Mental Health Technician (No Degree)

Universal Health Services; Portsmouth (VA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Compensation & Generous PT

Excellent Medical, Dental, Vision

401(K) with company match

Tuition savings for nursing education

Job summary

Harbor Point Behavioral Health Center, Inc. in Portsmouth, VA seeks a Residential Counselor to build therapeutic relationships with youth and provide guidance and supervision during treatment.

The role involves shift work across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts, collaborating with teachers and staff to support daily living skills and safety in a residential setting.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Minimum high school diploma or equivalent; bachelor’s degree preferred in Psychology or related field.
• Experience working with children and adolescents preferred.
• Previous experience working in a residential or psychiatric setting with children and adolescents preferred.
• Requires ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Contributes to executing individualized treatment plans through supervision and behavior guidance.
• Maintains safety and security of the facility through close observation and proactive intervention.
• Promotes development of residents' daily living skills through instruction and supervision.
• Stimulates residents' interest and cooperation in activities and programs through positive interaction and encouragement.
• Completes accurate documentation on resident's behavior and reports observations to staff.
• Provides crisis intervention using de-escalation techniques and safe restraint when necessary while prioritizing safety.
• Uses counseling skills to de-escalate aggression and reinforce positive behavior.
• During school hours, the MHT paraprofessional manages behaviors and assists the teacher.

Skills

Experience with children/adolescents

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or related field

Job description

Responsibilities

Harbor Point Behavioral Health Center offers hope and healing for youth ages 7 to 17 at the time of admission with several psychiatric diagnoses and/or developmental disabilities. Located in Portsmouth, VA, Harbor Point provides intensive, residential treatment to youth in a comfortable setting that is conducive to healing. Our facility specializes in treating children and adolescents with depression, bipolar, ADHD, and other mental health issues. We also have specific treatment programs for those with intellectual disabilities or those with self-injurious behavior. Harbor Point and its programs are fully accredited by The Joint Commission and the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Educational Facilities. We are licensed by The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Virginia Department of Education. We are a TRICARE®-approved and certified facility.

Website

https://harborpointbhc.com/

We are currently hiring a select group of people committed to making a difference by improving lives and helping young people prepare for adulthood. The overall responsibility of the Residential Counselor is to develop a therapeutic relationship with and provide appropriate guidance and supervision to children and teenagers receiving treatment.

The MHT position is shift work with set days of:

1st Shift 6:45a – 3:15p
2nd Shift 2:45p – 11:15p
3rd Shift 10:45p – 7:15a

Job Duties (not an inclusive list)

• Contributes to the effective implementation of individual treatment plans of residents through 'line of sight' supervision, positive interaction and role modeling, appropriate scoring of observed behaviors, and appropriate consequences or limit setting based on behaviors and program definition.
• Maintains safety and security of the facility through close observation and monitoring of the residents, maintaining optimal physical proximity, remaining alert at all times, and using analytical forethought to anticipate potentially volatile or unsafe situations and proactively intervene.
• Promotes development of residents' daily living skills through appropriate assignment, instruction, and supervision of tasks.
• Stimulates residents' interest and cooperation in various individual and group activities and programs through positive interaction, instruction, supervision, feedback and encouragement.
• Completes accurate and timely documentation on resident's behavior as outlined by policy, reports observations to relevant staff and makes recommendations based on observations. Assists in preparation of other behavioral reports and daily activities log as required.
• Provides appropriate crisis intervention as necessary by anticipating and responding quickly to escalating behaviors, utilizing de-escalation techniques to diffuse the situation, correctly prioritizing safety concerns, following proper restraint technique guidelines, and displaying neutral emotions.
• Uses appropriate counseling skills by de-escalating aggression, using active listening skills, using appropriate tone and volume of voice, providing a high frequency and variety of positive reinforcements, maintaining appropriate boundaries, and promoting a positive peer culture.
• During school hours, the MHT is the paraprofessional who manages behaviors and assists the teacher in the classroom.

Full-Time Benefit Highlights

• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Competitive Compensation & Generous Paid Time Off
• Excellent Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Plans
• 401(K) with company match and discounted stock plan
• SoFi Student Loan Refinancing Program
• Tuition savings to continue your nursing education with Chamberlain University
• Career development opportunities within UHS and its 300+ Subsidiaries!
• Pet Insurance
• More information is available on our Benefits Guest Website: benefits.uhsguest.com

About Universal Health Services

Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) is one of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services. Since our founding in 1979, UHS has grown steadily into a premier Fortune 500® corporation perennially recognized by multiple esteemed national rating entities. Through its subsidiaries, UHS operates inpatient acute care facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities, outpatient and other facilities, nationwide virtual behavioral health services, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services with physical locations in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Ireland and United Kingdom. www.uhs.com

From Fortune, ©2025, 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Minimum high school diploma or equivalent. Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or related field with coursework in Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development preferred.
• Experience working with children and adolescents preferred.
• Previous experience working in a residential or psychiatric setting with children and adolescents preferred.
• Requires ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.

EEO Statement

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