Crisis Stabilization Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) – Behavioral Health Crisis Services

Crisis Stabilization Behavioral Health Technician (BHT)

iCare Health Services, LLC is seeking a compassionate, dependable, and safety-focused Crisis Stabilization Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) to provide direct support to individuals receiving behavioral health crisis stabilization and observation services.

The Crisis Stabilization BHT works as part of a multidisciplinary crisis team and provides continuous patient observation, behavioral monitoring, therapeutic support, de-escalation, safety interventions, assistance with activities of daily living, and timely clinical documentation under the direction of licensed clinical and nursing personnel.

This position requires the ability to work effectively with individuals experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms, suicidal ideation, emotional or behavioral dysregulation, substance-related concerns, psychosis, agitation, or other behavioral health crises while maintaining a calm, respectful, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain required patient observation and safety monitoring according to the patient's assessed needs and facility procedures.
• Observe and promptly report changes in behavior, mood, mental status, functioning, or safety concerns to nursing or licensed clinical staff.
• Provide therapeutic engagement and emotional support during the stabilization period.
• Assist with implementation of individualized crisis and safety plans as directed by the clinical team.
• Use approved verbal de-escalation and crisis-prevention techniques.
• Immediately escalate suicidal/homicidal statements, self-harm behavior, aggression, significant withdrawal symptoms, medical concerns, elopement risk, or other changes in condition.
• Conduct environmental and safety checks according to facility procedures.
• Support admission, orientation, observation, stabilization, discharge, and transfer workflows.
• Assist patients with meals, hydration, hygiene, comfort needs, and other appropriate activities of daily living.
• Participate in structured therapeutic and recovery-oriented activities as assigned.
• Obtain vital signs or perform other delegated tasks only when appropriately trained, competent, and authorized.
• Complete BHT progress notes, observation documentation, safety checks, incident documentation, and other required records accurately and on time.
• Communicate significant observations during shift handoffs and multidisciplinary treatment-team discussions.
• Support patients transitioning to outpatient treatment, residential services, hospitalization, community resources, or other appropriate levels of care.
• Follow infection-control, emergency, confidentiality, patient-rights, and workplace-safety requirements.

Scope of the BHT Role

The Crisis Stabilization BHT is an important member of the crisis team but does not independently diagnose patients, determine medical necessity or level of care, conduct independent psychiatric assessments, prescribe or administer medications outside authorized scope, provide psychotherapy, or independently make discharge decisions.

Clinical assessment, nursing assessment, medication management, level-of-care decisions, and other licensed functions must be completed by appropriately qualified personnel.

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.

• Must meet Arizona/iCare qualification requirements for a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) based on education, training, experience, competency, and assigned duties.

• Previous experience in crisis stabilization, psychiatric care, behavioral health, mental health, substance-use treatment, inpatient/residential treatment, emergency services, or another high-acuity setting strongly preferred.

• Experience working with individuals experiencing suicidal ideation, psychosis, severe anxiety/depression, agitation, substance-related crises, or behavioral dysregulation preferred.

• Must be able to recognize and immediately escalate changes in patient behavior, mental status, physical condition, or safety risk to appropriate licensed clinical/nursing personnel.

• Must be willing and able to complete required training in crisis prevention, verbal de-escalation, suicide-risk/safety procedures, trauma-informed care, patient rights, confidentiality/HIPAA, infection control, emergency procedures, and other facility-required competencies.

• CPR/First Aid certification required or must be obtained within the timeframe established by iCare.

• Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card required when applicable to the position/population served; iCare should specify the exact card requirement based on the licensed service and patient population. Current Arizona outpatient rules specifically impose fingerprint-clearance requirements when behavioral-health services are provided to patients under 18.

• Must demonstrate competency in patient observation, safety monitoring, behavioral documentation, therapeutic engagement, crisis response, and de-escalation before independently performing assigned responsibilities.

• Must be comfortable using an EHR/EMR and completing accurate, objective, timely clinical documentation.

• Must maintain professional boundaries and patient confidentiality.

• Must be able to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team with RNs, psychiatric providers, licensed clinicians, case managers, peer-support staff, and other BHTs.

• Must be able to remain calm and use sound judgment in high-acuity or rapidly changing situations.

• Must be available for assigned day, evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts based on crisis-program operations.

• Must successfully complete required background screening, employment verification, orientation, competency validation, and ongoing training.

• Must be physically capable of performing the essential functions of the position, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.