Behavioral Health Associate 1

Acadia Healthcare•New Castle, DE

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Associate 1 provides personal care services to patients under the direction of clinical or nursing leadership. The role supports patient safety and well-being by helping maintain a safe, secure, comfortable, positive, supportive, and structured environment. The associate interacts with patients, observes and communicates significant behaviors to nursing staff, documents clinical information, and may assist with activities of daily living, vital signs, educational-rehabilitative groups, patient transportation, and facility documentation. A positive, empathetic, and professional approach to customers is expected, including acknowledging and working to resolve unmet patient needs and complaints.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
CPR certification required; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.
De-escalation and restraint certification required; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.

Nice To Haves

Six months or more of experience working with the specific population served by the facility is preferred.
First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate urgency regarding patient safety and provide excellent customer service.
Support patients’ well-being and maintain a positive, supportive, and structured environment.
Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, according to special precautions or individualized supervision guidelines.
Document timely, accurate, and appropriate clinical information in patients’ medical records.
Help maintain a safe, secure, and comfortable environment for patients, significant others, and staff.
Interact routinely with patients, observe behaviors, and communicate significant observations to nursing staff.
May oversee or assist patients with activities of daily living, including toileting, bathing, dressing, grooming, oral hygiene, meals, snacks, hydration, and changing bed linens.
May obtain and document patients’ vital signs, height, and weight as assigned.
Facilitate patient educational-rehabilitative groups on topics such as social skills, coping skills, anger management, and independent living skills.
Engage patients in activities and interactions designed to encourage achievement of treatment goals.
Complete and maintain required documentation.
Assist with follow-up and paperwork related to incidents and events at the facility.
May provide patient transportation or coordinate transportation with an appropriate staff member.
Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude; acknowledge and work to resolve complaints when patient needs are not met.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.