Behavioral Health Associate - PRN

St. Joseph Institute; Port Matilda (Centre County); On-site; USD 20,664 - 30,307; Full time

Job summary

St. Joseph Institute for Addiction in Port Matilda, PA seeks a Behavioral Health Associate I to join the treatment team. The role monitors client behavior, provides continuous care, and assists with data collection, crisis response, and daily unit activities.

The position is onsite at the facility and involves supervising clients, facilitating groups, recording vital signs, and coordinating with staff to ensure safety and progress toward treatment goals.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Six months or more experience with the facility's population preferred.
• Knowledge of psychiatric disorders and dual diagnosis preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ensures wellbeing and a safe, structured environment with supervision.
• Performs safety checks and follows supervision guidelines.
• Checks for contraband and manages client valuables.
• Interacts with clients, notes observations, and encourages group therapy.
• Engages clients in activities to achieve treatment goals.
• Facilitates educational-rehabilitative groups on social and coping skills.
• Takes vital signs and reports changes to the charge nurse.
• Maintains client records accurately and timely.
• Applies de-escalation techniques to manage emotions and participation.
• Assists with unit organization, admissions/discharges, and incident reports.
• Provides transfer or transportation as needed and reports to oncoming shift.
• Supports onboarding of new clients and introduces them to programs.

Skills

De-escalation techniques

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Behavioral Health Associate - PRN | St. Joseph Institute for Addiction | Port Matilda, Pennsylvania

PURPOSE STATEMENT: The Behavioral Health Associate I serves as an integral part of the multidisciplinary treatment team and is responsible for monitoring and reporting of client behaviors; providing continuous client care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling; assisting in client data collection, recording, and maintenance; and responding in crisis situations and medical emergencies as needed.

Roles and Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Ensures the wellbeing of clients and provides a safe, positive, supportive, and structured environment. Maintains a constant awareness and supervision of clients.


• Conducts safety checks, ensuring that supervision is conducted at intervals in accordance with individualized supervision guidelines.


• Checks clients for contraband and manages the client’s valuables and belongings.


• Interacts routinely with clients, observes behaviors and communicates significant observations to supervisor. Encourages attendance at group therapy and promotes client participation in unit activities.


• Engages with clients in activities and interactions designed to encourage achievement of treatment goals.


• Facilitates client educational-rehabilitative groups which cover a variety of topics including social skills, coping skills and independent living skills.


• Takes and records vital signs properly and communicates significant changes in client’s condition to the charge nurse.


• Charts in client records timely, accurately, and appropriately.


• Applies de-escalation techniques to help manage client’s emotions, behavior and participation in treatment.


• Assists with unit cleaning, organization of new admits charts, discharge process, filing, etc. Initiates client/employee incident reports.


• Provides transfer or transportation for client or coordinates transportation with appropriate staff member, as required.


• Receives report from previous shift to utilize information in planning for shift and then provides an accurate and thorough report to oncoming shift.


• Serves as a resource for new clients introducing them to other clients and staff, explaining programs and encouraging participation. Orients clients to the activities program, explaining the benefits of activities.


• Maintains an awareness of client’s needs and individual goals while motivating clients towards activities which are beneficial to them. Observes clients’ interest levels and behaviors.


• Assists with activity planning by offering new activity ideas and diverse therapeutic recreation program.


• Organizes and sets up the equipment that is used in recreational activities. Provides clients with activity resources and supplies, as needed.


• Enforces safety rules to prevent injury and modifies activities to suit the needs of specific groups.


• Helps to develop and maintain departmental resources, sharing the responsibility to monitor equipment and supplies.

Education/Experience/Skill Requirements

• High school graduate or equivalent.


• Six months or more experience working with the specific population of the facility preferred.


• Knowledge of common psychiatric disorders and/or dual diagnosis and various treatment modalities of the population served preferred.

Licenses/Designations/Certifications

• CPR certification and de-escalation training required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).


• First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

Work Location

This position is onsite at the facility and is not a remote position.

Supervisory Requirements

This position is an Individual Contributor.

Why St. Joseph Institute for Addiction?

St. Joseph Institute for Addiction offers a comprehensive benefit plan and a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. St. Joseph Institute for Addiction is an EOE.

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