Milieu Counselor – Adolescent Psychiatry

Location: CHA Somerville Campus 

Work Days: 8 hour shifts, w/ E/O wknd rotation and holidays as assigned  

Category: Human and Social Services  

Department: 2 North  (Adolescent Psych)

Job Type:  Part-time, 24 hours/wk

Work Shift: Various Shifts 

Hours/Week: 24.00 

Union: Yes 

Union Name: SH Laborers 381

n partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts we will be expanding inpatient psychiatric care in the region, by adding 42 new child, adolescent and specialized autism spectrum / neurodevelopmental beds at our Somerville Campus. The new CHA Center of Excellence for Child and Adolescent Inpatient Mental Health Care at Somerville will provide a transformative continuum of patient and family-centered care for diverse youth with mental health needs.

The 2 North inpatient Adolescent Unit is a 21 bed secure psychiatric unit that provides care for children between the ages of 13 and 18. The unit is located in Somerville Hospital. This is an acute care unit, working on assessment, stabilization and after care treatment planning. We have a multidisciplinary team focused on teaching self-control, de-escalation and restraint reduction. This approach is used to provide patient and family centered care. The average length of stay is 7 days. 

Job Purpose:

The Milieu Counselor is a member of the multidisciplinary team who, under the supervision of a Registered Nurse is responsible for a safe and structured service as well as attending to the individual needs of patients in crisis in an inpatient psychiatric setting.

The role of a Milieu Counselor will assist with ADL’S lead or co-lead groups, perform safety checks, 1:1 meetings with patients, and will accurately chart patients B/P, TPR & weight. Notifies RN of any changes in vital signs. Accurately measures and documents patient’s intake and output. Uses appropriate methods of urine and stool collection and labeling of these specimens. Assists patients following through with ADL’s (bathing, laundry, organizing room), maintaining nutritional and hydration needs, and assisting & monitoring elimination needs and other tasks as assigned by the charge RN.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma required; B.A, B.S., or M.A. preferred or equivalent years of human service experience.

• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

• Prior human services, behavioral or psychiatric experience required. A minimum of 3 years of child/adolescent psychiatry experience is strongly preferred. 

• All newly hired candidates must successfully complete a job specific physical agility test. 

KEYWORDS: Mental Health Counselor / Resident Counselor / Mental Health Supervisor / Behavioral / Therapist / Therapy / Psychiatry 

 
In keeping with federal, state and local laws, Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) policy forbids employees and associates to discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, color, gender, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. We are committed to establishing and maintaining a workplace free of discrimination. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not tolerate unlawful discrimination in the recruitment, hiring, termination, promotion, salary treatment or any other condition of employment or career development. Furthermore, we will not tolerate the use of discriminatory slurs, or other remarks, jokes or conduct, that in the judgment of CHA, encourage or permit an offensive or hostile work environment.