Seasonal Mental Health Worker I

This is a seasonal position for an anticipated duration of 90 days.

The Department of Mental Health (DMH) Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital is seeking a dynamic candidate who will provide direct patient care services to individuals by participating and instructing activities of daily living including, but not limited to personal care, community integration and recreation/leisure to ensure daily needs, rehabilitation needs, and human rights are met. Mental Health Workers treat all patients with dignity and respect through interactions which affirm the individual’s needs and preferences and by optimally integrating their perspective into all facets of care. 

Please Note: This Summer session is restricted to a maximum 90-day appointment from date of hire. This position is full-time, 40 hours per week. The work schedule will vary. All shifts available. Seasonal positions do not offer employee benefits with the exception of sick time accruals. It will be necessary for participants to be available for the entire summer, and unfortunately no vacations will be granted. 

Available Shifts:

·         1st from 6:45AM-3:15PM- Full-time, 40 hours

·         2nd from 2:45PM-11:15PM- Full-time, 40 hours

·         3rd from 11:00PM-7:00AM- Full-time, 40 hours

Employees in this position will be required to perform mandatory overtime.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Provides direct care and/or assists persons served in the direct care skills of the activities of daily living (ADL) as needed as well as the habilitation/rehabilitation aspects of care to ensure the health, comfort, safety, and human rights of persons served.
• Takes and reports vital signs as instructed.
• Accompanies persons served to appointments, programs, and treatment areas and assists professional or medical staff as needed.
• Provides observation of persons served according to hospital and departmental policy, conducting 5, 15, 30-minute checks and 1:1 or constant observation as directed.
• Assists in the planning and implementation of rehabilitative, behavioral, and recreational care of persons served by contributing to and/or addressing specific Treatment and Recovery Plan interventions with the treatment team.
• Discusses goals and needs of persons served while attending Treatment Team meetings and unit shift change report as instructed. Reports and discusses observations behavior, desires, and/or problems to ensure consistency and timeliness of care for persons served.
• Organizes and encourages persons served to participate in leisure time activities during unstructured time to enhance socialization and interpersonal skills.
• Actively participates in providing a safe therapeutic environment through observation and communication thereof.
• Reviews Individual Safety Plans of persons served and assists the treatment team by reviewing and recommending revisions to Individual Safety Plans. Communicates immediate observations and recommended changes required to immediate supervisor or charge nurse.
• Remains vigilant and aware of any safety and health concerns and reports them to the immediate supervisor and/or charge nurse.
• Responds as trained to emergency situations.
• Utilizes de-escalation, restraint, and seclusion prevention strategies to provide trauma-informed care.
• Establishes a rapport with p