MENTAL HEALTH WORKER

State of careers Rhode Island; Benton Township (PA); On-site; USD 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

The Rhode Island State Psychiatric Hospital seeks a Mental Health Worker to provide direct care and treatment to severely and chronically mentally disabled patients in a forensic setting. You will support treatment plans, assist nurses, supervise activities, and help maintain a safe, therapeutic milieu in a secure unit.

The role requires an Associate’s Degree or equivalent in Behavioral Science and about one year of inpatient experience.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate’s Degree or equivalent in Behavioral Science.
• Experience: One year in hospital/clinical setting with severely mentally disabled individuals.
• Substitute: any combination of education and experience substantially equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct care and treatment to mentally disabled patients in a forensic setting.
• Interact with patients and support treatment plans as part of the treatment team.
• Assist professionals in formulating and implementing plans and supervise activities.
• Wake, bathe, dress, feed and groom patients as needed and ensure safety.
• Observe and report health and behavioral status, maintain a therapeutic milieu.

Skills

Observation

Safety & security

Communication

First aid

Education

Associate’s Degree in Behavioral Science

Job description

Department

Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals

Division

Healthcare Health & Allied Professionals

Salary

$53,093.00 - $59,394.00

Job Profile

JC-02156200-6 - Mental Health Worker (C94 L1350 BHDDH Hospital and Rehab)

Scheduled Work Days & Work Hours

11:15PM - 7:15AM; Every other weekend; days off are to be determined.

Benton A

Standard 40.0

6/28/26 - Updated salary range: $54,686.00 - $61,176.00

Job Requisition Number

JR102604 MENTAL HEALTH WORKER (Open)

Pay Grade

C00320 A

Classification

Mental Health Worker

Class Definition

GENERAL DEFINITION OF CLASS: Within a state hospital or inpatient medical facility, to provide direct care and treatment to severely and chronically mentally disabled patients in a secure forensic treatment setting within Rhode Island State Psychiatric Hospital (RISPH). It involves promoting the therapeutic milieu while exercising custody and supervision of forensic patients consistent with nursing care and treatment plans; performs related work in a forensic setting as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Works under the supervision of a registered nurse whom assignments are received in outline form; specific instructions are given with each new or unusual assignment; work is subject to review and inspection in process and upon completion for effectiveness and conformance with standards of care within the RIPSH, specifically at the forensic setting, including hospital policies, procedures and instructions.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED ** :** None

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED:

• Within a state hospital or inpatient medical facility, to provide direct care and treatment to severely and chronically mentally disabled patients in a secure forensic treatment setting within Rhode Island State Psychiatric Hospital (RISPH). It involves promoting the therapeutic milieu while exercising custody and supervision of forensic patients consistent with nursing care and treatment plans performs related work in a forensic setting as required.
• To perform a variety of duties involved in providing direct care and treatment to severely and chronically mentally disabled patients within the RISPH.
• To perform duties related to therapeutic evaluation.
• To interact with patients; listen, encourage, support and provide appropriate feedback.
• To assist professional staff in formulating and implementing treatment plans and serve as a member of the treatment team.
• To wake, bathe, dress, feed and groom patients as necessary and prepare them for visitors, grounds privileges, off‑site appointments and bed.
• To observe policies and procedures pertaining to the security of the building which includes but not limited to conduct rounds; take patient count and conduct safety checks; file ward status reports; observe unusual behavior and report unusual incidents to a superior.
• To escort doctors and visitors on wards as required.
• To ensure that patients quarters are in sanitary, safe and orderly condition and free of dangerous or unapproved items constituting sharps, contraband or flammables as per RISPH policy.
• To organize, plan, direct, implement, and participate in unit-based therapeutic patient activities and off‑unit activity programs.
• To physically restrain patients when necessary commensurate with hospital policy and behavioral emergency response training. Restraints are applied under supervision as directed and as per RISPH restraint policy.
• To observe and report on the physical health of patients; bring signs and symptoms of physical illness to the attention of a superior; assist with physicals of blood work and collect specimens as assigned. Take temperature, pulse and respiration rates.
• To carry outpatient admission, discharge and transfer procedures; inspect patients for sharps, contraband and flammables as directed and as per RISPH policy.
• To assist professional nurses and other personnel give treatments of prescribed medications.
• To perform as a member of the therapeutic team by establishing a positive helping relationship with the patients and interacting professionally with other team members in carrying out the treatment programs developed. This includes collaborating with professional staff and contributing to treatment planning quality assurance or performance improvement activities as necessary.
• To supervise patient recreational activities; escort patient to appointments and off‑site activities.
• To maintain cleanliness and safety of patient immediate environment; care for patient clothing and personal effects.
• To recognize and implement a full range of infection control and disease prevention measures.
• To identify and report elopement and participate in searches.
• To wear only appropriate dress and only hospital-approved identification badge.
• To provide one‑on‑one special supervision and observational care as assigned.
• To perform routine housekeeping duties to maintain the appropriate therapeutic milieu.
• To do related work as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT:

KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES & CAPACITIES : A working knowledge of the practices, methods and techniques for the custody, care and treatment of the psychiatric patient, including those with mental and developmental disabilities, in a forensic setting and the ability to apply such knowledge (such knowledge including basic first aid, housekeeping, patient personal needs and activities of daily living, minor treatments and infection control); the ability to safeguard and supervise patients and to maintain order, control and discipline in a therapeutic context and in a therapeutic fashion; the ability to converse and interact with patients and staff in a professional, positive and therapeutic manner; the ability to observe attitudes and the mental and physical and other reactions of patients and relate them orally to supervisors or other members of the treatment team and in writing in the medical record; the ability to observe clinical details about the mental and physical condition of patients, including behavioral observations as part of a behavioral plan or observational behavioral protocol, and to relate them orally and in writing; a working knowledge of the accepted housekeeping procedures of the hospital facility and the ability to apply such knowledge; the ability to cooperate and work with other employees (clinical and non‑clinical with a variety of expertise); the ability to accept direction from clinical professionals and to follow oral and written instructions; a familiarity with the terms and definitions that make up clinical syndromes and the ability to describe the symptoms of mental illness particularly in the forensic setting; and related knowledge, skills, abilities and capacities.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Possession of an Associate’s Degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university in Behavioral Science, ability to read, write and speak English and

Experience : One year of employment in a private or public hospital or clinical program involving participation in the care, custody, treatment and rehabilitation of severely and chronically mentally disabled persons.

Or, any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience in the treatment of the severely mentally ill persons.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be physically qualified to perform duties of the class of position and to display professional attitudes and conduct throughout the period of employment. Must complete a physical agility test consisting of a minimum number of sit ups, push‑ups, 300-meter run, and 1.5 mile run with standards correlated with gender and age. Must be physically capable of lifting 40 pounds and have the physical agility and strength to maintain a safe and secure environment for patients and staff, upon hire and yearly thereafter. The candidates will be tested at the 40th percentile using the Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research standards. Shall be considered medically fit for the position after examination by qualified personnel designated by the department; such qualification shall require a vision test of at least 20/100 Snellen in the better eye, without glasses, corrected to at least 20/70 Snellen in one eye and 20/30 in the other eye with the added requirement that defective vision must not be due to active or progressive organic disease. A hearing test in which each ear must test at least 15/15 by the Whispering Voice Test. Must at all times by physically qualified to perform the assigned duties as evidenced by a physician’s certificate.

Supplemental Information

One year inpatient experience in a psychiatric setting preferred.

Pre-Employment Requirements for all candidates to receive a position at ESH or RISPH is the proof of immunity against:
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
Varicella (Chickenpox),
Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap),
Hepatitis B titers,
Tuberculin Skin Test (TST)

N-95 Respirator FIT test

Please contact Employee Health Clinic within 2 business days of accepting the position. The Employee Health Office at the Eleanor Slater Hospital is open 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday at:
Cranston Ph: [phone] Fax:[phone]
Zambarano Ph: [phone] Fax: [phone]
RISPH Ph: [phone]

Benefits

For information regarding thebenefits available to State of RhodeIsland employees, please visit the Office of Employee Benefits’ website athttp://www.employeebenefits.ri.gov/.

Also, be advised thata new provision in RI General Law 35-6-1 was enacted requiring direct deposit for all employees. Specific to new hires, the law requires that all employees hired after September 30, 2014 participate in direct deposit. Accordingly, any employee hired after this date will be required to participate in the direct deposit system. At the time the employee is hired, the employee shall identify a financial institution that will serve as a personal depository agency for the employee.