Mental Health Worker - Adolescent Residential

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Natchaug Hospital is Eastern Connecticut’s leading provider for children, adolescents and adults with mental illness and substance abuse addictions. We offer a variety of programs including inpatient and outpatient behavioral health, residential treatment for court-involved teenage girls, geriatric services, clinical day treatment schools and chemical dependency services. Through our multi-site network of care, we constantly strive to meet its mission in helping people find their way while educating and empowering individuals to participate in their own care and recovery.

Natchaug Hospital's Journey House program is a specialized residential treatment facility on the Mansfield campus for adolescent girls with identified needs for behavioral health services who admitted through a referral from the juvenile justice system. Journey House offers a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities that are carried out in individual, group and family settings. Residents and the treatment team collaborate on discharge planning, which includes coordination of individual and family therapy, medication management, identification of a primary care physician and any vocational, recreational or educational planning.

Job Summary

Under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or program director, the Mental Health Worker provides therapeutic interventions for clients and participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team.

• Carries out client treatment interventions in accordance with individualized treatment plans.
• Observes, intervenes and documents client behavioral and physical response to therapeutic interventions.
• Interacts with clients in ways that take into account age-related and specialized educational, developmental, and psychiatric needs of the population served.
• Leads and co-leads client groups.
• Assist in behavioral client interventions and monitors the milieu to identify and eliminate obvious hazards to maintain a safe environment.
• Provides clients with an orientation to the unit, and inventories and safeguards clients' belongings.
• Collects and records vital signs and client data (weight, blood pressure, etc.).
• Utilizes approved physical intervention techniques, provides and assists with physical escorts, restraints and seclusions, conducts searches, and demonstrates understanding of de-escalation and therapeutic communication techniques.
• Provides transport for clients to and from internal/external programs; and coordinates and schedules client movement through the facility to outside meetings, home visits, appointments and activities.

• Previous experience with behavioral health clients preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 2 years related experience required.
• Current CT Driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Ability to obtain a Public Service License "A" Endorsement within 90 days of hire, which requires ability to pass pre-hire drug screen and DOT physical exam.
• Must be available to work every other weekend
• Must have and maintain a telephone number for scheduling.
• Computer proficiency and keyboarding skills required.