What are the responsibilities and job description for the Lead Behavioral Health Technician position at Teen Tree?
Job Overview
Teen Tree is looking for a Lead Behavioral Health Technician who genuinely loves working with adolescents and wants to be part of a team and culture that is very supportive! We're a residential mental health facility for teens, a place where scared, struggling young people find steady ground and their families find hope again. If you've watched a teenager go from shut down to opening up, from lost to found, and known you were part of it, this role is for you. You'll lead our team of BHTs in shaping the culture of care that makes those transformations possible. You'll walk the milieu. You'll mentor. You'll coach through the hard moments. And you'll get to witness, every single week, the outcomes that make this work worth everything. If you're ready to bring your whole heart to work with teens who need you, we'd love to meet you.
What You'll Do
- Lead, mentor, and coach the Behavioral Health Technician team, including new BHTs and supporting them through their first shifts.
- Walk the milieu. You're not desk-bound, you're on the floor with residents and BHTs, modeling the care standard.
- Set the culture. The way you show up shapes how the whole BHT team shows up.
- Provide de-escalation leadership when a resident is elevated, modeling calm, structure, and connection.
- Coordinate BHT scheduling with the Director of Operations to ensure the facility is safely staffed 24/7.
- Attend weekly treatment team meetings to share behavioral observations and stay aligned with the clinical team.
- Bridge the BHT team with clinical leadership, operations, and the Family Care Advocate, you're the connection point
- Ensure documentation, incident reports, and shift notes are completed accurately and on time.
- Model Teen Tree's core values in every interaction with residents, families, staff, and visitors. Handle escalations, contraband checks, and safety incidents with calm, professionalism, and adherence to policy.
- Coach BHTs through hard moments, resident conflict, family calls, tough shifts, with patience and compassion.
- Support new-resident admissions in partnership with the Family Care Advocate, the first hours matter.
- Maintain a safe, structured, warm residential environment where teens feel valued and staff feel supported.
Qualifications
- Someone who genuinely loves working with adolescents, this isn't a fallback job for you, it's a calling.
- A leader who lifts up their team rather than lording over it; the kind of person others want to work harder for.
- Warm, present, and steady. You can hold your center when the milieu is chaotic.
- Comfortable with teenagers at their worst AND their best. You don't shrink from big feelings.
- Experienced in residential treatment, behavioral health, youth work, or a similar setting, ideally 2 years.
- Skilled at de-escalation and trauma-informed care.
- Someone parents trust and staff respect.
- Reliable. Punctual. Documentation-conscious. The unglamorous things that keep programs running.
- Familiar with HIPAA, mandated reporting, and residential mental health licensing standards, or eager to learn.
- High school diploma required. Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, human services, or related field preferred.
- Current CPR/First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain upon hire).
- Behavioral crisis intervention training (Handle With Care, CPI, or similar) preferred.
- Valid Arizona fingerprint clearance card or eligibility to obtain one
What You'll Get
A team culture that actually feels like a team. We know each other, we lift each other up, we don't burn each other out. A mission you'll be proud to tell your family about. Leadership that shows up. Our CEO, Director of Operations, and Clinical Director are present, accessible, and invested in you. Real growth path; Lead BHT is a stepping stone into operations, clinical, or program leadership at Teen Tree. Compensation that's competitive and commensurate with experience. The chance to witness outcomes that most people in mental health work don't get to see. Coworkers who become friends and residents who become part of your story.
Pay: $22.00 - $29.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Salary : $22 - $29