Residential Assistant - Altapointe Health : Job Details

AltaPointe's Adult Residential Services are designed for consumers with serious and persistent mental illness who require social rehabilitation and community support. Combining medical, nursing and clinical services, our staff provides care and treatment for more than 200 adults in need of intensive service provision. The Adult Residential Services Program consists of group homes, which are supervised 24 hours/day when consumers are on the premises. Expected outcomes are the same for each adult group home: to prevent re-hospitalization and to maximize and maintain successful community placement. Residential care focuses on the rehabilitation and return to the community of seriously mentally ill consumers.

Residential Assistants assist the supervisors in many areas such as organizing and implementing program activities, completing reports, reviewing MARs and assisting in the discharge and coordination of care for the consumers. They provide coverage for all staff including their supervisor. They also oversee money management, consumer's appointments, consumers transportation, and medication management.

Essential Functions

• Assists the supervisor in organizing and implementing program activities for the residential group homes
• Oversees appropriate money management with consumers
• Oversees the management of consumers' appointments and ensures that appropriate transportation arrangements are made for consumers.
• Assists the supervisor in completing necessary reports in a timely manner (i.e. vehicle and facility inspections).
• Provides coverage and direct services as needed to include serving as program supervisor when needed.
• Assists supervisor in reviewing MARs to ensure appropriate medication management which includes timely refills and any necessary arrangements with medical staff for new prescriptions.
• Assists in applying for consumer's benefits.
• Demonstrates the ability to recognize the elements of a crisis state and takes a proactive approach to deescalate or resolve the situation
• Effectively collaborates with the treatment team members and outside sources in the delivery of clinical services
• Advocates on behalf of consumers to secure community resources
• Assists with discharge planning and facilitates coordination of care to a less restrictive environment.
• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy and program procedures
• Completes all appropriate documentation for continuity of care.
• Reports accident or driving violations to supervisor and human resources
• Documents in a clear and concise manner, services provided, individualized consumer response, and progress toward treatment goals
• Documents individualized and comprehensive biweekly summaries to include progress towards treatment goals.
• Seeks supervision and consultation as needed.
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement.
• Actively works to enhance leadership skills and provides positive and effective leadership
• Treats consumers with care, dignity and compassion.
• Respects consumer's privacy and confidentiality.
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others.
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed.
• Personal values don't inhibit ability to relate and care for others.
• Is sensitive to the consumer's needs, expectations and individual differences.
• Is gentle and calm with consumers and families.
• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities.
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required.
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner.
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures.
• Attends regular workshops and in-services as assigned
• Any other duties as assigned by supervisor or designee

Physical Requirements

• There is frequent to constant standing while organizing and/or stocking groceries.
• Sitting occasionally to do documentation and/or ordering of supplies and/or groceries; however, extended sitting could be up to 2 hours for documentation, and sitting can be in frequent bursts of up to 10 minutes.
• Walking various distances on grounds can be frequent and up to a distance of 300 feet several times a week.
• There is frequent forward bending from the hips to load boxes for each house with groceries and/or supplies.
• Squatting and/or lunging frequently to stock and/or organize groceries and/or supplies.
• Strong grasp is needed frequently to constantly handle groceries and/or supplies when lifting, sorting and grasping the handle to the delivery door when opening and/or closing.
• Simple grasp and/or pinch grip is needed to frequently handle smaller weighted items, using office supplies (i.e. scissors) and closing zip lock bags.
• Fine manipulation for writing, handling paperwork and data entry on the computer.
• Pushing and/or pulling force up to 30 pounds vertically, occasionally, and up to 10 pounds horizontally, frequently, to open standing and upright freezer doors during shift.
• Lifting various ranges from the floor to overhead with weights up to 5-15 pounds frequently, from the floor to 48 inches with weights up to 30-40 pounds while stocking groceries and/or supplies occasionally, and from floor to waist with weights up to 15 pounds to handle reams of paper and files.
• Employees working in this area will be handling frozen products for several hours while organizing groceries for each home.
• Carrying up to 15 pounds various distances.
• Step ladder climbing to access higher shelves for filing, stocking and/or retrieving.
• Any other duties as assigned by supervisor.

A bachelor's degree in a mental health service-related field with one (1) year experience in a direct mental health service-related field area. A bachelor's degree not in a mental health service-related field with two (2) years of experience in a direct mental health service-related field. High school diploma/GED with three (3) years of experience working directly in a mental health residential setting(s).