Mental Health Coach

Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters is seeking a Mental Health Coach to build therapeutic relationships with pediatric patients and model pro-social coping skills. The role supports a safe, regulation-compliant treatment environment and collaborates with the care team and families to promote an effective treatment experience.

The position may require on-call coverage to meet organizational needs. Responsibilities include crisis de-escalation, patient supervision, and clear communication

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a relevant field or experience.
• Experience in psychiatric care or direct patient care is preferred.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills required.

Responsibilities

• Provide evidence-based skills coaching to pediatric patients with mental health diagnoses.
• Conduct and reinforce strategies from treatment plans; communicate findings to the team.
• Support on-call coverage as needed to meet organizational needs.
• Assist with nursing tasks as delegated by RN for medically involved patients.
• Maintain a safe, structured environment and monitor patient locations.
• Interact with families to review progress and plan of care.

Skills

Behavioral coaching

De-escalation techniques

Direct observation

Care team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Mental Health, Education, Healthcare

1 year psychiatric care experience

2 years direct patient care experience

Job description

The Mental Health Coach is responsible for establishing a therapeutic relationship with pediatric mental health clients, modeling pro-social and positive self-coping skills. Maintains a safe and regulatory compliant treatment setting and collaborates with patient and team stakeholders to ensure an effective treatment experience. May function in on-call capacity as necessary to meet the needs of the organization. Reports to departmental leadership.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Provision of clinical care-

• Provides evidence-based skills coaching, behavioral modification and direct observation to pediatric patients with mental health diagnoses.
• Implements and reinforces strategies included in patient’s treatment or behavioral plan. Relays ineffective aspects of plan back to broader team for review and adjustment.
• Completes coping cards with each patient and encourages their use.
• May complete nursing tasks, as delegated by the RN, for medically involved clients.
• Maintains a collaborative and supportive stance with patients as a means of maintaining unit calm.
• Displays expertise in de-escalation cycle and educates patients and families daily on its use.

Crisis Management-

• Maintains consistent awareness of where each assigned patient is on de-escalation cycle; utilizes skills appropriate for observed de-escalation level.
• Adopts a collaborative and reflective stance with patients with the goal of de-escalation in mind.
• Provides emotional first aid and de-briefing to individual patients and groups after behavioral escalations.

Ensure safe and compliant treatment setting-

• Manages patient’s room, unit environment and team schedule, ensuring consistent structure and a priority towards safety.
• Ensures work areas are organized, safe and ready for the next activity or shift.
• Maintains constant awareness of patient location and immediately alerts nurse to changes in mental status.

Admission/Registration/Greeter-

• Processes admissions in a timely, organized and client-centered fashion.
• Assures anyone entering the unit is free of contraband by encouraging use of assigned lockers.
• Provides updates to parent/guardian regarding patient condition and progress, information is linked to the plan of care; if unsure of boundaries consults with treatment team prior to sharing information.
• Greets families when they are present at point of access, provides guidance on way finding and unit rules.

Emergency Department-

• Oversees Emergency Department mental health flow by acting as a liaison between provider, charge nurse, bedside nurse, evaluating therapist, admission staff, parent and child.
• Provides evidence-based skills coaching, behavioral modification and direct observation to pediatric patients with mental health diagnoses. Assistance in application of restraint when deemed medically necessary and ordered by treating physician.
• May complete nursing tasks (Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Vital Signs, nutrition, patient weights), as delegated by the RN, for medically involved clients.
• Maintains compliant and safe environment of care including stocking, setting up rooms for admission and general cleaning.
• Attends change of shift and unit level huddles.
• Assists with de-escalation and restraint application when needed.
• Completes coping cards with each client and encourages their use.
• Maintains consistent awareness of where each assigned patient is on de-escalation cycle; utilizes skills appropriate for observed de-escalation level.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required Licenses and/or Certifications

• None

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Required Education and Experience

• Must meet at least one of the following education or experience requirements upon hire:
• bachelor's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Mental Health, Education, Healthcare, or a related field; or
• one (1) year of experience in psychiatric care; or
• two (2) years of experience in direct patient care.
• Increased Security Clearance Required: FBI fingerprinting, criminal background check, and Child Protective Services registry search.

Preferred Education and Experience

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Inpatient hospital or outpatient practice with little exposure to dust, temperature and the like.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS