Milieu Specialist - Lancaster Child/Adolescent Day Hospital

Full-time, Days

8am-4pm, Monday-Friday

No weekends, no holidays

General Summary

Works collaboratively with case counselors, therapists, nurses and psychiatrists to facilitate, organize, and implement a stable milieu structure and smooth operation of the unit; ensures the safety of clients, visitors, and staff; provides therapeutic interventions in accordance with individual patient treatment plans and hospital policies; performs a variety of client care.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Provides day-to-day oversight of all therapeutic activities.
• Manages behavioral crises under the direction of the director and program psychiatrist, including 1:1 observation, redirection, physical restraint and team crisis intervention.
• Establishes and maintains positive, therapeutic relationships with clients.
• Maintains an awareness of significant client history, present status, and any precautions in effect. Collaborates with other staff to provide input into treatment plans for individual clients.
• Demonstrates collaboration and teamwork in maintaining a structured and safe milieu, and assists with milieu programming such as providing direct care to clients as needed.
• Performs secretarial/receptionist duties for the program including filing, copying, faxing, scheduling appointments, answering phones and reviewing and preparing client reports and data. This also includes coordination and completion of any written communication and assistance in carrying out the treatment plans for clients.
• Oversees the physical management of the program and recognizes changes and unsafe conditions in the milieu. Collaborates with treatment team staff to implement prompt, therapeutic interventions.
• Effectively utilizes leadership/teaching/counseling techniques to gain cooperation and to motivate program participants.
• Observes patient's appetite and promotes healthy nutrition and sleep patterns.
• Assists hospital staff in operation and management of the milieu as well as performing assignments, activities, and tasks.
• Conducts clinical interventions according to established standards.
• Provides transportation in a WellSpan Philhaven vehicle to and from the program for clients that meet requirements and are in need of transportation.

Common Expectations:

• Maintains knowledge of policies and procedures relevant to the application for services in the region. This includes the intricacies and nuances of complex funding issues for levels of care, Health Choices, managed care organizations and other funding entities.
• Demonstrates ongoing personal and professional development.
• Maintains proficiency in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) principles of de-escalation.
• Assists in the training/orienting of new employees to policies, procedures, practices, and operations.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

• Bachelors Degree From a college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the CHEA in a recognized clinical discipline including social work, psychology, nursing, rehabilitation or activity therapies. Required or
• Bachelors Degree Has an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated by the AICE or the NACES. The Department will accept a general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its equivalency. Required or
• Masters Degree Has a graduate degree in a clinical discipline with 12 graduate-level credits in mental health or counseling from a program that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the CHEA. Required

Work Experience:

• 1 year Progressive experience in an office setting. Preferred
• Behavioral/mental health or social science experience. Required

Driver's License Statement:

Must possess a valid driver's license in the current state of residence. Driving record must meet requirements established by WellSpan Risk Management.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent human relations and oral/written communication skills.
• Teaching ability.
• Customer service awareness and ability.
• Visual and cognitive ability to read and write.
• Analytical skills.
• Initiative and leadership skills.
• Knowledge of and ability in the care and handling of clients in a specific age group.