Behavioral Health Technician

About This Role

The Behavioral Health Technician provides essential support to the therapeutic environment, ensuring scheduled programs are delivered and patients are supervised in a safe and dignified manner. This role involves direct patient interaction, maintaining safety, and assisting registered nurses in an outpatient psychiatric setting.

Responsibilities

• Observe and maintain a safe environment through regular patient checks, safety monitoring, contraband searches, and one‑on‑one supervision as needed
• Perform delegated tasks such as taking vital signs, collecting specimens, documenting care, assisting with group education, and monitoring patients
• Promote a positive therapeutic milieu and accompany patients to meals, breaks, off‑unit visits, and appointments
• Report all medical or psychiatric changes to the RN and assist with admissions, including belongings inventory and vital signs
• Document patient property at admission and discharge and conduct unit safety checks each shift to ensure a clean, therapeutic environment
• Encourage or assist patients with activities of daily living
• Facilitate or co‑facilitate psychoeducational and therapeutic groups using established guidelines
• Apply crisis intervention and de‑escalation techniques as needed and maintain knowledge of program protocols
• Orient new staff members to the unit and document in the medical record according to policy
• Provide feedback to the interdisciplinary team and comply with OSHA and CDC specimen guidelines

Requirements

• CPR certification required within 30 days of hire
• De-escalation certification required within 30 days of hire

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED preferred

Nice to Have

• Previous experience in a psychiatric health‑care facility with chemical dependency, dual diagnosis, psychiatric, or geriatric patients

Certifications