Mental Health Practitioner

Title: Mental Health Practitioner
Department: Safe Harbour
Reports To: Director of Safe Harbour

SUMMARY

This position exists to assure supervision and safety of the residents and facility. Under the direction of the mental health professional, staff provide direct supportive services (mental health and chemical health) and emergency intervention when needed. Tasks include resident education on mental health issues, completing crisis assessments, functional assessments, various screenings tools, providing coping skill education and modeling (deep breathing, muscle relaxation, distraction, visualization, etc.) prompting and observing residents to meet their activities of daily living. Providing supervision of Mental Health Rehabilitation Workers. Complete professional documentation of client interaction. Coordinate and communicate with relevant professionals related to the care and well being of the resident.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervise residents to assure their health and safety; plus

Respond immediately to emergency situations following established policies and procedures.

Facilitate one to one and group interventions and educational lessons using Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) or Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT)materials or materials provided by the MH Professional.

Consult with the mental health professional on any psychiatric emergency, and follow directions as given.

Provide a supportive, recovery model and strengths based perspective with all residents

Complete all client skill building and mental health interventions as assigned by the mental health professional

Closely monitor activities throughout the facility

Conduct periodic room checks throughout the facility

Regularly conduct fire drills, severe weather drills

Maintain safe access to medications for residents

Follow instruction and direction from lead staff

SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Performs miscellaneous projects and completes various tasks as requested by management, including but not limited to:

• Maintain a clean and safe environment
• Remove hazards, including snow and ice, from walkways
• Provide appropriate security for hazardous materials
• Complete housekeeping duties if needed and not completed by the janitor, including:
  
  • Vacuuming and dusting
  • Mopping kitchen and bathroom floors
  • Launder the towels and linens

o Prompt and assist residents in daily chores, organization and cleaning of resident rooms.

o Supervise residents as they take medications to assure compliance and accuracy

o Meals: Pick up and set up meals from the contracted vendor and properly store food and clean up the kitchen and dining room following each meal.

o Provide timely transportation of residents to access healthrelated or essential services.

o Provide on-site and off-site recreational activities

o Provide timely transportation to and from activities

o Promote resident involvement in recreational activities

o Participate with residents during activities, assist residents in identifying the healthy results from exercise

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Education, Experience and Credentials

1. Must pass required Applicant Background check

2. Be 21 years of age or above

3. Meets the standards for Mental Health Practitioner per DHS guidelines as listed below.

Mental health practitioners providing services for the treatment of mental illness must be qualified in at least one of the following five ways (Preferred qualifications includes: Bachelors degree in Behavioral Health or related field):

A. Holds a bachelors degree in a behavioral science/related field, from accredited college/university and meets either a or b:

a. has at least 2000 hours of supervised experience in the delivery of mental health services to recipients with mental illness

b. is fluent in the non-English language of the cultural group to which at least 50% of the practitioners recipients, completes 40 hours of training in the delivery of services to recipients with mental illness, and receives clinical supervision from a mental health professional at least once a week until the requirements of 2000 hours of supervised experience are met

B. Has at least 6000 hours of supervised experience in the delivery of mental health services to recipients with mental illness. Hours worked as a mental health behavioral aide I or II under CTSS may be included in the 6000 hours of experience for child recipients.

C. Is a graduate student in one of the mental health professional disciplines and is formally assigned by accredited college/university to an agency or facility for clinical training.

D. Holds a masters or other graduate degree in one of the mental health professional disciplines from an accredited college/university.

E. Tribally certified mental health practitioner who is serving a federally recognized Indian tribe.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to handle confidential information responsibly
• Ability to effectively relate to residents in community or facility.
• Availability and flexibility to work additional hours, as need dictates.

Skills needed: Clarity in verbal and written communication, sensitivity, accuracy, good logic, adaptability and flexibility, teamwork in an interdisciplinary setting, sense of humor, initiative, stress tolerance and safety awareness.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to independently conduct fire drills twice yearly and accept direction when drills are assigned.
  
• Must be ambulatory with ability to walk up and down steps regularly and rapidly.
• Must be able to move about the building at a rapid pace in response to emergencies.
• Must be able to perceive, assess and respond to resident needs rapidly and accurately.
• Must be able to work assigned shifts with alertness to resident and facility needs.
• Must be able to supervise residents in medication self-administration with accuracy. (Safe Harbour Registered Nurse to work with Staff to regularly assess
• skills for supervision of resident medication self-administration)
• Must be able to perform reaching and lifting activities of up to 30 pounds.
• Must be able to perform household cleaning duties to include mopping, dusting, plunging toilets, moving furniture and keeping walkways safe and clear of snow and ice.
• Must maintain a valid Minnesota driving license with a safe record.
• Must have own vehicle and be able to drive the Centers vehicles.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

• Computer (word processing, electronic records, email, internet, scan & fax)
• Phone
• Driving-car, van
• Blood pressure cuff (with training)
• Dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, & laundry equipment
• Printer

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Mainly in the residential facility, moving throughout the building to address resident needs.
• Organizing and facilitating group outings into the community and a variety of community settings.