IBHS Behavior Health Technician

IBHS Behavior Health Technician

Title: IBHS Behavior Health Technician

Division: Mental Health

Programs: IBHS

Reports to: IBHS Director of Regionalized Services/IBHS Clinical Supervisor

Employment Status: Part Time Variable

FLSA Status: N/A

Grade:

Date: September 3, 2020

Summary: The Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) is a staff person who is responsible for delivering interventions based on the client's active Individual Treatment Plan (ITP) as developed by the Behavioral Consultant (BC) or Mobile Therapist (MT). The BHT provides therapeutic support services to children/adolescents with serious behavioral health issues or deficits in developmental skills in order to sustain placement in the natural environment and avert the need for referral to a more restrictive setting.

Minimum Qualifications: By January 1, 2021, eligible BHT candidates will meet ONE of the following conditions:

• Have certification as BCaBA/RBT/BCAT
• Behavior Analysis Certification
• HS Diploma/GED plus 40 hour RBT task list training
• 2 years of experience in the provision of behavioral health services

If no previous BHT/TSS/BHW experience, staff will need 30 hours of training in the following areas prior to working with clients independently:

• Mandated reporting, crisis intervention/management/de-escalation/safety planning
• Behavioral management skills and coaching
• Child and Adolescent Development
• Overview of serious mental disturbance/behavioral/psychosocial needs of children
• Ethics/conduct/confidentiality
• First Aid/Universal Precautions/safety, medications and side effects

If no prior BHT/TSS/BHW experience upon hire, staff will need to attain 24 hours of training in the following areas within 6 months of their initial hire date:

• Documentation skills
• System of care principles
• Overview of FBA
• Ethnic, cultural, and linguistic considerations of the community served
• Strategies and interventions to engage families, including family systems theory
• Skills and techniques for working with families
• