DSHS CSTC Behavioral Health Specialist 3

State of Washington•Pierce County – Lakewood, WA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Safety in a children's psychiatric hospital depends on staff knowing how to respond when a behavioral health crisis occurs. As a Behavioral Health Specialist 3 at the Child Study and Treatment Center (CSTC) in Lakewood, you'll help prepare staff for those moments while also providing direct support during psychiatric emergencies. CSTC is Washington's only state-operated psychiatric hospital for children and youth ages 5-17 with complex emotional, behavioral, and safety needs. In this role, you'll work at the intersection of staff training and patient care—teaching safety and mental health emergency response practices, assessing staff competency, and responding alongside the Behavioral Health Specialist Team when patients are in crisis. The goal is both immediate and long-term: help staff respond safely and therapeutically while reducing the need for restrictive interventions and strengthening safety practices across the hospital. We encourage you to apply if you can teach others while remaining ready to step into difficult situations yourself. You understand therapeutic communication and trauma-informed care, can de-escalate conflict under pressure, and are comfortable providing clear feedback when staff need additional coaching or support. You'll also need to be prepared for the physical and emotional demands of a psychiatric hospital, including responding to behavioral emergencies and performing physical interventions when necessary. Your first 90 days will focus on learning CSTC's emergency response practices, training expectations, patient care environment, and safety procedures while building relationships with the staff and teams you'll support.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree, preferably in sociology, psychology, or another social science, and two years of professional counseling or casework experience.
One year of experience as a Behavioral Health Specialist 2.
A combination of equivalent education and relevant experience totaling six or more years that provides the skills needed for this role.
Knowledge of therapeutic communication and trauma-informed care.
Skill in verbal de-escalation and conflict resolution in high-stress situations.
Familiarity with incident command systems, seclusion and restraint protocols, and structured debriefing.
The ability to remain calm and make decisions during psychiatric emergencies.
The physical ability to stand for extended periods, perform physical interventions, and demonstrate safe restraint application.
The ability to work effectively with colleagues across disciplines.
Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license.
Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Responsibilities

Deliver safety and mental health emergency response training using adult learning principles.
Assess staff competency, provide feedback and remedial support, and document training outcomes.
Respond with the Behavioral Health Specialist Team during behavioral and psychiatric emergencies.
Use therapeutic communication, verbal de-escalation, and least restrictive interventions to support patient and staff safety.
Conduct structured incident debriefs and help staff develop corrective action plans.
Observe and report changes in patients' physical, mental, and behavioral status.
Conduct rounds, identify concerns within the patient milieu, and support direct care teams.
Contribute to safety committee work and improvements to facility-wide safety practices.