Crisis Services Technician - Crisis Services Unit
About The Position
The Crisis Services Technician works under the guidance of licensed nursing staff to provide hands-on care to individuals experiencing acute mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities. The role combines medical support with empathetic, trauma-informed advocacy in the secure Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit and Crisis Stabilization Unit. Technicians work with patients across age groups, from pediatric to adult, and may support voluntarily admitted and acute patients. The position includes patient care and therapeutic support, clinical and technical assistance, and safety and crisis intervention. The hospital provides paid specialized training and structured onboarding, including required certifications. The role offers clinical exposure in inpatient and emergency psychiatric crisis settings and may be suitable for people pursuing advanced degrees in social work, psychology, mental health counseling, or nursing.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Strong conflict de-escalation abilities.
- Comfort working with diverse populations in high-acuity medical environments.
- Basic Life Support (BLS), Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and NAPPI certifications are required and provided by the hospital during onboarding.
Nice To Haves
- Associate or bachelor's degree in Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, or a related behavioral field is strongly preferred.
- One to two years of healthcare, patient care, or mental health experience is preferred.
- OPWDD experience or training is highly desired.
Responsibilities
- Build trusting relationships that emphasize personal recovery, resilience, and emotional regulation.
- Deliver trauma-informed care that minimizes restrictive measures and empowers patients to participate in their treatment plans.
- Assist and teach patients with daily living activities and personal hygiene, and track nutrition.
- Facilitate therapeutic group activities, holiday celebrations, and movie nights in partnership with programming directors.
- Take vital signs, perform blood glucose checks, collect lab specimens, perform 12-lead EKGs, and conduct phlebotomy.
- Manage patient intake workflows, including charting, inventorying personal belongings, and orienting new patients to the unit.
- Observe and document patient behaviors and promptly provide clear written and verbal updates to the Registered Nurse regarding status changes.
- Complete basic clerical tasks and escort patients to off-unit activities.
- Maintain unit safety and security through safety rounds, room checks, video monitoring, and contraband searches.
- Provide direct visual observation for high-risk patients to ensure the safety of patients and staff.
- De-escalate tense situations, patient aggression, and behavioral crises using hospital-approved verbal and physical techniques.
- Apply, monitor, and remove patient restraints only when necessary and in accordance with physician protocols and safety guidelines.
Benefits
- Paid specialized crisis prevention and clinical orientation training, including CIT and BLS.
- Structured on-the-job training and mentorship from licensed professionals.
- A clear pathway for internal career growth.
- Competitive benefits offerings are available to active full-time and part-time employees working at least 30 hours per week; specific benefits are not listed in the posting.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
