Psychiatric Technician

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (“The HARRIS CENTER”) is looking for a Psychiatric Technician to join our team. The Psychiatric Technician works under the supervision of a licensed nursing personnel or designee to provide direct care services to patients who may present with a mental health and/or intellectual developmental disabilities. The Psychiatric Technician should maintain a safe and secure environment for all patients in crisis environment and provide support services to Nursing and Clinical Treatment teams. The position may also perform delegated nursing tasks and therefore would be under the supervision of a licensed nurse personnel when performing tasks.

What you will do:

• Promote a physically and emotionally safe environment, including conducting regular rounds and patient and property searches so patients can focus on managing their illnesses and disabilities to promote healing.
• Aid in basic patient care such as eating, bathing, dressing, and teaching and encouraging basic hygiene while observing patient progress to identify the need for additional services or changes in current treatment.
• Provide behavioral emergency assistance, such as patient restraint using approved agency curriculum or basic first aid when needed, as well as recognize and report homicidal or suicidal behaviors.
• Monitor and document behavior of patients in seclusion or on precautions.
• Performs duties (e.g. vital signs, specimen collection, etc.) as delegated by nursing personnel or assigned by a physician.
• Utilize Standard Precautions appropriately to prevent the spread of infection.

What qualifications you will need:

• High School Diploma or General Education Diploma.
• Must have a valid Texas driver’s license.
• 1 year of direct care experience in psychiatric or behavioral healthcare environment preferred.
• Understanding of Standard Precautions and Infection Control Procedures.
• Knowledge of and the ability to apply Handle with Care Crisis Intervention Techniques (HWC III).
• Ability to coordinate patient care with treatment team.

What we have to offer:

The HARRIS CENTER offers competitive salary, excellent benefits package, retirement plans with company matching, prior service credit towards generous PTO accrual, outstanding wellness programs and professional development.

Employees can also take advantage of business casual dress code, corporate discounts, and gym memberships. New hire referral bonus, discounts are also available on an optional basis. These include mobile phone service, fitness centers and other wellness amenities.

What else you should know:

This posting is associated with position #9829.

Shift: Six (6) 12hour shifts per pay period; 6:45am to 7:15pm rotating weekends and holidays.

Transportation: This position requires driving of Agency vehicle.

About us:

The HARRIS CENTER is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The HARRIS CENTER provided care to over 79,000 people in fiscal year 2019 and has an annual budget of over $275 million.

As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The HARRIS CENTER provides a full continuum of services at 86 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 42 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the most diverse and multi-cultural communities in the nation.

By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,300 employees, The HARRIS CENTER is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.