Behavioral Health Specialist

Behavioral Health Specialist I (BHS I) – Position Summary

Under the direction of the Clinical Nurse Manager (Inpatient), Program Director (Partial), and Unit Charge RN, the Behavioral Health Specialist I (BHS I) provides direct care, safety, and therapeutic support to children and adolescents within an interdisciplinary treatment team. The BHS I contributes to the structure of the therapeutic milieu and is responsible for implementing, observing, and documenting milieu programming under the supervision of a Registered Nurse.

Brown University Health employees are expected to model the organization’s core values of Compassion ,
Accountability ,
Respect , and Excellence , and to demonstrate the Success Factors that guide how we work together:
Instill Trust ,
Value Differences ,
Patient and Community Focus , and Collaborate
.

• Maintain a safe and therapeutic environment and actively engage with assigned patients throughout the shift.
• Participate in developing and implementing milieu care plans according to unit policies.
• Maintain and document required levels of patient observation each shift.
• Support visiting parents and provide information as directed by the treatment team.
• Supervise patients during daily routines and assist with activities of daily living and hygiene.
• Identify, report, and help resolve actual or potential unit problems.
• Provide timely verbal reporting and documentation following critical incidents.
• Complete required documentation, including incident reports and intake materials.
• Participate in restraint debriefings.
• Carry out delegated assignments and report completion before shift change.
• Intervene therapeutically in disruptive or unsafe situations.
• Maintain professional boundaries at all times.

• Adhere to all Hospital, Department, and Program policies and procedures.
• Attend peer review, staff meetings, and required trainings.
• Maintain current certifications in:
• Participate in ongoing staff development.

• Support the development of a therapeutic alliance with patients and families at admission.
• Assist with the separation process and help orient patients to the hospital environment.
• Document objective observations within each shift and communicate findings to the assigned RN.
• Review milieu care plans daily and recommend revisions based on observations.
• Communicate patient care plans to unit staff and collaborate with interdisciplinary providers.
• Participate in treatment team meetings, rounds, patient‑specific discussions, and hand‑off reports.
• Document significant observations in the medical record and Kardex in a timely manner.
• Share knowledge and experience with colleagues through formal and informal learning opportunities.
• Adapt care approaches to meet the developmental needs of diverse children and adolescents.

• Support and contribute to behavioral management and care plan development.
• Teach and assist with activities of daily living based on patient ability.
• Co‑lead community meetings, milieu groups, social skills groups, and program‑specific activities.
• Set consistent therapeutic limits aligned with hospital and unit standards.
• Implement behavioral programs in collaboration with the RN and treatment team.
• Organize and participate in unit activities, including physical and social development programming.
• Assist with family training and teaching visits as assigned.
• Model therapeutic interpersonal interactions with patients and families.
• Co‑lead therapy groups with clinicians.
• Support and participate in recreation therapy programs.
• Respond to crises using the least restrictive, safe intervention.
• Seek…