The Mental Health Specialist (MHS) is a member of the care team whose job duties support the delivery of a single standard of care, under the supervision of a registered nurse, for mentally ill patients in the patient care treatment facility.
Eligibility
Nursing Support
Posted Aug 13
Shift and hours
12-hour shifts · variable shifts Per diem 12 Hour Shifts Variable Shifts40 hours a week
Unit and setting
Psych · Behavioral Health for mentally ill patients in the patient care treatment facilitymentally ill patients
License
RN license
Term
Per Diem Per diem 12 Hour Shifts Variable Shifts
Do you qualify?
Certification
BLS and any additional applicable life support certification required upon hireand any additional applicable life support certification for Healthcare Providers is required upon hire
Certification
BLS valid for at least 6 monthswith at least 6 months validity
Experience
0 to 3 years of related experienceGenerally requires 0 to 3 years of related experience.
Also asks
High School diplomaHigh School diploma is required.
Also asks
maintain certification at JHS for duration of employmentand maintenance at JHS for the duration of employment.
Preferred
Certification
Valid Florida Behavioral Health Technician CertificationValid Florida Behavioral Health Technician Certification preferred.
patient care observations and duties as directed by the RNPerforms patient care observations and duties as directed by the RN and outlined in the hospital's policies and procedures.
Day to day
verbal de-escalation techniques and coping strategiesUtilize verbal de-escalation techniques and coping strategies to help reduce the risk of patients' disruptive and aggressive behavior.
Day to day
identify behaviors that may require seclusion or restraint and escalateIdentify behaviors that may require seclusion, restraint, or other clinical intervention, and escalate to the primary nurse or nurse leader.
Day to day
participate in restraint and seclusion of patients per policyParticipate in the restraint and seclusion of patients according to hospital policy and procedures.
Day to day
escort and monitor patients during fresh air breaksEscort and monitor patients during fresh air breaks.
Day to day
precautionary monitoring (suicidal, violence, elopement) every 15 minutes
Day to day
generalized patient care including vital signs, feeding, mobility, hygiene, bathing, dressing
Day to day
ongoing patient observations documented in the electronic observation recordPerform ongoing observations of patients and documents their status in the electronic observation record.
Day to day
engage patients in daily activities, including group facilitationEngage patients in daily activities, including group facilitation.
Posted on Jackson Behavioral Hospital’s careers page.
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Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital Department: Behavioral Health Central Staffing Address: 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136 Shift Details: Per diem
12 Hour Shifts Variable Shifts Summary The Mental Health Specialist (MHS) is a member of the care team whose job duties support the delivery of a single standard of care, under the supervision of a registered nurse, for mentally ill patients in the patient care treatment facility. Responsibilities Performs patient care observations and duties as directed by the RN and outlined in the hospital's policies and procedures. Manage patient activities and provide patient education. Assist with maintaining a therapeutic milieu in accordance with policy. Supervise patient activities in the milieu and respond/intervene per protocol. Utilize verbal de-escalation techniques and coping strategies to help reduce the risk of patients' disruptive and aggressive behavior. Identify behaviors that may require seclusion, restraint, or other clinical intervention, and escalate to the primary nurse or nurse leader. Participate in the restraint and seclusion of patients according to hospital policy and procedures. Escort and monitor patients during fresh air breaks. Perform a variety of tasks associated with generalized patient care including, vital signs, feeding, mobility, personal hygiene, bathing, dressing, bed making/linen changes, assists the health care team with preparing supplies, and sets up/or remove equipment. Utilizes specialized equipment as needed when providing patient care (glucometer, restraints etc.). Assists, as needed, in the preparation of patient treatment areas between patient use (seclusion room, quiet room), etc. Perform ongoing observations of patients and documents their status in the electronic observation record. Report unusual findings to the primary nurse or the nurse leader. Maintains accurate precautionary monitoring (suicidal, violence, and elopement) q. 15 minutes; reports and records patient's physical and emotional whereabouts, activity, and behavior. Responsibly monitors patients in recreational therapies, psychotherapy, and education programs; and documents significant behaviors. Engage patients in daily activities, including group facilitation. In JBHH, assume responsibility for proper handling of patient's clothing and property at the time of admission, transfer, and discharge; and completes necessary documentation. Assist in the fabrication of adaptive and assistive equipment, i.e. washing mitts, wheelchair gloves, safety belts, straps, etc. Maintain the storage closet and ensure therapeutic activity materials are available. Follows up on patient care responsibilities and assignments left from previous shifts and reports any incomplete assignments to ensure continuity of procedures. Assists with orientation of new employees, as needed. Engages in culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate interventions in order to work with patients from a variety of backgrounds and diverse populations. Demonstrates behaviors of service excellence and CARE values (Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Expertise). Performs all other related job duties as assigned. Experience Generally requires 0 to 3 years of related experience. Education High School diploma is required. Credentials Valid Florida Behavioral Health Technician Certification preferred. American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) and any additional applicable life support certification for Healthcare Providers is required upon hire with at least 6 months validity and maintenance at JHS for the duration of employment. Unit Specific Credential FL-BLS Jackson Health System is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.
