Behavioral Health -Safety Specialist ( Day and Night shifts available)

About the Role

The Behavioral Health Safety Specialist (BHSS) functions as a Mental Health Technician (MHT) with advanced responsibilities in violence prevention, behavioral risk identification, environmental safety, patient observation compliance, and de-escalation support. The BHSS works collaboratively with nurses, providers, security personnel, and leadership to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment while supporting patient care and recovery. This role combines direct patient care responsibilities with proactive safety oversight and serves as a unit resource for workplace violence prevention, crisis intervention, and safety initiatives. This position remains therapeutic in nature and is not intended to function as a security office.

Responsibilities

• Patient Safety and Observation
  • Perform patient observation rounds in accordance with physician orders and unit standards.
  • Monitor patients for behavioral escalation, self-harm risk, aggression, and safety concerns.
  • Assist with line-of-sight and enhanced observation assignments.
  • Ensure environmental safety hazards are identified and addressed promptly.
  • Assist with contraband searches and patient belongings inventories according to policy.
  • Support fall prevention interventions and patient-specific safety precautions.
• Violence Prevention and De-escalation
  • Identify early warning signs of agitation, aggression, and behavioral escalation.
  • Use approved verbal de-escalation techniques to reduce the potential for violence.
  • Assist staff during behavioral emergencies and Code White events.
  • Participate in violence-risk assessments and safety huddles as assigned.
  • Communicate safety concerns to nursing leadership promptly.
  • Support implementation of workplace violence prevention initiatives and unit safety plans.
• Environmental and Unit Safety
  • Conduct routine environmental safety rounds.
  • Identify and report ligature risks, contraband concerns, and environmental hazards.
  • Monitor compliance with patient safety standards.
  • Ensure therapeutic areas remain safe and free from prohibited items.
  • Assist with security rounding and unit safety initiatives as appropriate.
• Documentation and Reporting
  • Complete required observation documentation accurately and timely.
  • Document behavioral concerns, safety incidents, and interventions per organizational policy.
  • Complete incident reports for safety events, aggressive behavior, and workplace violence incidents.
  • Participate in post-incident reviews and debriefings.
• Team Support and Education
  • Serve as a safety resource for MHTs and nursing staff.
  • Assist with onboarding and mentoring of new staff regarding safety practices.
  • Reinforce observation standards, de-escalation techniques, and workplace violence prevention strategies.
  • Participate in unit-based safety committees and performance improvement activities.

Requirements

• Experience
  • Minimum one (2) years of experience in public safety, corrections, law enforcement, military police, or related safety/security field; OR
  • Equivalent combination of behavioral health and security/safety experience.
• Education
  • High school diploma or GED required.
  • Associate degree in Behavioral Health, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, or related field preferred.
• Certifications & Licensure
  • MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior) or equivalent training.
  • BLS Certification.
  • Security officer training certification preferred.
• Skills & Knowledge
  • Excellent observation and situational awareness skills.
  • Ability to identify behavioral escalation and potential violence risk.
  • Knowledge of trauma-informed care principles.
  • Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
  • Effective verbal de-escalation and conflict resolution skills.
  • Ability to remain calm in high-stress situations.
  • Strong teamwork and communication skills.
  • Ability to safely intervene during behavioral emergencies within scope of training.
  • Ability to document observations and incidents accurately.
  • Knowledge of patient safety, workplace violence prevention, and behavioral health operations.

Performance Criteria & Standards

• Everyday Excellence Values
  • Demonstrates courtesy and caring to each other, patients and their families, physicians, and the community.
  • Takes initiative in living organizational values and vital signs.
  • Takes initiative in identifying customer needs before the customer asks.
  • Participates in teamwork willingly and with enthusiasm.
  • Demonstrates respect for the dignity and privacy needs of customers through personal action and attention to the environment of care.
  • Keeps customers informed, answers customer questions, and anticipates information needs of customers.
• Corporate Compliance
  • Demonstrates commitment to the Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest Guidelines, and Corporate Compliance Guidelines.
  • Practices diligence in fulfilling the regulatory and legal requirements of the position and department.
  • Maintains accurate and reliable patient/organizational records.
  • Maintains professional relationships with appropriate officials; communicates honestly and completely; behaves in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner in all professional contacts.
• Personal Achievement
  • Demonstrates initiative in achieving work goals and meeting personal objectives.
  • Uses accepted procedures and practices to complete assignments.
  • Uses creative and proactive solutions to achieve objectives even when workload and demands are high.
  • Adheres to high moral principles of honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and fairness.
  • Upholds the ethical standards of the organization.
• Performance Improvement
  • Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities and incorporates quality improvement standards in job performance.
  • Optimizes talents, skills, and abilities in achieving excellence in meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
  • Initiates or redesigns to continuously improve work processes.
  • Contributes ideas and suggestions to improve approaches to work processes.
  • Willingly participates in organization and/or department quality initiatives.
• Cost Management
  • Demonstrates effective cost management practices.
  • Effectively manages time and resources.
  • Makes conscious effort to effectively utilize the resources of the organization — material, human, and financial.
  • Consistently looks for and uses resource-saving processes.
• Patient & Employee Safety
  • Actively participates in and demonstrates effective patient and employee safety practices.
  • Effectively communicates, demonstrates, coordinates, and emphasizes patient and employee safety.
  • Proactively reports errors, potential errors, injuries, or potential injuries.
  • Demonstrates departmental specific patient and employee safety standards at all times.
  • Demonstrates the use of proper safety techniques, equipment, and devices and follows safety policies, procedures, and plans.