MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Work for Methodist; Sulphur (LA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Methodist Healthcare Services seeks a dedicated role focused on compassionate, child-centered residential care. You will support residents in daily activities, help maintain a structured living environment, and work with a treatment team to implement individualized plans.

The position emphasizes empathy, learning, and strong communication within diverse settings, with responsibilities spanning behavioral management and daily life skills training.

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate empathy and practice Golden Rule with residents and families.
• Eager learner, willing to try new methods.
• Strong love for children and desire to be an agent for change in their lives.
• Pursuing a mental health-related degree or currently a student in a related field; or has completed relevant coursework.
• Bachelor's degree holder pursuing graduate degree in a mental health field with coursework completed.
• High school diploma or GED with two years of direct service experience in related settings.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compassionate, culturally sensitive services.
• Ensure residents are present and on time for clinical activities; obtain preapproval for any absence.
• Create a culture reducing protective holds and escorts; uphold QA standards.
• Collaborate with Therapist to create a positive living environment for residents.
• Implement Behavioral Management Plan with fidelity.
• Participate in treatment team meetings and communicate progress and impact of operations.
• Implement personalized interventions from Active Treatment Plans.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the house/unit.
• Provide life skills training in daily living.
• Interact positively with residents, families, staff and other stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Empathy

Willing learner

Love for children

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Maturity and integrity

Education

Pursuing BA/BS in mental health field

Bachelor's + graduate plan in mental health

High school diploma or GED + 2 years direct service experience

Job description

• Ensure the provision of compassionate, culturally sensitive services.
• Ensure all house or unit residents are present and on time for all clinical activities. Any absence from a clinical activity must be preapproved by the Therapist responsible for a resident’s Active Treatment Plan. (This is a primary responsibility and will be measured by the agency’s QA process.)
• Create a culture of care which discourages the use of protective holds and escorts. (This is primary responsibility and will be measured by the agency’s QA process.)
• With the assistance of the Therapist, create a living environment which residents evaluate positively. (This is primary responsibility and will be measured by the agency’s QA process.)
• Ensure agency’s Behavioral Management Plan is implemented with fidelity.
• Actively participate in treatment team meetings and communicate fully regarding the delivery of treatment services to the house or unit residents, each resident’s progress and condition on the unit or house, and the impact of program operations on treatment.
• Implement with fidelity all personalized interventions indicated in each resident’s Active Treatment Plan.
• Maintain the structure, cleanliness and organization of the house or unit.
• Implement the agency’s milieu model with fidelity.
• Provide life skill training to residents as a routine matter in the course of daily living in the house or unit.
• Interact positively with residents, their family members, fellow staff members and all other stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have empathy for others and practice the Golden Rule in relationships with residents and their families, with fellow staff member and with others.
• Must be an eager learner and willing to try new methods.
• Must have a fundamental love for children and a desire to be an agent for change in their lives.
• Must be actively pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in a mental health-related field (including, but not limited to sociology, criminal justice, nursing, marriage and family counseling, rehabilitation counseling, psychological counseling and other professional counseling); or
• Have earned a Bachelor’s degree and is a student pursuing a graduate degree in a mental health-related field and have completed at least two courses in that identified field; or
• Have a high school degree or a GED and have two years’ experience providing direct services in a mental health, physical health, social services, educational or correctional setting.
• Must possess a strong sense of personal authority, maturity and integrity for a positive, influential role with children.
• Must be able to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, in a diverse range of audiences and settings.
• Must be skilled in conflict resolution and mediation.
• Must have strong verbal and social skills for use with residents and staff.
• Must be committed to the protection of confidential information, records and reports.
• Must have a strong work ethic and be willing to commit to significant job responsibilities.
• Must be flexible in ability to function in demanding position.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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