Behavioral Health Technician - BHT

Socket.dev; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health in Tucson, AZ is seeking a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) for 3x12 dayshift. You will monitor patients, perform vital signs, assist with group activities, and support the clinical team in a safe, therapeutic environment.

Applicants should have a High School Diploma or GED; CPR and de-escalation certification within 30 days; and prior psychiatric health-care experience is preferred. The role emphasizes patient safety, documentation, and compassionate care.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required/preferred.
• 21 years of age or older.
• CPR and de-escalation certification within 30 days of hire.
• Previous experience in a psychiatric health-care facility preferred.

Responsibilities

• Observe and maintain a safe environment through regular patient checks and supervision.
• Take vital signs, collect specimens, document care, and assist with group education.
• Promote a positive therapeutic milieu and accompany patients to meals and appointments.
• Report changes to the RN and assist with admissions and belongings inventory.
• Document patient property at admission/discharge and conduct unit safety checks.
• Encourage activities of daily living and assist with psychoeducational groups.
• Apply crisis intervention and maintain knowledge of program protocols.
• Orient new staff and ensure policy-compliant documentation.

Skills

Vital signs

De-escalation

Documentation

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

CPR training

Job description

Behavioral Health Technician (BHT)

Job Type: Full Time | Days

Schedule: 3x12, Days, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Your experience matters

El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health is a 106-bed behavioral health hospital located in Tucson, Arizona, offering private and semi-private patient accommodations. As part of Lifepoint Health, a diversified healthcare delivery network, El Dorado Springs is committed to its mission of making communities healthier® through high-quality acute care, rehabilitation, and behavioral health services provided in communities across the nation.

More about our team

At El Dorado Springs, our team is dedicated to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care in a safe and therapeutic environment. Whether you are beginning your healthcare career or advancing to your next professional milestone, your experience matters. From your first day, you'll be supported with opportunities for growth, collaboration, and meaningful work that positively impacts the lives of our patients, their families, and the community we serve.

How you'll contribute

A Behavioral Health Technician (BHT)who excels in this role:

• Observe and maintain a safe environment through regular patient checks, safety monitoring, contraband searches, and one on one supervision as needed.
• Perform delegated tasks such as taking vital signs, collecting specimens, documenting care, assisting with group education, and monitoring patients.
• Promote a positive therapeutic milieu and accompany patients to meals, breaks, off‑unit visits, and appointments.
• Report all medical or psychiatric changes to the RN and assist with admissions, including belongings inventory and vital signs.
• Document patient property at admission and discharge and conduct unit safety checks each shift to ensure a clean, therapeutic environment.
• Encourage or assist patients with activities of daily living and facilitate or co‑facilitate psychoeducational and therapeutic groups using established guidelines.
• Apply crisis intervention and de‑escalation techniques as needed and maintain knowledge of program protocols.
• Orient new staff members to the unit, document in the medical record according to policy, provide feedback to the interdisciplinary team, comply with OSHA and CDC specimen guidelines, and perform other duties as assigned.

Why join us

We believe that investing in our employees is the first step to providing excellent patient care. In addition to your base compensation, this position also offers:

• Comprehensive Benefits:Multiple levels of medical, dental and vision coverage for full-time and part-time employees.
• Financial Protection & PTO:Life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, short- and long-term disability, paid family leave and paid time off.
• Financial & Career Growth:Higher education and certification tuition assistance, loan assistance and 401(k) retirement package and company match.
• Employee Well-being:Mental, physical, and financial wellness programs (free gym memberships, virtual care appointments, mental health services and discount programs).
• Professional Development:Ongoing learning and career advancement opportunities.

What we're looking for

Applicants should have a High School Diploma or GED and Previous experience in a psychiatric health‑care facility with chemical dependency, dual diagnosis, psychiatric, or geriatric patients preferred. Applicant must be at least 21 years of age or older.

Additional requirements include

• Certifications:CPR and de‑escalation certification required within 30 days of hire.
• Experience:Previous experience in a psychiatric health‑care facility with chemical dependency, dual diagnosis, psychiatric, or geriatric patients preferred.
• Education:High School Diploma or GED preferred.

More about El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health

El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health is a behavioral health hospital located in Tucson, Arizona, providing acute inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment for adults and seniors across Southern Arizona.

The hospital offers a full continuum of care, including inpatient psychiatric stabilization, medically assisted detox (MAT), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). These programs are designed to support individuals experiencing acute mental health symptoms, substance use disorders, or co‑occurring conditions in a safe, structured environment.

El Dorado Springs features a state‑of‑the‑art facility with over 100 private and semi‑private rooms, providing a secure and therapeutic setting focused on comfort, dignity, and healing. Patients receive 24/7 medically supervised care, evidence‑based therapy, medication management, and comprehensive discharge and aftercare planning.

Accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by CMS, El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health is committed to delivering relationship‑centered, evidence‑based care that improves outcomes and supports long‑term recovery.

Driven by a mission to help individuals regain stability and wellness, our multidisciplinary team works collaboratively to provide compassionate care while fostering a supportive, safety‑focused workplace culture for our staff and patients alike.

EEOC Statement

\" El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity for all applicants and employees and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment.\"

Lifepoint Health is a leader in community-based care and driven by a mission of Making Communities Healthier. Our diversified healthcare delivery network spans 29 states and includes 63 community hospital campuses, 32 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals, and more than 170 additional sites of care across the healthcare continuum, such as acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers and post-acute care facilities. We believe that success is achieved through talented people. We want to create places where employees want to work, with opportunities to pursue meaningful and satisfying careers that truly make a difference in communities across the country.

We employ and provide care to people from all walks of life. We are committed to promoting healing, providing hope, preserving dignity and producing value with an inclusive workforce in which diversity is leveraged, respected, and reflective of the patients, family members, customers and team members we serve.