A day hospital is a psychiatric program you attend during weekdays, returning to the comfort of home in the evenings and on weekends. It is a less intensive level of care than inpatient but provides more support than an outpatient setting. Many people we serve find that day hospital treatment is a helpful step down from inpatient care before returning to daily life or that it is an effective intensity of treatment to help avoid an inpatient stay.

At a Sheppard Pratt day hospital, care consists of both individual and group treatment. The Day Hospitals are group-based programs. Patients attend multiple group therapeutic sessions throughout the day. Day Hospitals are located on the Towson and Baltimore Washington Campus for Sheppard Pratt.

Treatment offerings at Sheppard Pratt’s Day Hospitals include:

• Family meeting/collaborative care with family, friends, and/or significant others
• Group treatment, which can include modalities like: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Medication Education, Recreation/activity, Psychoeducation
• Supportive counseling
• Treatment planning
• Aftercare planning

As a Mental Health Specialist you will:

• Facilitate psychoeducational groups within the programming day.
• Perform patient interviews and observations of patients struggling with mental health issues.
• Collects data from these sessions that can be used to develop a treatment plan for the patient.
• Participate in the planning and evaluation of patient needs based on patient behaviors.
• Provide direct patient care services in accordance with the treatment plan.
• Assist in providing a safe and therapeutic environment according to established policies and procedures.
• Monitor vital signs, as assigned.
• Complete written documentation and data entry into the electronic medical record (EMR) to record patient behaviors, vital signs, and observations in compliance with Hospital and program standards. Complete all documentation so that it is legible, accurate, complete, timely, and in accordance with Hospital & program standards.
• Participate in the evaluation of program effectiveness and efficiency and works to ensure continuous improvements in the quality of services. Participate in in-service programs and workshops and incorporates content into performance. Demonstrate the ability to adapt to changes in work assignments and work environment. Suggest ways in which the unit/program can maintain and improve safety.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

1. Work requires the ability to read and follow up on documentation in the patient’s record, written and oral communication skills sufficient to communicate effectively and maintain documentation, and basic computer usage skills.
2. Work requires bachelor’s degree in psychology, counseling, social work, a related field and 2-3 years of relevant experience or HS/GED preferred and 5 or more years of relevant experience internal to Sheppard Pratt.
3. Work requires demonstrated competency in basic patient care methods, procedures, and techniques, as well as specialized skills, procedures, and techniques required for working with the psychiatric population - acquired through Hospital-provided training.
4. Work requires interpersonal skills sufficient to establish therapeutic relationships with emotionally disturbed patients and to communicate and work effectively with patients in accordance with treatment plan.
5. Work requires analytical skills sufficient to perform written patient documentation, assess situations, identify the need for assistance/supervision, and seek out appropriate resources.
6. Work requires ability to physically intervene in medical and behavioral emergencies, transport patients, and lift patients