Clinical Security Officer I - Ft. Logan Mental Health Hospital (Denver)

Full Job Description

About Us:

The Colorado Mental Health Hospital at Fort Logan (CMHHIFL) is expanding our hospital by adding 16 forensic beds to our current 138 patient beds.

This expansion will assist in our mission of providing Colorado with the best behavioral health care available.

CMHHIFL is dedicated to meeting the needs of the community by providing mental health treatment to the adult population in the metro area.

The mission of CMHHIFL is to provide the highest quality mental health services to adults with complex, serious and persistent mental illness within the resources available.

CMHHIFL is dedicated to promoting Trauma Informed Care and promoting the implementation of Trauma Informed Practices within the organization

*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs

Our Culture & Environment

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

Requirements

About the this unit:
The Safety Department exists to maintain the safety and security of the CMHHIFL campus. Duties of the Safety Department include maintaining a safe environment for patients, personnel, and visitors, providing assistance to the clinical staff in the various types of patient treatment programs, assisting with the management of aggressive/assaultive individuals, and monitoring and evaluating the impact of applicable laws and regulations. The Safety Department staff follows accepted practices including policies and procedures. The department supports patient care and the safety of buildings, grounds, equipment, occupants, and internal physical systems. This work unit reports and resolves situations that pose a threat to life, health, or property.

Job Assignment / Purpose of Position: This position exists to ensure a safe work environment through application of and adherence to CMHHIFL/CDHS policies, Joint Commission Standards, Life Safety Codes, and Colorado Revised Statutes.

The position responds to crisis situations (i.e physical or verbal assaults against persons or property, suicidal behavior) following hospital policies and procedures, assists nursing and clinical staff to ensure a safe and therapeutic environment.

This position assists with environmental safety checks and on unit/campus transports to treatment programming and meals.

Job Duties:

Safety and Support Services:

• Respond to hospital staff requests for assistance.
• Performs supportive actions and approved physical intervention techniques, as necessary.
• Maintain safety and security throughout the hospital by responding to psychiatric emergencies and non-emergency situations.
• Exercise sound judgment and emotional control when evaluating possible risk while taking into consideration the physical and mental well-being of all patients and staff. Participate in defusing and debriefing all incidents.
• Actively uses effective communication skills, Verbal Defense Interventions (VDI) skills and Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) skills when interacting with patients and staff in a positive and respectful manner.
• Support patient transport needs when appropriate.

Patrol and Observation/ Rounding:

• Provide hospital security and enforcement by patrol and observation designed to detect, prevent and control security incidents at CMHHIFL.
• Document reports of criminal activity.
• Provide traffic surveillance and parking control.
• Maintain hospital safety via routine physical checks.
• Perform monthly safety inspections of clinical units.
• Identify security violations and safety hazards and take necessary actions to correct the problem (i.e. initiation of work orders, contact DFM personnel, reporting to appropriate person, etc.)
• Perform monthly fire drills and evaluate staff to insure efficient training.
  

Transports:

• Transport/escort clients and staff to and from various locations on and off hospital grounds (i.e. Admissions, medical appointments, court, CMHIP, etc.)
• Perform entries into various security-sensitive areas (After-Hours Pharmacy, Central Medical Supply, Medical Records, Finance/Safe, etc.) with/without staff assistance.
  

Police Liaisons:

• Communicates with other police agencies, acting as liaison between Fort Logan and police and sheriff department around the metro area, the State, and the Nation
  

Other Duties as assigned:

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Applicants must meet all of the following qualifications to continue in the selection process for this position. Work experience must be specifically documented in the "Work Experience" section of your application, resumes will not be reviewed.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

• High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED)

• None

Preferred Qualifications:

• College education in a behavioral health and or justice related field.
• Experience working with adjudicated and/or detained within a secure residential facility and/or a behavioral health setting;
• Experience facilitating psychoeducational groups; Education/experience working with adolescents who have trauma;
• Experience utilizing verbal de-escalation and motivational techniques.

Highly Desirable Competencies

• Skilled in conflict management.

• Strong work ethic, integrity and dependability.

• Sound judgment and decision making skills.

• Self control, composure and the ability to manage stressful situations.

• Ability to verbally communicate clearly and willingness to do so respectfully

• Ability to identify and act on changes, inappropriate activity, hazards or potential security breaches and verbally communicate pertinent information.

• Ability to study information and recount events in a written, factual, concise, and legible method.

Work Schedule:

• Shift work-Varying shifts at 24/7 facility.

Conditions of Employment:

A pre-employment criminal background check will be conducted as part of the selection process as this position is deemed to have direct contact with vulnerable persons.

Felony convictions, conviction of crimes of moral turpitude, or convictions of misdemeanors related to job duties may disqualify you from being considered for this position.

Should your background check reveal any charges or convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the CDHS Background Unit with an official disposition of any charges.

Current and Valid Colorado Driver's License

Must be 21 years of age or older

May be required to provide local transport for patient care

Travel to assigned trainings and/or work sites

Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.

Must take and pass a Tuberculosis (TB) test

Shall not initiate or engage in sexual, social, personal or financial relationships with patients either during or any time after hospitalization, even if the patient requests or initiates such a relationship. All relationships with current or former patients must be disclosed on your application;

Successfully pass all modules of the CMHHIFL New Employee Orientation core curriculum to include:English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics;· Possess the physical ability to successfully complete CPI and CPR;· Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist;· Stabilize another person to accomplish a take down.

Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety;· Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury;· Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently;· Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations;· Ability to read and comprehend the English language; effectively and fluently communicates in English, both verbally and in writing;

Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings;

APPEAL RIGHTS:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative.

This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Additional Information

How to apply to the State of Colorado

The Assessment Process

For Statewide Hiring Freeze NON-EXEMPTED position ONLY:

This job offer is contingent upon funding availability from all sources, including state and federal (if applicable), to start or continue.

About Us & Benefits:

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS).

Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado.

In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Planwww.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans

• Medical and dental health plans

• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• BenefitHub state employee discount program

• Employee Wellness program

• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.

Our Values:

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.

As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.

If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~