Behavioral Health Technician - BHUC

7:00pm - 7:00am and Weekends

General Description Of Duties And Responsibilites

The Behavioral Health Technician – Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) provides recovery support, life-skills coaching, safety rounds, and incident reporting in a SUD/MH program. This position co-facilitates structured activities, documents objective observations in the EMR, and escalates clinical concerns to AP/QP/LP staff. The Behavioral Health Technician is a Paraprofessional responsible for providing Psycho-Educational and supportive therapeutic interventions that are intended to meet the mental health, developmental disability, and/or substance abuse needs of clients with significant functional deficits or who because of negative environmental, medical or biological factors, are at risk of developing or increasing the magnitude of such functional deficits. You will be responsible for providing essential expertise and consultation to the entire interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote a culture in which each individual’s point of view and preferences are recognized, understood, respected, and integrated into treatment, rehabilitation, and community self-help activities while serving as an advocate for clients.

Major Responsibilitites

• Conduct access control, safety rounds, and hazard checks; promptly escalate risks/emergencies to supervisory staff.
• Maintain a safe, therapeutic milieu by monitoring client interactions, identifying potential safety concerns, and implementing appropriate de-escalation strategies.
• Use de-escalation and crisis techniques per training; complete incident reports and follow chain-of-custody procedures when applicable.
• Participate in shift handoffs and communicate objective observations to the treatment team.
• Monitor and ensure the safety of patients in crisis
• Provides preventive, developmental, and therapeutic interventions designed to direct client activities.
• Use psychoeducation strategies and recovery interventions to support the individual
• Take, record, and report out vital signs as ordered by medical staff
• Communicate observations and recommendations effectively in written and verbal form
• Assist with crisis interventions
• Follow the service plan or clinical orders
• Work independently and as a member of the team
• Communicate effectively with the individual, staff, and others
• Learn and apply recovery-oriented practices and person- centered approaches when working with an individual
• Use psychoeducation strategies and recovery interventions to support a beneficiary with SUD;
• Assist in skill building interventions;
• Follow the PCP and clinical orders;
• Participate in team meetings and provide input into the service planning process and or PCP
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Document & Compliance

• Complete objective, behavior-based notes in the EMR within required timelines (generally within 24 hours for billable encounters).
• Maintain confidentiality under HIPAA/42 CFR Part 2 and program policy
• Document incidents immediately per incident reporting policy.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not oversee staff.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience

• Must possess at a minimum High School Diploma/GED
• Experience SUD / MH settings preferred
  
  

Required Skills/Abilities

• At least 21 years of age
• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record
• Ability to work varied shifts
• Strong verbal de-escalation, customer service, and milieu engagement skills
  
  

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The work is typically performed in an office environment, community, or home with potential exposure to crisis.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent standing/walking; frequent reaching, stooping, kneeling, occasional sitting and climbing/balancing.
• Lift/carry up to 20 pounds routinely and up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to safely operate a personal or agency vehicle when assigned.