MHA Team Lead

Apalachee Center, Inc. is best known for helping individuals and families of North Florida succeed in recovering from emotional, psychiatric, and substance abuse crises. Apalachee Center, Inc. provides comprehensive behavioral health services across 8 counties (Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties).

Apalachee Center, Inc. offers competitive benefits for our full-time positions to include health, dental, vision, basic life insurance, long term disability, paid time off, and more.

Overview:

Provides leadership on assigned unit to ensure dignified and compassionate care is delivered to clients by all MHAs at all times, including during all emergency situations. Is the lead for the unit in responding to all Code Green calls, having a direct role in engaging with the clients. Demonstrates appropriate de-escalation techniques with goal to reduce/eliminate use of seclusion and restraint. Provides patient supervision, care, and activities services in accordance with professional staff direction and unit procedures. Assists patients in activities of daily living, assists in implementing treatment plans and provides supportive contact with patients. Trains new staff assigned to unit in accordance with procedure and polices.

ESSENTIAL/CORE JOB-SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Willingly and cooperatively works on units assigned. Demonstrates a positive, supportive, respectful attitude while working.
• Takes direction from and consults with nursing team RN/LPN.
• Provides patient supervision, care and services as assigned.
• Is the Code Green team lead for unit and responds to other units when a code is called to assist other Code Green team leads and staff. Uses and demonstrates appropriate de-escalation techniques with the goal of resolving crisis without use of seclusion or restraint.
• Is lead for training new full-time and PRN MHA staff on unit to ensure policy and procedure compliance as well as good attitudes towards clients and other staff; addressed issues directly with staff members individually in conjunction with nursing team.
• Assigns MHA break times and ensures staff remain on units during shift other than while on break.
• Maintains compliance with required training in accordance with established time frames on My Learning Pointe.
• Follows MHA guidelines as outlined for assigned unit.
• Supervises patients during program activities, meals, courtyard breaks and all unscheduled times or as directed by supervisor. Assists patients with activities of daily living as necessary (eating, laundry, personal hygiene, etc.) Ensures laundry is tracked accurately and returned to client. Assists patients in ambulating as needed. Assists in meal preparation, serving, and clean-up in conjunction with dietary staff. Supervises and documents meal intake as directed by nursing or supervisory staff.
• Supervises patients on special observation/precautionary status levels as assigned by supervisor. Monitors other patients in accordance with program procedures or as assigned by supervisory staff.
• Orients patients to unit/facility, rules and responsibilities, schedules and activities, etc. at time of admission in accordance with unit procedure. Documents orientation activities in accordance with program specifications. Performs accurate inventory and documents correctly upon admission of a client. Completes inventory of patient belongings and monitors patient compliance with contraband prohibition in accordance with unit procedures to ensure the safety and security of patients and staff. Notifies nurse of any suspected possession of contraband or potentially dangerous object on unit.
• Communicates immediately to nursing staff important information regarding client's concerns or complaints regarding physical and emotional needs, changes in patient functioning or status, any symptoms of possible medical or psychiatric emergencies, or possible missing persons or elopements.

Education/Experience:

• A high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Minimum of one (2) years of related work experience in a patient care setting preferred.