The Mental Health Specialist II is responsible for providing direct care to patients with psychiatric disorder; to ensure the safety and well-being of patients; to support the maintenance of therapeutic milieu.  The MHS II is also responsible for providing leadership and direction to new MHS II staff based upon experience and special training in various areas of mental health service delivery; as well as supporting and actively participating with the recreation therapist in leading group activities for patients. The MHS II:

• Observes patients for changes that require immediate intervention and take appropriate action; communicate regularly with supervisor regarding patient care concerns; carries out designated interventions
• Accepts assignments from Unit Nurse or MHS III to provide specific skill training to less experienced staff.
• In the absence of senior staff, or when assigned, takes initiative in ensuring care, delivery, safety, adherence to schedule appropriate MHS II staff.
• Help identify patient’s problems, needs and strengths and communicate this information to the treatment team in a timely manner.
• Understands and properly uses the chain of command, proactively seeking out the unit nurse for medical issues, MHS III or Supervisor for safety concerns, or therapists for clinical concerns.
• Safely assists patients with activities of daily living (i.e. grooming, room cleaning, etc.)
• Takes and records vital signs as directed and reports abnormal values to nurse/medical provider in timely manner.
• Assists in orienting patients to units; ensuring safety check-in, conducting effective contraband search, property inventory, assisting patients in completing de-escalation packet, orientation checklist, and review of patients rights as assigned.
• Assists patients in preparing for discharge (property inventory, packing, other discharge requirements).
• Effectively demonstrates skills in active listening, reflection, appropriate use of tone of voice, body language, word choice so as to convey appropriate degree of compassion, professionalism, caring and respect in delivering patient care; displays good boundaries in relationships with patients; relationships are of a professional quality and appropriate to clinical role.
• Maintains effective patient oversight; resident location log and status-based check sheets are completed accurately on a continuous basis with face-to-face visualization of patients.
• Adheres to guidelines for patients on special status (i.e. suicide, sexual abuse or AWOL precautions).
• Maintains safe and effective therapeutic milieu; implements point/level system and special programs consistently and within written guidelines; assists patients in following community rules/guidelines and in forming positive peer relationships; initiates, organizes and participates in activities to provide positive structure for patients; actively organizing and leading therapeutic/educational groups, primarily spending time directly with patients on the unit and ensuring adherence to activity/group schedule
• Complete relevant flow sheets and other medical record forms accurately and in a timely manner; point sheets are consistently completed with documented rationale for scores.
• Demonstrates working familiarity with treatment plan goals/objectives of assigned primary residents; charting reflects treatment plan goals/objectives and provides useful information for treatment plan revision and comprehensive integration of observations and relevant clinical data that is cumulative and details resident progress or lack thereof in reaching treatment objectives.
• Floats to other units as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.