Neighborhoods+Coconut Grove, Miami’s oldest neighborhood, is bohemian, green, and walkable under dense tree canopies, with waterfront parks, bike trails, art festivals, and boutique dining; median home $592,500, median rent $1,401, safer than 84% of Florida cities, 54.4% owner-occupied. Coral Way mixes historic charm and commerce ($404,100 median home, $1,616 rent, safer than 70% of Florida cities). Flagami ($287,165 home / $1,212 rent), Hialeah ($256,900 / $1,210), and West Little River ($169,100 / $1,174, the most affordable of the set) are budget suburban options. Coral Gables—“The City Beautiful”—is a planned Mediterranean community with homes around a $950,000 median (West Coral Gables, Coral Way, Ponce Davis). Young professionals working downtown often look near Dadeland or another metro station rather than paying Brickell prices; beach-oriented choices include South Beach, Surfside, Sunny Isles Beach, Bal Harbour, and Key Biscayne.
Coconut Grove, Miami’s oldest neighborhood, is bohemian, green, and walkable under dense tree canopies, with waterfront parks, bike trails, art festivals, and boutique dining; median home $592,500, median rent $1,401, safer than 84% of Florida cities, 54.4% owner-occupied. Coral Way mixes historic charm and commerce ($404,100 median home, $1,616 rent, safer than 70% of Florida cities).
Flagami ($287,165 home / $1,212 rent), Hialeah ($256,900 / $1,210), and West Little River ($169,100 / $1,174, the most affordable of the set) are budget suburban options. Coral Gables—“The City Beautiful”—is a planned Mediterranean community with homes around a $950,000 median (West Coral Gables, Coral Way, Ponce Davis).
Young professionals working downtown often look near Dadeland or another metro station rather than paying Brickell prices; beach-oriented choices include South Beach, Surfside, Sunny Isles Beach, Bal Harbour, and Key Biscayne.
Getting around+People working downtown are told to live near Dadeland or another metro station so the ride stays easy if they skip living in the core. Closeness to downtown or Brickell is what you pay for; a lifelong resident’s rule of thumb is an hour to 90-minute drive before housing gets cheap. Traffic is widely called nightmarish, South Florida rush hour is treated as a given, and parking in downtown areas is a premium add-on. Auto insurance is described among the highest in the nation, and rideshares jump in tourist season; sources do not name specific hospital campuses or bus/rail line numbers.
People working downtown are told to live near Dadeland or another metro station so the ride stays easy if they skip living in the core. Closeness to downtown or Brickell is what you pay for; a lifelong resident’s rule of thumb is an hour to 90-minute drive before housing gets cheap.
Traffic is widely called nightmarish, South Florida rush hour is treated as a given, and parking in downtown areas is a premium add-on. Auto insurance is described among the highest in the nation, and rideshares jump in tourist season; sources do not name specific hospital campuses or bus/rail line numbers.
Outdoors+Kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle at Oleta River State Park, the Deering Estate, or Crandon Park. Boat through Biscayne National Park—95% underwater and part of the Florida Reef, the only living coral barrier reef in the United States. Hike or take guided tours in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve; stroll Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden among rare palms, aromatic fruits, and flowering trees. Coconut Grove adds waterfront parks, bike trails, The Barnacle Historic State Park, and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens; Zoo Miami lists over 500 species, and Maurice A. Ferré Park sits by the bay downtown. Snorkeling in a national park is treated as a same-day local outing.
Kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle at Oleta River State Park, the Deering Estate, or Crandon Park. Boat through Biscayne National Park—95% underwater and part of the Florida Reef, the only living coral barrier reef in the United States.
Hike or take guided tours in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve; stroll Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden among rare palms, aromatic fruits, and flowering trees. Coconut Grove adds waterfront parks, bike trails, The Barnacle Historic State Park, and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens; Zoo Miami lists over 500 species, and Maurice A. Ferré Park sits by the bay downtown.
Snorkeling in a national park is treated as a same-day local outing.
Check the commute at your shift’s start and end, upfront housing costs, and whether moving assistance must be repaid if you leave.
Living in Miami
Miami sells year-round tropical living and no state income tax: paddle-board in January, Cuban coffee and Michelin food the same week, Wynwood Walls or PAMM after a shift. Latin culture, Biscayne and Everglades wilderness, and Art Deco South Beach are the draw. Housing is the tax. Coconut Grove (median home $592,500, rent about $1,401) is the safest, greenest landing, with Barnacle Historic State Park; Coral Gables’ Mediterranean streets and top-rated schools run nearer $950,000. Flagami, Hialeah, and West Little River ($169k–$287k homes, rents ~$1,170–$1,210) stretch a nurse salary. Downtown workers often live by Dadeland or another Metrorail stop rather than Brickell rents. Tradeoffs: nightmarish traffic, tourist-priced leisure, June–September storms and hurricanes, wet-blanket summer humidity, and high flood and auto insurance. Off days, kayak Oleta River or Crandon Park, boat Biscayne’s reef, or skip the beach for Vizcaya and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Safer overall than Orlando or L.A.; still pick the neighborhood carefully.