Mental Health Specialist III

Date:
Feb 23, 2026

Location:

VERNON, TX

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Functional

Title:

Mental Health Specialist III
Job Title: Mental Health Specialist III
Agency: Health & Human Services Comm
Department: Vernon South Campus
Posting Number: 14138
Closing Date: 03/09/2026
Posting Audience: Internal and External
Occupational Category: Healthcare Support
Salary Range: $5,370.75 - $6,335.66
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-19
Shift: Day
Telework: Not Eligible for Telework
Travel: Up to 5%
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Full Time/Part Time: Full time
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt
Facility

Location:

Vernon State Hospital
Job Location City: VERNON
Job Location Address: 4730 COLLEGE DR
MOS Codes: 230X,43HX,4C0X1,4E0X1,71F,73A,73B,HM,HN,HS,MED,SEI
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The Mental Health Specialist III performs senior-level highly complex psychological/therapeutic work. The MHS III provides consultation regarding behavioral interventions for patients across the hospital. Work involves performing psychological activities, including individual, group, and/or family therapy with patients referred from assigned unit and/or from other units, conducting individual and group sessions that help patients gain knowledge and develop skills to aid in their recovery or efforts to regain competency, and developing individual behavior plans to address problematic behaviors such as aggression, self-harm, intrusiveness, etc.

This position evaluates and coordinates projects and program alterations to examine evidence-based practices to reduce workplace violence and increase the overall quality patient care in the hospital. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Performs other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location. This position may also be eligible to earn additional pay for work performed on maximum security locations.

• Attends work on a regular basis and may be asked to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
• Performs psychological activities, including individual, group, and/or family therapy with patients referred from home unit and/or from other units. In addition, meets with families of patients with other treatment team members to provide information and help with discharge planning. Will also gauge and implement any results-based activities promoting improvement of care for patients.
• Employee will perform psychosocial assessments and interview patients. After the assessment, the results will be utilized to construct a recommended treatment that promotes psychiatric stability.
• Evaluates and coordinates projects and program alterations to examine evidence-based practices to reduce workplace violence and increase the quality of the environmental setting of the hospital.
• Coordinates continuing educational opportunities for hospital staff and identifying possibilities for staff to facilitate continuing education for emerging practices.
• Conducts individual and group sessions that help patients gain knowledge and develop skills to aid in their recovery or efforts to regain competency. All efforts must be documented in the medical record.
• Develops and/or conducts specialized psycho educational groups to help patients gain knowledge and develop skills to aid in their treatment.
• Employee will analyze behavior of psychiatric patients, implement behavior plans by training staff members on the behavior plan, and develop/ implement treatment plans to establish psychiatric stability. The employee will use the state hospital Individualized Milieu Management System (IMMS).
• Interviews referred patients and makes recommendations to the patient's treatment team the treatment(s) which will help the patient achieve stability, achieve his/her goals, and maintain recovery after discharge from the hospital.
• Develops individual behavior plans to address problematic behaviors such as aggression, self-harm, intrusiveness, etc. Works with staff to successfully implement these plans. Monitors effectiveness and modifies plans as…