Behavioral Health Specialist, Adolescent Psychiatry

A Day in the Life

Working as a Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, you will enjoy:

• Leading and co-leading group programming to support therapeutic outcomes.
• Implementing a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors, promote skill-building, and support progress toward discharge goals.
• Providing direct patient care in a team-based setting and collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to ensure the best outcomes.
• Implementing individualized patient care plans and documenting behavioral observations.
• Establishing a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for youth in crisis.

Job Responsibilities

Milieu Management:

• Create a safe, stable, and nurturing environment that fosters support and consistency.
• Implement a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors.
• Support patients with a variety of severe psychological/psychiatric difficulties, including mood disorders, disruptive/aggressive behavior, self-harm, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental disorders who often have histories including significant psychosocial stressors and trauma.
• Proactively prevent and respond to crises using Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) strategies, including verbal de-escalation and physical interventions when necessary due to imminent risk.
• Lead and intervene in behavioral crises, apply appropriate strategies based on the Stress Model of Crisis and individualized treatment plans.
• Conduct safety checks, room searches, and patient safety searches.
• Follow policies and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team.

Plan of Care:

• Implement individualized care plans, including behavioral interventions and support for activities of daily living (bathing, feeding, toileting).
• Provide care primarily in group settings, with individualized programming as needed per treatment team recommendations.
• Maintain designated observation status (e.g., continuous observation, 15-minute checks, remaining within arm’s-length of patient).

Group Programming:

• Lead structured group programming and facilitate patient engagement;
• Adjust delivery to meet developmental needs of patients, observe behavior and participate in problem-solving.

Therapeutic Relationships:

• Build rapport while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Recognize trauma impacts and use developmentally appropriate therapeutic communication.
• Contribute to team planning and patient-centered care discussions.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent AND 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline OR
• Bachelor's degree in a related field (experience not required but preferred)