Behavioral Health Specialist

The Behavioral Health Specialist is responsible for direct patient care, safety, supervision and management of children and adolescents with identified behavioral health needs within diverse environments such as emergency services, medical units, and behavioral health programs. Performs duties under the direction of a licensed professional and implements behavioral treatment plans. Works alongside clinical professionals to provide a safe, supportive, and trauma informed environment.

Department Name: Inpatient
Job Status: 36hrs FT
Shift: Based on dept needs

• Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, social services, human services, education, biology, neuroscience or related field.
• Equivalency: Four (4) years of direct professional experience or a combination of direct professional experience and college credits in a related field of study, may be substituted for the Bachelor's degree. (30 college credits = 1 year of experience).
• Certification(s): Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR certification. Must obtain de-escalation training certification offered by CHCO within 90 days of hire.

POPULATION SPECIFIC CARE

• Neonate - <30 days
• Infancy - >30 days to 1yr
• Toddlers - >1yr to 3yrs
• Pre-Schoolers - >3yrs to 5yrs
• School age - >5yrs to 13yrs
• Adolescent - >13yrs to 18yrs
• Adult - >18yrs to 65yrs

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential functions. These examples do not include all of the functions which the employee may be expected to perform.

• Provides direct patient care and management of children and adolescents while under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed psychiatric professional.
• Leads, monitors and collaborates educational and therapeutic groups for patients.
• Participates in clinical rounds, maintains communication with unit or department leadership.
• Responds as part of the Behavioral Assistance Resource Team; provides assistance to patients, family members or visitors 18 years of age and younger exhibiting the potential for harm to self or others.
• Ensures proper documentation of patient progress; completes 15-minute patient checks; provides one-to-one patient observation and or milieu management.
• Assists new hires as required.
• Attends educational in-services for Behavior Specialists; participates in unit committees and educational offerings.
• Collaborates with other disciplines or departments on patient care and unit safety.
• Provides customer service as related to the Mental Health field.

SCOPE AND LEVEL

• Guidelines: Trains in the field and assists higher level personnel to acquire learning through practical experience.
• Complexity: Performs routine and/or basic tasks common to the field. Procedures, methods, and techniques to be used are well established with options to be considered well defined. Tools, work aids, and materials to be used are specified.
• Decision Making: Duties assigned are primarily routine, repetitive, and restricted in intricacy with little or no discretion in how they are carried out.
• Communications: Contacts with team members, clients or the public where factual information relative to the organization or its functions are received, relayed, or a service rendered according to established procedures or instructions.
• Supervision Received: Under close supervision, the employee receives training to develop skills and abilities in a specific line of work or general occupational area. Work product is subject to close, continuous inspection.

Ability to Perform Essential Functions of the Job

• Audio-Visual: Depth Perception: Good
• Audio-Visual: Far Vision: Good
• Audio-Visual: Hearing: Good
• Audio-Visual: Near Vision: Good
• General Activity: Stand/Walk: Up to 10 hours per day
• Motion: Bend: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Carry: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Climb: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Crawl: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Lift: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Pull: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Push: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Reach: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Squat/Crouch: Up to 1/3 of time
• Weight Lifted/Force Exerted: Up to 100 pounds: Up to 1/3 of time

Work Environment

• Exposure: Exposure to blood/body fluid: Regular/Frequent.
• Exposure: Exposure to cold/heat: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to dampness: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to infectious diseases: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to noise/vibration: Occasional.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Independent discretion/decision making.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Makes decisions under pressure.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Manages stress appropriately.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Works with others effectively.

As part of our Total Rewards package, Children's Colorado offers an annual employee bonus program that rewards eligible team members based on organizational performance. If organizational goals are met for the year, the bonus is paid out the following April.

Children's Colorado delivers annual base pay increases to eligible team members based on their performance over the previous year.

EEO Statement
It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. Be aware that none of the questions are intended to imply illegal preferences or discrimination based on non-job-related information. The position is expected to stay open until the posted close date. Please submit your application as soon as possible as the posting is subject to close at any time once a sufficient pool of qualified applicants is obtained.

Colorado Residents: In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.