Mental Health Specialist

WVU Medicine; Morgantown (WV); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

WVUH West Virginia University Hospitals in Morgantown seeks a paraprofessional to deliver mental health care under direct supervision. This role supports the treatment team in inpatient acute psychiatric care and in community-based settings, focusing on safety, patient rights, and compassionate care.

The ideal candidate has completed at least two years of college or equivalent experience, with BLS certification within 30 days of hire.

Qualifications

• Two years of college or two years of experience in inpatient acute psychiatric care.
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Social Work, or Nursing preferred.
• BLS certification to be obtained within 30 days of hire.
• State and federal background checks as required for regulated areas.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates or co-facilitates the therapeutic group process.
• Implements effective communication with the interdisciplinary team and clients.
• Assist clients to structure their lives therapeutically, considering the master treatment plan.
• Identify cues for potential aggression and apply de-escalation techniques.
• Document clients' responses in the medical record.
• Support developmental age-appropriate interventions per the master treatment plan.
• Assist family members and supportive individuals per program standards.
• Perform basic medical tasks and learn additional tasks as needed.
• Assist clients with activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, eating, ambulation).
• Transport and supervise clients to appointments and activities.
• Organize recreation, physical fitness, and age-appropriate leisure activities.
• Answer calls, including helpline, in a professional manner.

Education

Two years of college OR Two years of experience in inpatient acute psychiatric care

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Social Work, or Nursing

BLS certification within 30 days of hire

Background check (state and federal as applicable)

Job description

Responsible for delivering paraprofessional mental health care under direct supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1. Obtain certification in BLS within 30 days of hire date

2. State criminal background check and Federal (if applicable), as required for regulated areas.
   EXPERIENCE:

3. Two (2) years of college study OR Two (2) years of experience in inpatient acute psychiatric care.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1. Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Social Work, or Nursing.
2. Valid driver’s license.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

1. Facilitates or co-facilitates the therapeutic group process.
2. Applies effective communication techniques in collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team and in interacting with clients and significant others in therapeutic relationships.
3. Assists clients to structure their lives in a therapeutic manner. Serves as an active member of the mental health team, taking developmental age of the client into account (as determined and directed by the master treatment plan). Providing community based mental health care, which includes providing care to clients in a manner that considers safety and patients’ rights and comfort.
4. Utilizes the master treatment plan for assistance in identifying and implementing developmental age-appropriate interventions with clients. This includes therapeutically supporting and reinforcing clients’ appropriate and pro-social behavior and negatively reinforcing and setting limits in a therapeutic and consistent manner clients’ inappropriate and antisocial behavior, within program guidelines. Identification of verbal and non-verbal cues for potential aggressive behavior and application of de-escalation techniques to the situation.
5. Implements appropriate interventions and documents clients’ responses in the medical record.
6. Identifies thought patterns and behaviors associated with different types of psychiatric diagnoses and developmental ages and intervenes appropriately utilizing the master treatment plan.
7. Provides assistance to clients’ family members and other supportive individuals in accordance with program standards.
8. Performs basic medical tasks (i.e. obtains and documents vital signs, collects urine and stool samples, weighs clients, witnessing controlled substance wastes, obtaining blood glucose levels) and exhibits a willingness to learn additional tasks.
9. Assists clients in their activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, eating and ambulation) as needed.
10. May transport and supervise clients to appointments and activities.
11. Organizes and facilitates specific recreation, physical fitness and age appropriate leisure time activities.
12. Answers the phone and responds to all calls, including Helpline calls, in an appropriate and professional manner

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 accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Heavy/hard work: Requires strength and or stamina, lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, standing, walking, and occasionally physical restraint of a client.

WORKING 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.

1. Inpatient setting or work within homes and living spaces of community based clientele.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Must have strong oral and written communication skills.
2. Must have the ability to work successfully under highly stressful conditions, and must be capable of adapting to varying workloads and work assignments on a constant basis.
3. Must have the ability to make sound, independent judgments based on scientific principles, and also be able to collaborate with other multi-disciplinary team members in an appropriate fashion.

Additional Job Description:

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

36

Shift:

Day (United States of America)

Exempt/Non-Exempt:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Company:

WVUH West Virginia University Hospitals

Cost Center:

320 WVUH Neuro Dual Diagnosis Unit

Address:

930 Chestnut Ridge Road

Morgantown

West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively “WVUHS”) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.