Enter a job title or keyword

Mental Health Assistant 2 (40 Hour)


Job Location:

Bridgeport, WV - USA

Yearly Salary: $ 89108 - 89108
Posted: 21 August 2026 (30+ days ago)
Application Deadline: 18 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Introduction
Do you want to utilize your skills and make a difference Are you looking to take the next step in your careerIf so please read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity!


HIGHLIGHTS
    • FACILITY: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
    • DIVISION:Southwest Hospital Services Division
    • UNITS:Psychiatric Intensive-Care Unit 1 (PICU1) ; Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU)
    • LOCATION: 1635 central avenueBridgeport CT
    • POSITION NUMBERS:
    • SCHEDULE:PCN 027828 - Second Shift (4:00 P.M. - 12:30 A.M.) Monday - Friday Rotating weekends and holidays -PICU 1 6th Floor
    • PCN 114535-Third Shift (12:15 A.M. - 8:15 A.M.) Monday - Friday Rotating weekends and holidays - CTU 5th Floor
    • PCN 126346-First Shift (8 A.M. - 4:30 P.M) Monday - Friday Rotating weekends and holidays - CTU 5th Floor

    WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

    THE ROLE
    • Leads trains and participates in training and development of Mental Health Assistants and other assigned employees;
    • Participates in developing and maintaining a therapeutic milieu;
    • Coordinates maintenance of a safe and healthy living environment;
    • Participates in meeting psychological and physical needs of client;
    • Identifies client strengths and assists in development of treatment plans;
    • Orients new client to ward or unit;
    • Participates in team nursing activities and development of nursing care and rehabilitation programs;
    • May supervise self-administration of oral medications;
    • May assist with data collection;
    • Other related duties.


    OUR MISSION:
    DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic comprehensive effective and efficient services and supports that foster dignity respect and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

    The Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System strives to provide high quality compassionate and culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to adults with behavioral health disorders who are indigent. With three locations throughout Fairfield County SWCMHS promotes and administers comprehensive recovery oriented services in the areas of mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention and treatment. These services include inpatient treatment programs and outpatient clinical services as well as a wide range of additional supportive treatment services.

    The Hospital Services Division offers an array of services to meet the needs of individuals 18 years of age and older with prolonged psychiatric and co-occurring illnesses who require hospitalization due to acute exacerbation of their symptoms and for those requiring continued rehabilitation before returning to the community. Patients are served in the following locations: Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I) Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll) and the Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU).

    The Hospital Services Division is made up of a total of 62 beds The PICU 1 and PICU 2 each provide 21 beds and the CTU provides 20 beds for residents of Connecticut. Admissions to the inpatient units are coordinated through a statewide Utilization Management process coordinated by the Office of the Commissioner Medical Directors Office. All three locked units are responsible for providing treatment to individuals who are severely acutely and persistently psychiatrically disabled who require a safe supportive highly structured hospital level of care. The treatment goals are developed in which the individual can be stabilized evaluated rehabilitated helped to accept the need for ongoing treatment and assisted in regaining a level of functioning that will allow the person to be treated in a less restrictive environment or lo return to community-based living. Hospital Services Division treatment staff work closely with community providers to ensure that a smooth transition to the community exists. All Hospital Services Division units provide assessment and stabilization with the emphasis on community reentry and focus on rehabilitation with an emphasis on intense skills building needed for community reintegration.

    PLEASE NOTE:
    Selection Plan

    FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

    Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

    BEFORE YOU APPLY:

    • Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the Apply or Apply Online buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

    AFTER YOU APPLY:

    • Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updatessuch as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling linksplease check your Personal Status Board regularly.
    • For added convenience you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this log in to your Personal Status Board and select Update My Contact Information.
    • Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs) which must be completed by the questionnaires expiration date. If requested RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
    • Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
    • Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
    • The immediate vacancy is listed above however applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
    • Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language reemployment SEBAC transfer promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees available at employer may participate inE-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm work authorization.

