Mental Health Assistant - BSU

Cayuga Medical Center; Berlin; On-site; EUR 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Cayuga Health in Ithaca, NY is seeking a compassionate Mental Health Assistant to join our Behavioral Science Unit (BSU). You’ll provide direct and indirect patient care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, support safety, comfort, and recovery, and help create a therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients.

You’ll monitor symptoms, document progress, assist with daily living activities, administer basic tasks like vitals, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or relevant experience in lieu of formal education considered
• BLS certification required within 90 days of hire
• Prior psychiatric or behavioral health experience strongly preferred
• Crisis intervention and behavioral restraint training is a plus

Responsibilities

• Monitor patient behavior and symptoms; document observations for care team
• Assist in developing and implementing individualized care plans
• Support patients with activities of daily living; assist with hygiene, meals, and medication reminders
• Perform vital signs, weight checks, intake/output measurements, and specimen collection
• Engage therapeutically to support emotional regulation and coping strategies
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings and patient education
• Escort patients to appointments and transport specimens to lab
• Facilitate group or individual therapeutic activities and unit programming
• Monitor safety, supervision of visitors, and patient observation
• Assist with crisis de-escalation and behavioral management as needed
• Ensure timely, accurate documentation reflecting patient progress and safety
• Collaborate with physicians to support treatment planning
• Mentor/ preceptor role for new staff as directed
• Maintain confidentiality and professional conduct with patients and staff
• Perform basic housekeeping to maintain cleanliness in patient areas
• Adhere to all hospital safety and infection control procedures

Skills

Observational skills

Communication skills

Documentation skills

Teamwork

Crisis intervention training

Education

Associate’s degree in psychology, sociology, human services, or related health field

Job description

About Arnot Health

Arnot Health offers patient-centered, comprehensive health services to the Southern Tier of New York and Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. Campuses include Arnot Ogden Medical Center and St. Joseph's Hospital in Elmira; Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital in Bath, NY; and over 40 medical offices in the Southern Tier. Arnot Health is currently affiliated with more than 300 physicians from 50+ specialties.

Arnot Health is a member of Centralus Health, a community-based integrated delivery system. Our mission is to deliver high-quality care, empower our teams to succeed, and improve the wellbeing of the communities we serve.

Our commitment to quality personalized care begins with our exceptional team—over 6500 employees strong. At Arnot Health, you will work in a collaborative environment that values excellence, integrity, compassion and stewardship. Together, we create an environment where empathy, honesty and a dedication to quality thrive, empowering us to make a positive impact on the lives we touch.

We offer competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, and professional development opportunities to help our employees grow and thrive. Whether you are just starting your career or taking the next step in healthcare, we invite you to join us in shaping the future of care in our communities.

Learn more at www.arnothealth.org.

We're seeking a compassionate, team-oriented Mental Health Assistant to join our Behavioral Science Unit (BSU). In this role, you'll be a key part of our multidisciplinary team, helping create and maintain a therapeutic environment for patients with psychiatric and behavioral health needs. You'll provide direct and indirect patient care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, ensuring physical and emotional support, safety, and respectful communication at every step. Your work will have a lasting impact on the health and recovery of our patients.

Your Schedule

• Full-time position located in the Behavioral Science Unit.
• Shifts may include days, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed to support 24/7 patient care operations. Flexibility is required.

What You'll Be Doing

• Monitoring patient behavior and symptoms, accurately documenting and reporting observations to the care team
• Assisting in the development and implementation of individualized care plans and treatment strategies
• Supporting patients with activities of daily living including hygiene, meals, and medication reminders
• Performing vital signs, weight checks, intake/output measurements, and specimen collection
• Interacting therapeutically with patients to support emotional regulation and coping strategies
• Participating in multidisciplinary meetings, admissions orientation, and patient education
• Escorting patients to appointments or diagnostic tests and transporting labeled specimens to the lab
• Facilitating group or individual therapeutic activities and encouraging participation in unit programming
• Monitoring unit safety through environmental checks, visitor supervision, and patient observation
• Assisting with crisis de-escalation and behavioral management, including restraint application when necessary
• Ensuring documentation is timely, accurate, and reflects patient progress and safety
• Collaborating with physicians and team members to support individualized treatment planning
• Acting as a role model and preceptor for new staff as directed
• Maintaining confidentiality and professionalism in all interactions with patients, families, and staff
• Performing basic housekeeping duties and ensuring cleanliness and order in patient areas
• Adhering to all hospital safety protocols including infection control and emergency procedures

What We're Looking For

• Associate’s degree in psychology, sociology, human services, or a related health field
• Consideration will be given to candidates with relevant experience in lieu of formal education
• Prior psychiatric or behavioral health experience strongly preferred
• Training in crisis intervention and behavioral restraint application is a plus
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required within 90 days of hire
• Strong observational, communication, and documentation skills
• Ability to maintain composure and adapt in high-stress and emergency situations
• Physically able to perform job duties, including managing agitated patients and handling moderate lifting
• Professional, empathetic, and sensitive to the unique needs of psychiatric patients
• Strong teamwork ethic with the ability to collaborate across disciplines

If you're passionate about mental health care and want to make a difference in a collaborative and supportive environment, we'd love for you to join our team. Apply today to take the next step in your healthcare career.

Pay Range Disclosure

• Standard Rate of $20.64 to $27.30 per hour plus benefits

Centralus and its affiliates are committed to treating all patients, providers, staff and volunteers equitably and with dignity, ensuring the highest levels of safety, care and respect, and striving to recognize and overcome biases and policies that contribute to disparities in healthcare access, equitable care and positive health outcomes for all.

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, supporting the growth and health of our employees and community by embracing the rich diversity, needs and circumstances of all peoples and prioritizing opportunities to build a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable protected characteristics.

If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, a job interview or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Centralus Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].