Bournewood Mental Health Counselor Job Opening

Description: Direct patient care and crisis intervention to adolescents and adults on an inpatient Treatment Unit.
Ability to facilitate or co-facilitate groups of mental health and substance abuse patients is required

Qualifications: Must have 1-2 years previous experience working on an inpatient unit with adolescents and adults with mental health and substance abuse diagnoses is preferred. Must have high school diploma or equivalent. Preference will be given to college degree in Human Services field.

Salary: negotiable

Start Date: ASAP

Location: Brookline, MA

Additional Information: Current available positions are part-time at least 24 hours per week, including rotating every other weekend.
Shifts available are:
Day/Evenings (6:45am-3pm/2:45pm-11pm)
Evening/Awake overnight rotation shifts (2:45pm-11pm/10:45pm-7am)

Job Summary: The Mental Health Counselor is a member of the treatment team. S/he has a primary patient contact assignment as well as milieu responsibility. The MHC receives guidance through the treatment plan and through unit management.

Essential Functions:

A. Assists patients to clarify their course of treatment through:

• Provides a safe environment
• Performs his/her patient assignment

B. Participates in patient admission, discharge, and transfer as directed

• Accompanies patient through admission process
• Performs admission search
• Orients patient to unit and to unit rules

C. Takes and records patients’ vital signs as directed

D. Assists with or facilitates patient's self management of Activities of Daily Living

E. Coordinates activities of assigned patients

F. Participates in the treatment team.

• Participates in discussion of patients, contributing to understanding/interventions for effective outcomes
• Implements Treatment Plan through carrying out counselor activities in treatment plan
• Documents daily patients' participation in treatment and observed response to interventions

G. Maintains a safe and therapeutic environment as evidenced by:

• Consistently observes patients for changes in mental status and changes in safety on unit checks
• Participates in de-escalation and restraints if needed of patients according to procedures and standards.
• Maintains, cleans and stores equipment and supplies as needed.
• Uses early intervention skills to assist in de-escalation
• Avoids coercive approaches to patients and is aware that restraints are used only for imminent risk
• Able to use sensory items with patients per their preference

H. Maintains professionalism of role and participates in activities to maintain and increase knowledge in role as evidenced by:

• Attends mandatory programs/trainings including, but not limited to:
  • Restraint didactic
  • Infection control
  • Fire safety
  • Annual competencies
  • Population-specific education
• Pursues ongoing learning through in-services, courses, and/or reading in order to better understand and meet needs of patient age groups (Adolescent, Adult, Chemical Dependency and Geriatric).
• Makes use of available supervision.
• Attends unit staff meetings.
• Wears appropriate dress and name tag.

I. Adheres to policy re: patient confidentiality

J. Maintains professional boundaries

K. Accepts float, shift and overtime assignments as assigned to ensure quality, safe and appropriate care for patients

L. Any other duties as assigned by supervisor. May serve as Tobacco Education Coordinator as assigned and trained.

Essential Competencies:

• Competent in de-escalation and restraint, infection control and emergency preparedness
• Knows Hospital, department and unit policies and procedures, DPH, Joint Commission, and DMH Regulations regarding patient rights and clinical interventions.
• Knowledge of psychiatric and chemical dependency illnesses and treatment methods
• Knowledge of age-specific patient care needs for adults, adolescents and geriatrics

Minimum Qualifications: High School graduate. Demonstrated interpersonal skills and work experience.

Physical Criteria:

• Must be able to run short distances.
• Must be able to climb stairs quickly.
• Must be able to assist with patient care (for example, turning a patient in bed, and participating in carrying an immobile patient)
• Must be able to participate in restraint code as defined in procedure.