Geropsyche Mental Health Technician BA

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Position Summary:

The Mental Health Technician is part of the multi-disciplinary treatment team providing direct services to the Geriatric population/Adults in a residential setting. The clients in this setting have a primary diagnosis of mental health disorder and may also have chemical dependency problems. This position provides direct services, including the following: admissions procedures, case management, continuity of care, and client reengagement. This position is a liaison between the facility, clients, and their families, and coordinates services and the continuum of care for clients. The individual in this position is expected to subscribe to the recovery and trauma informed care models. The Mental Health Technician is responsible for the client’s daily activities, which may include life skills, socialization, recreational and occupational activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered, culturally-aware services. 

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs

• Surpassing client expectations

• Demonstrating a high level of integrity

• Exhibiting compassion and commitment

• Advocating for social justice

• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team

• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

The individual in this position must also maintain professional standards and follow the treatment policies and procedures of the agency, as well as applicable federal, state, and local regulations. In this position, the individual should gain a thorough working knowledge of appropriate WAC's and RCW's.

Administrative Duties

•           Attends regular staff meetings and in-service training for clinical personnel.

Completes all staff responsibilities as required, with emphasis on timeliness and accuracy.

•           Maintains consistent and positive relationships with all collateral contacts.

Clinical Duties

Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age, gender identify, and sexual orientation of the clients served.

•           Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.

Able to identify and categorize each patient’s age-specific grouping of needs.

•           Develops treatment goals specific to each client, as they relate to case management and basic needs.

Provides services to individuals, including living skills, case management, and social support.

•           Completes daily record keeping as directed by the Clinical Supervisor or Administrator, following the structure of the problem-oriented client records system. Completes daily logging, Extraordinary Incident Reports (EIR's), medication logging, etc. on time and accurately.

Prepares current client progress reports and completion notices and provides them to the courts, probation departments and referral sources when appropriate. Completes on time all of the required Federal, State, County and Local forms for each client.

•           Provides educational groups to help clients regain skills needed to reenter the community and to improve psycho-education related to clients’ needs.

Conducts case management services for clients.

•           Ensures a continuum of care for clients enrolled in the treatment program.

Coordinates the services and referrals necessary for clients’ successful reengagement into their communities after discharge from treatment.

•           Support clients at the treatment center with mental health, physical health, and housing needs.

Provides oversight to clients during housekeeping, meal service, and various daily activities.

•           Performs related work as assigned, including assisting staff and clients with laundry, dishes, housekeeping, and garbage disposal.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

•           The person in this position must be of good character and be suited to meet the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of the populations served.

Must have strong organizational and communication skills.

•           Must understand that chemical dependency is a public health problem and a treatable illness.

Must complete an annual clinical competency test.

•           Must demonstrate professionalism and appropriate boundaries in all interactions.

Must have no history or evidence of alcohol or other drug misuse for a period of two (2) years prior to the date of employment at the facility, and no misuse of alcohol or other drugs while employed at this facility.

•           Must not have been convicted of a felony within the last seven years, been convicted of child abuse and / or any crime involving physical harm to another person, or been a perpetrator of substantiated child abuse.

Should have a desire to work with behaviorally difficult youth or adults.

•           Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization.

Possess basic mathematical skills, including ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

•           Reasoning ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Education, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

Must have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, or related field, and at least one year of experience in Social Services/Behavioral Health; or must be a Certified Peer Counselor with at least 2 years of experience.

•           Experience working with high-risk adults preferred.

Must possess a current First Aid Certificate

•           Pre-hire and annual employee health screening is required. Must pass a TB test at time of hire, and annually thereafter. Annual influenza vaccine required. Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious exemption approved by Administration.

Employees with an approved medical or religious exemption must wear a mask at all times during the flu season.

•           Must have a valid Washington State driver's license

This position must obtain a CPR certificate within 90 days of the hire date and is required to maintain a current CPR certificate throughout employment.

•           Must receive a satisfactory background check.

Must pass required BH EHR system trainings.

At a minimum must have an agency-affiliated license

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This position may require occasional shift work, and working with challenging clients.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodate

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. This employee may also monitor recreational activities, which may require prolonged walking. Facility ranges from quiet to loud depending on activities of patients.

Hourly - Hourly Plan, 24.49 USD Hourly

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it’s a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment. 

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.