Behavioral Health Specialist I

SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Clinical Nurse Manager (Inpatient)/Program Director (Partial), Unit Charge RN, and as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Behavioral Health Specialist I (BHS I) provides care and ensures safety for children and adolescents. The BHS I supports the daily structure and schedule of the therapeutic milieu and is responsible for implementing, observing, and documenting the program under the guidance of a Registered Nurse.

Brown University Health employees are expected to model the organization’s core values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, which guide interactions with patients, families, customers, and colleagues.

Employees are also expected to demonstrate the organization’s Success Factors, including:

• Instilling trust and valuing differences
• Maintaining patient and community focus through collaboration

RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Therapeutic Milieu & Patient Safety

• Maintains a safe, therapeutic environment and actively engages with assigned patients throughout the shift
• Supports development and implementation of individualized milieu care plans
• Maintains and documents assigned patient observation levels
• Supervises daily routines and assists with activities of daily living and basic hygiene
• Provides support and information to families as directed by the treatment team
• Identifies, reports, and addresses unit safety or behavioral concerns
• Intervenes therapeutically in disruptive or self/other-injurious behaviors using least restrictive methods
• Completes documentation including shift notes, incident reports, intakes, and restraint debriefings
• Reports critical incidents to the Charge RN and documents appropriately
• Maintains appropriate professional boundaries
• Completes daily assignments as delegated and reports status prior to shift change

B. Compliance & Professional Development

• Adheres to all hospital, department, and program policies and procedures
• Attends peer review, staff meetings, and required trainings
• Maintains current certifications in:
  • Crisis Management
  • CPR
  • OSHA, ERS, and Safety
• Participates in required unit and hospital staff development activities

C. Care Planning & Communication

• Participates in patient care planning under RN direction
• Assists with admissions, therapeutic alliance building, and transition into the hospital setting
• Documents objective patient observations each shift and communicates findings to the RN
• Reviews and contributes to updates of care plans and problem lists
• Communicates patient care needs and plans to interdisciplinary staff
• Participates in treatment team meetings, rounds, and shift handoffs
• Documents significant patient and family interactions in the medical record and Kardex
• Shares clinical knowledge with peers through formal and informal training
• Adapts care approaches to meet the developmental and emotional needs of diverse children and adolescents

D. Programming, Groups & Behavioral Support

• Supports development and implementation of behavioral management plans
• Assists and teaches activities of daily living based on patient ability
• Co-leads:
  • Community and milieu meetings
  • Social skills, recreation, activity, and therapy groups
• Sets consistent, supportive therapeutic limits per hospital and unit standards
• Organizes and participates in unit activities supporting physical and social development
• Coordinates materials and transportation as needed
• Participates in family teaching visits and parent training
• Models appropriate therapeutic staff–patient interactions
• Handles crisis situations safely and effectively using approved interventions
• Seeks supervision and integrates feedback to improve performance
• Performs other duties as assigned

Employees may be asked to perform comparable duties in other clinical settings across the hospital system as program needs require.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field preferred
• Equivalent education and experience may be considered at the Hiring Manager’s discretion
• Demonstrated willingness and ability to learn role-specific skills
• Knowledge of lifespan development, cultural considerations, and patient-centered care

Safety & Crisis Management

• Required to work in a high-stress psychiatric setting with emotionally impaired, aggressive, or self-injurious patients
• Must utilize de-escalation techniques and remain calm during crisis situations
• Must be able to make quick, rational decisions to ensure safety and maintain a therapeutic environment
• Must participate in physical patient management when necessary, using approved methods only, including:
  • Safe body positioning
  • Blocking/deflecting aggression
  • Escorting and holding patients safely

Physical requirements include:

• Lifting up to 50 pounds
• Reaching, grasping, bending, squatting, kneeling
• Standing, walking, sitting frequently
• Occasional running for short distances

Experience

• Six months to one year of direct childcare experience with emotionally impaired youth

Independent Action

• Works independently within program policies
• Refers complex or unclear issues to a supervisor

Supervisory Responsibility

• None