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Pediatric Behavioral Health Specialist

**Job Description:**

The Pediatric Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS), under the direction and supervision of the treatment team, provides direct therapeutic contact to patients through the delivery of specific groups designed to address the core psychological vulnerabilities which commonly lead to patients entering crisis. This role is furthered by providing individual, ad-hoc supportive contacts to patients that focus on validating negative feelings, offering strategies for coping, building self-esteem, development of skills, and assessment of immediate risk to self and others.

**Scope:**

The Pediatric Behavioral Health Specialist provides care to patients in accordance with the established multi-disciplinary plan of care or treatment plan. They specialize in delivering core group content as outlined by licensed clinical staff through skill building and psycho educational groups. They enhance the containment and support provided by the BHT, through enhanced knowledge and experience.

**Job Essentials:**

+ Leads or co-leads educational groups including goal setting, skill building, relaxation, reflection, and/or family education. Groups are designed to address the core psychological vulnerabilities which commonly lead to patients entering crisis.

+ Ensure a positive and safe milieu by role-modeling prosocial attitudes, providing platforms for positively engaged patients to do the same, strategically managing negative influences on the milieu through deflection, minimization, humor and appeals to the patients underlying goals and sources of motivation.

+ Demonstrate competence in creating therapeutic personal experiences with patients, and ability to combine individual patient motivation and knowledge of recommended behavioral interventions to enhance the generalization and adoption of coping skills throughout the day and across environments.

+ Monitoring patients for escalations in level of agitation and following best practices for de-escalation.

+ Expertly recognizes critical situations, anticipates and diffuses difficult patient behaviors, identifies options to manage crisis - using sound judgment and problem-solving skills, engages patient to collaboratively solve problems by understanding and appealing to the patients underlying goals and sources of motivation.

+ Providing patients with individual, self-directed resources under guidance from the treating therapist or provider.

+ Perform tasks as assigned to ensure unit safety is maintained (Visual safety rounds, room checks, inventory of patient belongings).

+ Observe the overall behavior, including demeanor, level of engagement and level of organization of assigned patients, and provide this information to the treatment team to enhance the overall understanding of the patient.

+ Communicates pertinent patient information in shift report and to the treatment team using effective communication and organization skills.

+ Completes timely and accurate documentation of groups, patient care interventions, and observations.

+ In collaboration with charge nurse, manage the overall environment of care, ensuring patient safety on the milieu.

+ In collaboration with occupational therapy, manage individual patient engagement and regulation, utilizing established treatment team interventions.

+ May provide more direct observation of acutely unsafe patients in collaboration with the treatment team and charge nurse, including instances when assigned to act as a 1:1.

+ As a BHS Shift Lead, may coordinate and direct overall milieu management in alignment with the unit Charge Nurse.

+ May assist in mentoring and/or orientation of new caregivers and students.

+ Takes initiative to improve the work environment and guide others toward resolving problems/treatment questions.

+ Encourages accountability and professional growth of co-workers and Behavioral Health Technicians.

+ Maintains high standards of professionalism and sets example for patients and other caregivers by modeling appropriate and positive behaviors.

+ Serves as an advocate for patient rights.

**Minimum Qualifications:**

+ Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers

+ **AND**

+ Two years post high school education in social work, psychology, sociology, family studies, or a health sciences field and a minimum of six months of relevant experience (behavioral health, chemically dependency, education, special education, child care, etc.).

+ **OR**

+ One year experience working in a pediatric behavioral health setting and ability to demonstrate all BHS job essentials.

**Preferred Qualifications:**

+ Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or family studies.

**Physical Requirements:**

**Location:**

Intermountain Health McKay-Dee Hospital

**Work City:**

Ogden

**Work State:**

Utah

**Scheduled Weekly Hours:**

36

The hourly range for this position is listed below. Actual hourly rate dependent upon experience.

$18.66 - $25.33

We care about your well-being – mind, body, and spirit – which is why we provide our caregivers a generous benefits package that covers a wide range of programs to foster a sustainable culture of wellness that encompasses living healthy, happy, secure, connected, and engaged.

Learn more about our comprehensive benefits packages for our Idaho, Nevada, and Utah based caregivers (https://intermountainhealthcare.org/careers/working-for-intermountain/em...) , and for our Colorado, Montana, and Kansas based caregivers (http://www.sclhealthbenefits.org) ; and our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (https://intermountainhealthcare.org/careers/working-for-intermountain/di...) .

Intermountain Health is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

All positions subject to close without notice.


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