STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Mental Health Assistant 2 (35 Hour)

Office/On-site

Recruitment #240708-5723HN-001

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Introduction



Looking for an exciting opportunity to make a real impact?
Join us and be part of a revolutionary team shaping the future!

The Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS), under the umbrella of the State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is seeking a qualified individual for the position of Mental Health Assistant 2 (PCN 27943) to join our team at the Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center. This position will provide support to our inpatient, Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU), 5th Floor. Find out more information on this great opportunity below!

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:
  • Work Schedule: Rotational Schedule, every other weekend and rotating holidays
  • Work Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
  • Work Shift: Second shift, 4:00 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
  • Location: 1635 Central Avenue, Bridgeport, CT
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU:
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
  • Provide continuity and coordination of patient care
  • Collaborate with unit staff and be responsive to patient care needs
  • Ensure a safe and therapeutic milieu within a psychiatric treatment program
  • Establish therapeutic relationships
  • Respond to and de-escalate patients in crisis
  • Support and assist patients with transferring from bed to chair, commode, and ambulation as needed to maintain safety and prevent falls
  • Coordinating orientation and training of new staff to the unit
  • Ensure all delegate duties to MHA1 have been completed during the shift
  • Report to head nurse or staffing if all staff scheduled are present at the beginning of the shift
MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND FACILITIES:

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

The vision of the Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System is to provide high quality, compassionate and culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to adults with behavioral health disorders who are indigent.

The Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU) 5th Floor, is responsible for providing treatment for severely and acutely ill psychiatric patients who require a safe, supportive, highly structured hospital level of care. The treatment goals are developed in which the individual can be: stabilized, evaluated, rehabilitated, provided ongoing treatment, and assisted in regaining a level of functioning that will allow the person to be treated in a less restrictive environment or to return to community-based living. CTU treatment staff work closely with community providers to ensure that a smooth transition to the community exists.

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Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

To Apply:
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
  • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
  • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
Connect With Us:
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process.
  • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment please contact Joseph K. Fried at Joseph.Fried@ct.gov, 860-924-7053.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services hospital, community behavioral health facility or program this class is accountable for leading Mental Health Assistants in the assessment, planning and implementation of paraprofessional nursing, clinical and/or rehabilitative interventions designed to support client short and/or long-term needs. In outpatient or community programs this class is accountable for independently performing the full range of paraprofessional functions in case management and crisis intervention services.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Provide continuity and coordination of patient care;
  • Collaborate with unit staff and be responsive to patient care needs; 
  • Identify client strengths and assists in development of treatment plans;
  • Ensure a safe and therapeutic milieu within a psychiatric treatment program;  
  • Establish therapeutic relationships;
  • Participate in developing and maintaining a therapeutic milieu;
  • Respond to and de-escalate patients in crisis
  • Support and assist patients with transferring from bed to chair, commode, and ambulation as needed to maintain safety and prevent falls.
  • Coordinate orientation and training of new staff to the unit
  • Ensure all delegated duties to MHA1 have been completed during the shift
  • Report to head nurse or staffing if all staff scheduled are present at the beginning of the shift;
  • Performs related duties as required and find additional information here.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • psychiatric rehabilitation and/or case management principles, practices and procedures; 
    • acceptable standards of nursing care; 
  • Knowledge of
    • dynamics of human behavior; 
    • hygiene and sanitation; 
    • safety and fire procedures and security measures; 
    • community resources and programs; 
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • oral and written communication skills; 
    • counseling skills; 
  • Observation skills; 
  • Ability to
    • lead staff; 
    • supervise client activity; 
    • interpret and implement agency and/or facility policies and procedures; 
    • apply principles of therapeutic counseling under supervision; 
    • develop curricula and instruct groups; 
    • organize; 
    • understand, interpret and carry out oral and written instructions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Three (3) years of experience at the level of a Mental Health Assistant 1.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training in mental health technology, a behavioral science, social work, rehabilitation therapy or its equivalent may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of two (2) years.
  • Completion of a mental health trainee certificate program may be substituted for one-half (1/2) year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working in inpatient/residential settings with clients diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness and substance abuse disorders
  • Experience working in a clinical setting and providing verbal de-escalation techniques to clients/patients
  • Experience working on a multi-disciplinary team/program
  • Experience in providing direct care in activities of daily living
  • Experience providing leadership/direction to colleagues on a team

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual or fluent in American Sign Language.
  • Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.
  • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain clients and may have significant exposure to infectious and/or communicable diseases, strongly disagreeable conditions and risk of injury.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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