Psychiatric Technician

Hours available: Monday-Friday: 3pm-11pm, Mon-Fri: 7am-10am(part time), Sat-Sun: 7am-3pm & 3pm-11pm

Position entails working with individuals who have mental and physical disabilities. This position is to serve as a mentor. In your role, you provide daily structure and guidance with care for clients. We want to provide support and care while showing clients a different path in life.

This position is truly the most valuable position we have. The Mental Health Worker's role is to manage the movement of the house daily.

That means to make sure clients are programming, cleaning themselves, cleaning their areas, and cleaning the house.

This is done through modeling and teaching. Relationships are the foundation and the key to this position. This position will need to help members resolve conflicts between each other, model healthy communication, avoid power struggles while setting boundaries and expectations, and deescalate angry and frustrated members. They will need to coach and model independent living skills such as cleaning, personal hygiene, and time management.

Job position is within single family home, with individual bedrooms and all the typical "home-like" amenities, as opposed to having to live in larger congregate hospital-like settings.
Likewise, our employees enjoy a smaller, more personal and home-like working environment, as well as the opportunity to provide a very high level of quality care based upon the smaller number of residents (typically 3-4 per home) and the high staff to resident ratio.

The Licensed Vocational Nurse and Licensed Psychiatric Tech perform

- General nursing procedures, behavior management, direct care and training as dictated by the individuals' health and behavioral care needs.

- Performs nursing procedures as authorized within the scope of practice.

- Participates as a member of the interdisciplinary team and contributes to the development of the Individual Support Plan.

- The LPT is to assist staff on the shift and may oversee Mental health professional and/or CNAs

- Provides medication monitoring and support services, client health education (individual and group), and crisis intervention services to promote successful medication stabilization and ongoing mental health stability.

- Provides health and medication screening upon intake, and consults with psychiatrists as needed to provide medication support services, and assist clients in stabilizing during periods of crisis.

- Provides support to psychiatrists when meeting clients, including faxing prescriptions, documenting medication changes, notifying team, and ensuring that clients receive any ordered medications. Attending Meetings and any appointments needed for clients

- Also reviews medication changes with clients to ensure adherence to medication regimen. The LPT is expected to serves on After Hours/On Call rotation as an LPS-designated team member.
- Monitors medication regimen of Adult Outpatient clients, and assist Case Manager and Psychiatrist/Nurse Practitioner in stabilizing clients on medications and may dispense medication as required under the direction of the Psychiatrist/Nurse Practitioner.

- Responsible for providing active programming at all times.

- Responsible for adherence to standards, procedures and schedules established by their supervisor.

Mental Health Team Member Activities and Expectations:

· Participates with treatment team by reporting observations, concerns, asking appropriate questions and providing input on members.

· Support members with achieving goals on Recovery Plan by providing coaching on life skills, working with team to offer relevant, engaging, and useful groups.

· Report any changes in symptoms or behaviors to the treatment team, ensuring the administrator/supervisor is aware of changes in real time.

· Demonstrate knowledge learned in Non-violent Crisis Intervention training to manage aggressive behavior or agitation.

· Participate and support members during group outings and completing chores.

· Help team members as needed within your scope.

· Assist in planning activities and outings with members and team members.

· Ability to work with nursing staff, mental health clinicians, members, family members/visitors, along with using professional communication and boundaries in a team setting.

· Establish and nurture therapeutic relationships with members, acting as a role model, holding hope for members until they have hope for themselves.

· Ability to validate members even when you do not agree with them (or be willing to learn)

· Maintain a positive attitude while problem solving and coping with disabilities associated with members who are diagnosed with a mental illness.

· Ability to read, write, and speak English. Being bilingual is highly desired.

· Attend and participate in community meetings with team and members.

· Attend team meetings and other staff meetings or trainings.

· Be early or on time to shifts, meetings, trainings, and groups.

- DSP Certification, Must complete DSP 1 & 2 within 6 months

- FBI & DOJ background check

- 1st Aid/Cpr

Documentation and Assessment Activities:

· Demonstrates ability to recognize changes and make modifications in coaching, interventions, and care-giving methods.

· Observe and document changes in symptoms, problematic behavior, sudden changes in mood, odd behavior, and concerns on the line app. Inform Admin or PT in real time.

· Assist in client reviews by providing feedback in team meetings.

Education/Experience
- Possess and maintain a valid, active license from the State of California to practice as a Licensed Vocational Nurse.

- Minimum 1 year experience with Human Services field preferred.

- High School diploma

- Valid California driver license

- Successful completion of pre-employment background

- Physical and TB test

- Successful completion of DOJ and FBI background check

- Successful completion of all trainings as required by applicable regulations, including, but not limited to, DSP1 and DSP2.

Working Environment/Hazards
Ability to work in a variety of environments and settings.

Potential exposure to communicable diseases, blood-borne pathogens, medicinal preparations, and other conditions common to a clinical nursing environment.

Interaction with consumers who display aggressive and/or self-injurious behaviors.

Additional Job description/duties

Staff will Transport customers to medical/dental appointments, and also to various community and social activities.
Complete an on-site orientation, which addresses the following:
The facilities program design

Consumer IPPs

Consumers rights regulations

Assistance to consumers with prescribed medications

Health and emergency procedures, including fire safety

Identification and reporting of special incidents, as required by Title 17, California Code of Regulations, section 54327(a)

Identification and reporting of consumer abuse

All new staff members shall complete a minimum of 8 hours of continuing education relating to the administration and management of residential services for persons with developmental disabilities.