Safety and Security Technician

Central State Hospital (CSH) is a 277-bed Joint Commission accredited psychiatric inpatient facility located in Petersburg, Virginia. CSH has proudly been serving citizens of the Commonwealth since 1870, when we opened our doors as the first psychiatric hospital in the country dedicated to the treatment of African Americans. A new and modern CSH is currently under construction on the same property, with a scheduled completion date of 2027. CSH maintains the only maximum-security treatment facility in the state (111 beds). We also have 166 beds available for individuals in the community who need inpatient care, as well as individuals in the criminal justice system. We believe that treatment should be holistic and focused on the person’s individual needs, recognizing that recovery is not linear or the same for every person. Treatment modalities may include medication, evidence-based group and individual therapy, peer support, psychosocial rehabilitation, vocational training, preparation for court, and treatment for substance use.

About the role

The Safety and Security Technician is responsible for controlling all access to and from a maximum-security unit where court-ordered patients from the criminal justice system are assigned for psychiatric evaluation and/or treatment.

Responsibilities

• Determine positive identification of staff and visitors.
• Screen visitors and secure necessary approval for entry and exit.
• Ensure only authorized persons enter and/or leave the forensic unit.
• Supervise and observe patients’ activities.
• Transport and escort patients within the forensic unit or to destinations throughout the facility, to courts, hospitals, medical appointments, and other facilities in the state.
• Assist with the admission process, including searching patients and explaining unit policies/regulations.
• Secure items not allowed in the unit and inspect packages.
• Operate electrical doors.
• Receive incoming telephone calls and notify staff of deliveries.
• Issue keys and maintain a key record inventory.
• Understand and use the least restrictive interventions, per hospital policy, to successfully avoid the use of seclusion and restraint whenever possible.

Requirements

• Must be willing to work any shift.
• Previous security experience.
• Valid Virginia Driver’s license.
• Previous mental health experience in a hospital setting.
• DCJS Certification (preferred).

Pay

Hiring range: $41,265 up to $52,354, commensurate with experience.

Benefits

• Choice of health plans.
• Paid life insurance.
• Retirement plans.
• 13 paid holidays.
• Annual leave.
• Family personal leave.
• Sick leave.
• Employee discount programs.

All applicants are subject to an extensive background investigation, including fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI), local agency checks, Department of Social Services/Child Protective Services checks, employment verification, and verification of education relevant to the position. Under Virginia Code 37.2-314 and 37.2-408.1, the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) cannot employ individuals convicted of specific ("barrier") crimes or those with pending "barrier" charges.