City and County of San Francisco

Under general supervision, provides psychiatric admission services to patients of a Community Mental Health Services facility; provides information to patients, relatives ‘ and others regarding availability of treatment services; performs clerical duties; arranges for emergency treatment and aids in the restraint of severely disturbed patients; and performs related duties as required. Requires responsibility for: Carrying out existing methods and procedures pertaining to the admission of psychiatric patients; making frequent contacts with patients, relatives, and others; preparing routine forms pertaining to the registration of psychiatric patients; using the skills of a psychiatric orderly in dealing with disturbed patients; reporting to the police on cases which are their concern.

This class is distinguished from class 2304 Psychiatric Orderly in that ‘the primary duty of this class is to provide initial admission services to patients of a Community Mental Health facility, and in that a greater use of independent judgement is required and a lesser degree of supervision is received. This class is distinguished. from class 2903 Eligibility Worker in that class 2306 Senior Psychiatric Orderly provides only for registration of patients, and in addition requires the skills of a psychiatric orderly to be used in dealing with disturbed patients.

1. Greets patients, relatives and other inquirers in person and on the telephone; provides information and advice regarding treatment services and direction to appropriate areas of the facility.

2. Obtains information from patients, relatives and others regarding admission to a Mental Health facility, records data on prescribed admission forms, registers patients, and obtains necessary clearances and consents for patients.

3. Makes arrangements as directed for transportation of patients to the facility or to other treatment agencies as part of the emergency service or as part of discharge planning from inpatient services.

4. Arranges for immediate emergency treatment for seriously disturbed psychiatric patients, aiding in the restraint of such patients as necessary; may make home visits as part of an emergency team.

5. Obtains and reports to the police information about cases which are of their concern.

6. Types clerical records regarding emergency and admission services; compiles routine reports; maintains patient registration files.

7. As directed, may perform the duties of a psychiatric orderly.

Requires a good working knowledge of established psychiatric methods and procedures in handling mentally disturbed patients, sometimes in difficult and emergency situations; interviewing techniques; the variety and location of treatment services of Community Mental Health Services.

Requires ability to: Get along well with others; remain stable and adaptable under difficult conditions; recognize sudden changes in patients behavior.

Requires sufficient clerical skill to maintain accurate files in the central patients’ register, and sufficient typing skill to complete 30 net words per minute.

Requires completion of high school, supplemented by two years of experience performing the duties of a psychiatric orderly in a hospital or comparable medical setting, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

All City and County of San Francisco employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.