Mental Health Technician

Cooper Norcross University Hospital; Camden (NJ); On-site; USD 25,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Cooper Norcross University Hospital in Camden, NJ is seeking a Psychiatric Support Technician to assist the Registered Nurse and support direct and indirect patient care in the inpatient unit.

Candidates should have at least 2 years' experience in mental health or related settings, an Associate's Degree, BLS certification, and CPI/Handle with Care preferred. Shifts run 7 PM to 7 AM, with a 4 shifts every 6 weeks cycle, weekends and holidays. Compensation ranges from $18 to $29 per hour.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years' experience in a mental health, forensic or addictions setting.
• Associate's Degree required; Bachelor’s degree preferred in psychology or related field.
• AHA BLS certification required.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Registered Nurse in direct, indirect and non-patient care responsibilities.
• Perform patient care observation rounds, 1:1 observation, vital signs, glucose checks, and documentation as needed.

Skills

Verbal de-escalation

Education

Associate's Degree in Psychology or related field

Bachelor's Degree preferred

Job description

About Us

Cooper Norcross Health, formerly Cooper University Health Care, is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Norcross Medical School of Rowan University. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, Cooper Norcross Health has revenues of more than $3 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.

Cooper Norcross Health has nearly 14,000 team members, including more than 2,200 nurses, more than 1,200 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 700 advanced practice providers.

The health system operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as four hospitals - its 663-bed flagship Cooper Norcross University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper Norcross University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, Children's Hospital at Cooper Norcross Health in Camden, and The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, a substance abuse rehabilitation and inpatient treatment facility, in partnership with American Recovery Services.

Cooper Norcross University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals annual survey for eight years.

More than 2.54 million patients visit Cooper Norcross Health facilities annually. Its ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, seven urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.

Cooper Norcross Health, a not-for-profit health system, was named one of America's Best Large Employers for 2026 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.

Short Description

Assists the Registered Nurse in providing direct, indirect and non-patient care responsibilities.

Contributes to quality patient care by serving as a significant member of the multidisciplinary treatment team in providing therapeutic groups and activities, milieu counseling and management.

Performs patient care observation rounds, 1:1 observation, environmental rounds, vital signs, control logs, glucose checks, specimen collections, treatment planning, patient education, visitor & meal monitoring, belongings and body checks and documentation as needed.

Uses verbal de-escalation techniques to manage disruptive patient behaviors, in addition to limit-setting and physical restraint application as directed, and functions as a valuable member of the treatment team during a psychiatric code and Code Grey.

Performs clerical functions to support the clinical operations of the unit.

Experience Required

Minimum of 2 years' experience in a mental health, forensic or addictions setting.

Education Requirements

Associate's Degree required, Bachelor's Degree preferred, in Psychology or related study.

License/Certification Requirements

AHA BLS required.

Special Requirements

CPI, Handle with Care, Aggression Management certification is preferred.

Shift Requirements

• 7PM-7AM
• 4 shifts every 6 weeks
• 3 weekend shifts, 1 weekday
• 1 major winter, 1 major summer, & 1 hallmark holiday

Salary Min ($)

USD $18.00

Salary Max ($)

USD $29.00