Behavioral Health Specialist, Residential Psychiatry
About The Position
The Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS) provides direct care to youth in a residential psychiatry setting, helping establish a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. The role supports patients with severe psychological and psychiatric difficulties, including mood disorders, disruptive or aggressive behavior, self-harm, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, intellectual disability, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Patients may have histories of significant psychosocial stressors and trauma. The BHS implements individualized care plans and behavioral interventions, supports activities of daily living, and provides care primarily in group settings. The specialist leads structured group programming, builds therapeutic relationships while maintaining professional boundaries, and collaborates with an interdisciplinary team. The role also includes crisis prevention and response, patient observation and safety procedures, and timely documentation and handoffs.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent and 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field; experience is not required but preferred.
Responsibilities
- Create and maintain a safe, stable, and nurturing environment that fosters support and consistency.
- Implement a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors, promote skill-building, and support progress toward discharge goals.
- Support patients experiencing severe psychological and psychiatric difficulties, including mood disorders, disruptive or aggressive behavior, self-harm, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, intellectual disability, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Proactively prevent and respond to crises using Therapeutic Crisis Intervention strategies, including verbal de-escalation and physical interventions when necessary due to imminent risk.
- Lead and intervene in behavioral crises using strategies based on the Stress Model of Crisis and individualized treatment plans.
- Conduct safety checks, room searches, and patient safety searches; follow policies and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team.
- Implement individualized care plans, behavioral interventions, and support for activities of daily living such as bathing, feeding, and toileting.
- Provide care primarily in group settings and offer individualized programming as recommended by the treatment team.
- Maintain designated observation status, such as continuous observation, 15-minute checks, or remaining within arm’s length of a patient.
- Lead structured group programming, facilitate patient engagement, adjust delivery to patients’ developmental needs, observe behavior, and participate in problem-solving.
- Build rapport while maintaining professional boundaries; recognize the impacts of trauma and use developmentally appropriate therapeutic communication.
- Contribute to team planning and patient-centered care discussions.
- Complete accurate and timely shift notes, incident documentation, safety checks, and summaries of events before and after target behaviors.
- Participate in shift reports, safe handoff procedures, and data collection.
Benefits
- Part-time benefits eligibility; specific benefits are not listed.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
