Psychiatric Technician - SWITC - State of Idaho

Description

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

Are you passionate about making a positive impact and working with the intellectually and developmentally disabled community? At Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC), our Psychiatric Technicians make 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 client. Integrity, high quality customer service, and compassion are core values that 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 employees to enjoy.

This position is not eligible for telework.

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

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.

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

• 11 paid holidays
• Generous vacation and sick leave accrual beginning as soon as you start 
• Paid parental leave
• Medical, dental, vision insurance - incredible rates!(full-time/30+ hours per week)
• PERSI Choice 401(k)
• Deferred compensation plan
• Life insurance
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Student Loan Forgiveness
• Wellness programs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) 
• Wide variety of training opportunities
• Some positions offer flexible hours and/or telecommuting

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

• Providing direct care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including assistance with daily activities.
• Observation, documenting and reporting: Monitoring and documenting clients' care, behavior, symptoms, and overall mental health status.
• Medication administration: Administering prescribed medications and observing, reporting and documenting any side effects or concerns.
• Therapeutic interventions: Assisting in implementing therapeutic treatment plans under the guidance of mental health professionals.
• Crisis intervention: Responding to and managing crises or challenging behaviors in a calm and controlled manner.
• Collaboration with the clinical team: Working closely with clinician, nurses and other client-care professionals to provide comprehensive care.
• Client education: Providing education to clients of coping strategies, daily hygiene and healthy eating habits.
• Assisting with Personal Hygiene: Providing perineal care as part of daily hygiene routines for clients such as bathing, toileting, etc.
• Physical Activity: Engage in exercise and sports activities with clients for up to an hour at a time. Lift and transfer client. Lift and carry items weighing approximately 50 pounds.
• Housekeeping: Creating a comfortable and clean-living environment for our clients by cleaning, organizing, laundry, dish washing, surface disinfection, trash removal, and bed making.

All positions at SWITC ensure a safe and secure environment for clients and staff. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

You must possess all the minimum and specialty minimum qualifications below to pass the exam for this position. Please make sure your resume or work history supports your meeting the minimum and specialty qualifications for this position. Failure to do this may disqualify you from being considered for this position. It is highly recommended to attach a one-page cover letter to your application to demonstrate how you meet the requirements below.

• Some knowledge of human services to include psychology, nursing, or social work. Typically requires a completed college course in psychology, nursing or social work OR at least six months experience in dual diagnosis, behavioral interventions, mental health disorders and medications, psychiatric symptoms or therapeutic communications OR completed 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.
• Experience with behavior management for individuals diagnosed with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Typically gained by 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. Experience may have been gained through SHS, SHW, SWITC, or SHN's sponsored training.

Below is preferred experience. It is not required for the position but applicants with this experience may receive consideration over other applicants.

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Licensure.

Learn About a Career with DHW

***PLEASE NOTE: application assistance is not available after the business hours listed below, on the weekends, or on holidays and you must apply before 4:59 pm on the closing date. When applying, use CHROME as your browser to avoid complications.

If you have questions, please contact us at:

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

(answered Monday through Friday during business hours MST)

EMAIL:dhwjobs@dhw.idaho.gov 

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 ada.coordinator@dhr.idaho.gov.

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