Safety, Security, and Treatment Technician

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Virginia; On-site; USD 43,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of VA Careers seeks a Safety, Security, and Treatment Technician to provide direct care in a hospital environment. The role supports treatment teams, maintains a safe milieu, and documents patient behavior and outcomes.

Responsibilities include facilitating interventions, coordinating with staff, and ensuring adherence to safety protocols. Applicants should have strong communication and problem-solving skills, and be able to work across shifts as needed.

Qualifications

• Excellent oral and written communications.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize concurrent tasks.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Experience with data entry and computerized forms.
• Knowledge of conflict de-escalation techniques and safety protocols.
• Ability to adapt to assigned posts as directed by supervision.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate supportive and therapeutic interventions per treatment plan.
• Serve as liaison between treatment team and direct care staff.
• Maintain therapeutic boundaries and provide redirection as needed.
• Participate in unit community meetings and model professional behavior.
• Monitor safety, environmental conditions, and patient/staff conduct; respond to incidents.
• Document unusual observations promptly in the health record.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Independence

Problem solving

Prioritization

Data entry

Conflict de-escalation

Safety protocols

Post rotation flexibility

Job description

Title: Safety, Security, and Treatment Technician

State Role Title: Direct Service Associate III

Hiring Range: $42,710 - $58,939

Pay Band: 3

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Catawba Hospital

Agency Website: https://dbhds.virginia.gov/facilities/catawba/

Job Duties

A. Facilitates supportive and therapeutic interventions

• Engage in individual patient interactions consistent with treatment team recommendations by understanding patient’s individualized treatment plan and applying it appropriately
• Act as liaison between treatment team and direct care staff
• Consistently provide constructive input related to treatment, milieu and clinical issues.
• Serve as positive, professional role model to patients by effectively communicating positive and negative consequences of their behavior choices
• Actively participates in unit community meetings
• Maintain therapeutic boundaries with patients and provide appropriate redirection when overstepping boundaries occur

B. Maintains safe and therapeutic environment

• Monitor, observe, intervene and report any safety issues, including patient and staff behavior, and environmental issues
• Serve as primary resource for direct care staff in patient conflict de-escalation
• Attempts to resolve patient issues on the unit, calling for assistance only when needed.
• Serve as responder during behavioral codes
• Perform safety rounds as ordered by physician and document the rounding in the electronic health record
• Monitor cleanliness of the unit as well as non-working equipment on the unit; report non-working equipment and any safety concerns that can develop from non-sanitary environment to Unit Manager.

C. Documentation

• Document all unusual behavior or changes in behavior, and report observations to professional staff
• Ensures all oral and written reports are factual, professional, clear and submitted prior to the end of the shift
• Keeps accurate and timely records for the development of behavioral interventions

Essential

D. Collaboration with others

• Maintains cooperative relationship with co-workers and supervisor
• Assists in monitoring therapeutic activities and/or groups for patients
• Escorts patients to other departments, meals, recreational activities and outside of hospital per protocols and procedure
• Follows established facility policies at all times and as instructed by supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to use computerized forms for data entry
• Ability to work any assigned post as directed by supervisor.
• Excellent oral and written communications
• Ability to prioritize and complete concurrent work demands
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to problem-solve and make decisions
• Working knowledge of conflict resolution and appropriate implementation of conflict de-escalation techniques
• Knowledge of Catawba Hospital’s safety protocols and ability to apply them

Additional Considerations

Previous experience in healthcare or security is preferred.

Background Investigation

All applicants are subject to an extensive background investigation and a pre-employment drug screening. This investigation may include fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI), local agency checks, Department of Social Services/Child Protective Services checks, employment verification, and verification of education relevant to the position.

Under Virginia Code §§ 37.2-314 and 37.2-408.1, the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) cannot employ or utilize as volunteers, individuals convicted of specific ("barrier") crimes or those with pending "barrier" charges.

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance or accommodation, please notify Human Resources at [phone] during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

Equal Opportunity

The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to conducting all aspects of human resource management without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.* There shall be no retaliation against anyone making allegations of violations of this policy.

Contact Information

Name: Austin Grasty

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.