to departmental staff and volunteers in the identification and treatment of mentally disordered individuals, principles of crisis intervention and management of assaultive behavior.
• Participates as a member of a Crisis Response Team in an inpatient psychiatric setting.
• Coordinate the activities of a Psychiatric Mobile Response Team or similar service team with law enforcement, courts, schools and other agencies, to assist and evaluate clients who are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.
• Serve as a member of a Homeless Outreach and Engagement Team, providing initial assessments in the field and linking homeless mentally ill to mental health services.
• Coordinate the work of Psychiatric Technicians or others in the delivery of mental health services at an in-patient or out-patient facility.
• Coordinate or develop psychological rehabilitation programs for the chronically and persistently mentally ill.
• Lead and provide technical supervision to lower-level psychiatric technicians and support staff assigned to provide mental health services at an inpatient or outpatient facility.
• Serve as mental health service gatekeeper at the mental health ACCESS and Telecommunications Center, performing triage on caller requests for service, referring caller to an appropriate treatment source, and/or dispatching a psychiatric mobile response team.
• Assists Psychiatrists in completing and checking for accuracy on Treatment Authorization Request (TAR) and Prior Authorization (PA) forms.
• Promptly responds to phone calls / walk ins from clients regarding medication-related issues (i.e. medication side effects, pharmacy dispensing issues, refill needs) and consults with Psychiatrists and/or Register Nurses regarding those issues.
• Maintains medication inventory, organization, expiration dates, room/refrigerator temperature logs in the Medication Room.
• Orders supplies for Medication Room (i.e. sharps containers, syringes, needles, gloves, alcohol swabs, etc.)
• Maintains a caseload of clients and facilitate routine follow up and case management services as needed.
• Works in conjunction with other team members to facilitate services within Care Clinic Model.
• Prepares and signs the application for immediate 72-hour detention of disturbed psychiatric clients if Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) designated by the Office of Medical Director.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements: Two years of experience at the level of Psychiatric Technician II in the County of Los Angeles. Experience is evaluated based on a verifiable 40-hour workweek. Work performed part-time will be prorated on a month-for-month basis. Experience at the level of Los Angeles County's class of Psychiatric Technician II is defined as: Actively participates with professional staff members in the delivery of mental health services or the delivery of indirect and direct patient care to clients who are mentally ill or emotionally disturbed.

Physical Class: Physical Class IV – Arduous: This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

Licenses Required: Possession of a current, active and unrestricted California State License to practice as a Psychiatric Technician. A copy of a valid California State License to practice as Psychiatric Technician MUST be attached to the application at the time of filing. Applications submitted without the required copy of licensure will be considered as incomplete until such information is provided. Original license must be presented at the time of appointment.

Some positions in this classification, depending upon assignment, require possession of a valid California Class C Driver License to perform job-related essential functions. Candidates offered these positions will be required to show proof of a valid driver license before appointment. Successful applicants for this position who will be required to drive will be required to obtain a copy of his/her driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before being appointed. Applicant's license must not be suspended, restricted or revoked, or have more than four moving violations within the last two years. This information will be verified at the time of appointment.