Behavioral Health Specialist, Adolescent Psychiatry

Location: College Hill Campus – Adolescent Inpatient (PA4.400)
Shift: Rotating (Day/Evening)
Schedule: Full time, 32 hours weekly (0.8 FTE)

About the role

Working as a Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, you will provide direct patient care in a state-of-the-art mental health facility that opened in October 2023. You will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to support youth in crisis, implementing individualized care plans and fostering a safe, stable, and nurturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Create a safe, stable, and nurturing milieu that fosters support and consistency; implement a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors.
• Support patients with severe psychological/psychiatric difficulties, including mood disorders, disruptive/aggressive behavior, self-harm, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, intellectual disability, and neurodevelopmental disorders, many of whom have histories of 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, applying 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.
• 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).
• Lead structured group programming, facilitate patient engagement, adjust delivery to meet developmental needs, observe behavior, and participate in problem-solving.
• Build rapport while maintaining professional boundaries; use developmentally appropriate therapeutic communication and recognize trauma impacts.
• Complete accurate and timely documentation, including shift notes, incident documentation (e.g., restraint, seclusion), and safety checks; summarize antecedents and consequences of target behaviors.
• Actively participate in shift reports, safe handoff procedures, and data collection.

Requirements

• 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).

Pay

Starting pay range: $21.00 - $25.72 per hour, based on experience, skills, and equity. Additional pay (e.g., shift, on-call, or weekend differentials) and benefits may apply. Annual pay may vary based on FTE status.

Benefits

Full-time benefits eligible.

About Us

At Cincinnati Children’s, we come to work with one goal: to make children’s health better. We believe in a holistic team approach, both in caring for patients and their families, and in advancing science and discovery. We strive to do better and find energy and inspiration in our shared purpose.

• Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 10 best Children's Hospitals in the nation for more than 15 years.
• Consistently among the top 3 Children's Hospitals for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.
• Recognized as one of America’s Best Large Employers (2025) and America’s Best Employers for New Grads (2025).
• Named one of the nation's America’s Most Innovative Companies by Fortune.
• A Leading Disability Employer as noted by the National Organization on Disability.
• Magnet® designated for the fourth consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

We embrace innovation—including the responsible use of artificial intelligence—to empower our teams, improve outcomes, and create a stronger future for all.