Psychiatric Technician - Switc

Description

DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND INDEPENDENCE OF IDAHOANS

People Making a Difference!

Are you passionate about making a positive impact and working with the intellectually and developmentally disabled community? At the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC)in our Psychiatric Technician positions, you will be making a difference in their lives and share in their growth and development.

SWITC is a 24-hour facility whose mission is to support individuals in crisis to become stable, develop skills, and to successfully transition to the community. We employ over 100 professionals who work together to meet our mission for each SWITC client. Integrity, high quality customer service, and compassion are core values that will lead to success at SWITC and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

SWITC has one of Idaho’s historic landmarks, the Idaho State Sanitarium Administration Building on campus and includes acres of open space with beautiful gardens, wildlife, and walking paths for our employees to enjoy.

POSITION INFORMATION:

• Incumbents will be expected to lift and transfer clients and must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
• SWITC is an IFC/ID residential facility for the intellectually and developmentally disabled.
• Employees may be required to work weekends, holidays, day, evening and night shifts (swing or night shifts include 5% shift pay).
• This position also requires applicants to become certified in CPR and Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and certified to pass medications to clients.
• Incumbents in this position will be expected to be able to provide training and support to individuals with challenging behaviors and be able to physically intervene when needed to provide safety.

This is an ongoing announcement which means at the time applicants apply, we may or may not have an opening. Those applicants that take and pass the exam to show they meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the referral list. When a position becomes available, the hiring supervisor will then directly contact those applicants they wish to interview off the referral list.

This announcement may be used to fill permanent, temporary, and/or part-time vacancies as they occur.Employees are eligible for benefits if they are working 20 or more hours per week and the term of employment is to exceed five continuous months.

The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is a drug-free workplace. Any applicant offered employment in this position at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will be required to pass a pre-employment drug test. Additionally, applicants will be required to pass a background investigation after a conditional offer of employment.

BENEFITS:

BEST RETIREMENT AVAILABLE IN THE NATION

We have one of the Nation's best state retirement systems (PERSI) that offers a lifetime benefit.

OTHER EXCELLENT BENEFITS

• Excellent medical, dental and vision insurance- (full-time) employee only coverage for PPO $65/month for medical and vision & $11.00/month for dental
• Generous vacation and sick leave accrual beginning as soon as you start
• And more!
• Multiple savings plans, optional 401K, and optional 457
• Wellness programs
• 11 paid holidays a year
• Ongoing training opportunities
• Basic life insurance for employee and family (employee covered at one times annual salary; spouse covered at $10,000; child covered at $5,000)
• An opportunity for student loan forgiveness
• Paid parental leave

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

• Provide social skills training, calming techniques, and other coping strategies to individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illness who may behave violently and aggressively toward you and others.
• Engage in physical activities (exercise and sports) with clients for up to an hour at a time.
• Participate in on and off campus training.
• Maintain the environment by performing basic housekeeping duties.
• Identify and report changes in client behavior and health.
• Maintain client progress records.
• Conduct well-defined therapeutic training sessions on a one-to-one and group basis.
• Lift and transfer clients; lift and carry items weighing approximately 50 pounds.
• Monitor and assess safety and security of clients and facilities within their environment, and take action in crisis situations.
• Assist and/or support unsteady, ambulatory adults of varying weights.
• Interact with clients to provide social skills training in areas such as: social interaction; leisure time activities; planning and decision making; and money management.
• Interact with clients to encourage appropriate behavior and to control aggressive behavior.
• Maintain the safety of clients, including involvement in emergencies such as fire evacuations.
• Frequently perform tasks that require you to bend, push and pull wheeled and other items, twist and squat, use both left and right arms, use right and left hands and wrists, and reach above your shoulders. In addition, you must be able to lift up to 50 pounds while performing the above mentioned tasks, and you may be required to pursue clients to ensure safety.
• Provide training and support to complete all activities of daily living (dressing, grooming, cooking, cleaning, etc.).
• Interact with clients to model and encourage appropriate behavior and to address aggressive behavior.
• Intervene in crisis or potentially harmful situations by using specific early intervention techniques and/or physical restraining techniques.
• Pass medications to clients.
• Respond to emergency situations such as fire evacuation or the administration of first aid and/or CPR.
• Take, record, and report sleep patterns, diet information, behaviors and training progress.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

You must possess all the minimum qualifications below to pass the exam for this position. Please make sure your resume or work history supports your meeting the minimum qualifications for this position. Failure to do this may disqualify you from being considered for this position.

• Experience with behavior management for individuals diagnosed with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Typically requires completion of at least six credits of upper-division college coursework in psychology or special education OR at least six months of work experience completing behavioral assessments and/or mental health scales, analyzing behavior and its function, and developing or assisting in developing behavior support plans OR completion of SWITC sponsored Psychiatric Technician training.
• Some knowledge of human services to include psychology, nursing, or social work. Typically requires completion of a college course in psychology, nursing, or social work OR at least six months of work experience in dual diagnosis, behavioral interventions, mental health disorders and medications, psychiatric symptoms or therapeutic communications OR successfully completed a psychiatric technician training program through Southwest Idaho Treatment Center, State Hospital North, State Hospital West, or State Hospital South OR at least six months of work experience providing treatment services for the mentally ill.

Learn About a Career with DHW

https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/about-dhw/dhw-careers

***PLEASE NOTE: application assistance is not available after the business hours listed below, on the weekends, or on holidays and you must apply before 11:59 pm on the closing date. When applying, use CHROME as your browser to avoid complications.

If you have questions, please contact us at:

(answered Monday through Friday during business hours MST)

EMAIL: [email protected]

Email is the quickest way to get an answer to your questions.

PHONE: (208) 334-0681

EEO/ADA/Veteran:

The State of Idaho is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, genetics, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email [email protected].

Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.