Milieu Counselor - Child Psychiatry

Cambridge Health Alliance(CHA) is a vibrant, innovative health system dedicated to providing essential services to all members of the community. With almost 140,000 patients in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston’s Metro North region, CHA is a local provider of choice for primary care, specialty care, emergency services, hospital care, maternity care and behavioral health.

CHA recently opened a new inpatient center for youth with acute behavioral health needs. Located in Somerville, the beautiful new facility offers care for children 3-12, adolescents 13-17, and children with neuro-developmental disorders. The new Center for Inpatient Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Somerville will provide a transformative continuum of patient and family-centered care for diverse youth with mental health needs.

The 6 East and 6 West Child Unit is a 21 bed secured psychiatric unit providing care for children between the ages of 3 and 11. The unit is located at our CHA Somerville Campus. A multi-disciplinary approach is used to provide patient and family centered care. A continued emphasis on restraint reduction is ongoing and treatment focus is on assessment, stabilization, and after care treatment planning. Our approach is trauma informed, patient and family centered, and evidence based. 

CHA is offering a $5,000 sign on bonus for all Milieu Counselor positions, paid in two installments at three and six months. 

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. Assists patients following through with ADL's (bathing, laundry, toileting, organizing room), maintaining nutritional and hydration needs, and assisting and monitoring the patient’s needs and other tasks as assigned by the charge RN.

Qualifications/Experience: 

• 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 strongly preferred. Inpatient psychiatric experience is preferred.
• All newly hired candidates must successfully complete a job specific physical test.