    QUESTIONS WERE HERE TO HELP:

    Due to high volume we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process reach out to Anamaria Giangarra at

    Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

    PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
    In a Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services hospital community behavioral health facility or program this class is accountable for leading Mental Health Assistants in the assessment planning and implementation of paraprofessional nursing clinical and/or rehabilitative interventions designed to support client short and/or long-term outpatient or community programs this class is accountable for independently performing the full range of paraprofessional functions in case management and crisis intervention services.
    EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

    • Participates in assigned nursing clinical and/or rehabilitative interventions to meet client short and long-term needs;
    • Advocates for services or resources that meet client needs and preferences;
    • Observes and records client behavior;
    • Prepares incident and accident reports;
    • Monitors client progress;
    • Assists client with decision making and problem solving;
    • Assists client in learning and utilizing daily living skills budgeting medication monitoring and/or community adaptation skills;
    • Acts as a role model and instructs staff in crisis intervention techniques;
    • Develops goal-directed relationships with individuals and/or groups;
    • Identifies and facilitates use of appropriate support networks;
    • Investigates alternative placement for client;
    • Participates in education and training activities to further skill development;
    • Participates in admission and discharge planning activities;
    • Protects civil rights of client;
    • Maintains a safe and healthy environment;
    • May coordinate and direct programs and activities for a group of clients;
    • Performs related duties as required.

    Community and/or Outpatient Programs:

    • Functions as a team member of a case management or crisis intervention team;
    • Participates in assessment crisis intervention and monitoring of clients within facility or community at large (i.e. emergency rooms jails homeless shelters outpatient programs etc.);
    • Provides individual group and/or family supportive treatment under appropriate supervision;
    • Identifies and reinforces client skills strengths resources and preferences;
    • Applies accepted standards of nursing care to clients;
    • Participates in community outreach programs that include crisis intervention and family contact in home settings;
    • Identifies and accesses a wide range of community resources;
    • Participates as a liaison to community agencies;
    • Makes arrangements for outpatient appointments;
    • Consults with care givers in other facilities regarding crisis intervention techniques;
    • Manages client behaviors through verbal communication when necessary;
    • May problem solve with clients in community.

    Inpatient Ward or Unit:

    • Leads trains and participates in training and development of Mental Health Assistants and other assigned employees;
    • Participates in developing and maintaining a therapeutic milieu;
    • Coordinates maintenance of a safe and healthy living environment;
    • Participates in meeting psychological and physical needs of client;
    • Identifies client strengths and assists in development of treatment plans;
    • Orients new client to ward or unit;
    • Participates in team nursing activities and development of nursing care and rehabilitation programs;
    • May supervise self-administration of oral medications;
    • May assist with data collection.
    KNOWLEDGE SKILL AND ABILITY
    • Considerable knowledge of
      • psychiatric rehabilitation and/or case management principles practices and procedures;
      • acceptable standards of nursing care;
    • Knowledge of
      • dynamics of human behavior;
      • hygiene and sanitation;
      • safety and fire procedures and security measures;
      • community resources and programs;
    • Considerable
      • interpersonal skills;
      • oral and written communication skills;
      • counseling skills;
    • Observation skills;
    • Ability to
      • lead staff;
      • supervise client activity;
      • interpret and implement agency and/or facility policies and procedures;
      • apply principles of therapeutic counseling under supervision;
      • develop curricula and instruct groups;
      • organize;
      • understand interpret and carry out oral and written instructions.
    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
    Three (3) years of experience at the level of a Mental Health Assistant 1.
    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
    • College training in mental health technology a behavioral science social work rehabilitation therapy or its equivalent may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of two (2) years.
    • Completion of a mental health trainee certificate program may be substituted for one-half (1/2) year of the General Experience.
    PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
    • Experience working in an inpatient or outpatient clinical setting
    • Experience working on a multi-disciplinary team/program
    • Experience in therapeutic communication and verbal de-escalation techniques with clients/patients
    • Experience providing assistance with activities of daily living in an inpatient setting
    • Experience observing and recording client/patient behavior in an inpatient setting and preparing pertinent reports
    • Experience with Microsoft Word and Excelfor documentation and reporting
    • Experience using an Electronic Medical Record
    • Possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operators license
    SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual or fluent in American Sign Language.
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operators license.
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
    WORKING CONDITIONS
    Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain clients and may have significant exposure to infectious and/or communicable diseases strongly disagreeable conditions and risk of injury.
    Conclusion

    AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

    The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women minorities and persons with disabilities.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
    As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

    Required Experience:

    Junior IC


    About Company

    Company Logo

    CT Board of Regents (BOR) & Charter Oak State College Careers Thank you for visiting our BOR-Charter Oak Career Page! We value our employees and are often looking to add new talent to our team. We offer many opportunities for our employees to contribute and stand out as part of our co ... View more

    View Profile View Profile