Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) - 2nd Shift

Oceans Healthcare; Reading (Berks County); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Daily Pay

Paid Time Off

Short/Long Disability

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Oceans Healthcare is seeking a Full-time Behavioral Health Technician to join Haven Behavioral Hospital of Eastern PA in Reading, PA. The 2nd shift (3:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.) involves 5-8 hour shifts with an end-of-week rotation, supporting nursing staff and maintaining a therapeutic milieu.

Ideal candidates have a high school diploma or GED and CNA certification or relevant bedside care experience. BLS and a de-escalation program completion are required or pursued after hire.

Qualifications

• Ability to read, write, and follow verbal and written instruction.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work well with diverse populations.
• Ability to utilize Age, Disability and Cultural Specific knowledge in communicating with clients.
• Good physical and mental health with empathetic attitude and integrity.
• Must work under close supervision.
• Must complete BLS and Oceans approved de-escalation program.

Responsibilities

• Continually monitors and enforces unit rules and safety.
• Employs de-escalation and therapeutic interventions as needed.
• Inventory patient belongings and secure contraband; perform unit safety checks.
• Follow standard precautions and infection control; attend required trainings.
• Perform patient care tasks under supervision: vitals, weights, ADL, nutrition monitoring; report findings to nurse.
• Assist patients with laundry, meals, bathroom, and mobility needs; help at-risk patients.
• Individualize care for age, disability, and cultural needs.
• Document observations clearly: nutrition, weights, intake, vitals, outputs.
• Communicate task outcomes and follow-ups to nursing staff for continuity of care.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Read and write

Communication

Diversity sensitivity

Age and cultural awareness

Empathy

Supervision

BLS training

Education

High school diploma or GED

CNA certification or 6 months patient care experience

Job description

• 2nd Shift: 3p-11:30p (5-8hr shifts/week & EOW rotation)

Full-time Behavioral Health Technician (BHT)

• 2nd Shift: 3p-11:30p (5-8hr shifts/week & EOW rotation)

About Haven Behavioral Hospital Of Eastern PA

Haven Behavioral Hospital of Eastern PA is an 86 bed acute-care Joint Commission Accredited psychiatric hospital that offers care for adults dealing with mental health conditions and co-occurring disorders. We are dedicated to partnering with individuals, families, and communities to improve the lives of patients through the delivery of high-quality, specialty behavioral health services.

Benefits We Offer:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage (Multiple Plan Options) - Eligible first of the month after 30 days.
• 401 (k) Retirement Savings Plan with Discretionary Company Match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Daily Pay
• Paid Time Off
• Competitive Market Compensation
• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

The Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) supports the nursing staff in maintaining a therapeutic milieu by performing routinely assigned tasks and carrying out patient care activities within the scope of the BHT's training and experience. The BHT will maintain a safe and professional standard for patient care in accordance with Joint Commission, Federal and State regulations, Oceans' Mission, policies and procedures and performance improvement standards.

Essential Functions:

• Continually monitors and supports compliance within unit rules.
• Demonstrates the ability to employ de-escalation and therapeutic interventions as needed.
• Inventories patient belongings accurately and secures contraband as needed; completes unit safety checks.
• Complies with standard/universal precautions and infection control policies and attends required in-services to keep self-informed.
• Implements patient care activities under the direction and supervision of licensed nursing personnel; performs vital signs, weights, ADL, nutritional monitoring and communicates findings to the nurse.
• Assists patients with laundry, meals, bathroom functions and maintaining of belongings; assists at -risk and/or physically challenged patients with mobility needs as needed.
• Individualizes all patient care activities to the age specific, disability, cultural sensitivity needs of the patient.
• Communicates and documents patient observation related to behavior and location and date effectively. Includes accurate documentation of nutritional intake, weights, liquid intake, vital signs, and output appropriately on the observation form.
• Communicates outcome of assigned tasks to nursing staff in a timely manner; Communicates follow-up on patient care responsibilities; incomplete assignments, ongoing activities and current patient needs to relevant staff to assure continuality of care.
• Performs other duties and projects as assigned.

Education / Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent (e.g., GED) preferred, but not required, unless hired in the following states after January 1, 2026: Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania or as required by the state regulations.
• Current CNA certification or at least 6 months of prior bedside, direct patient care experience in a healthcare setting preferred.

Skills / Qualifications:

• Must be able to read, write and follow verbal and written instruction.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Must work well with diverse populations.
• Must be able to utilize Age, Disability and Cultural Specific knowledge in working with specialized populations to best communicate with those clients.
• Must be in good physical and mental health as evidenced by a warm empathetic attitude, respect for dignity, worth and potentiality of clients and hold a high sense of personal integrity.
• Must be able to work under close supervision.
• Must successfully complete Basic Life Savings (BLS) course and an Oceans approved behavioral de-escalation program

Work Environment:

Subject to many interruptions. Occasional pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries. This position can be high paced and stressful; must be able to cope mentally and physically to atmosphere. This person might sometimes experience disagreeable odors, sights and/or unpredictable patient behavior. Work requires spending approximately 90% or more of the time inside a building that offers protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.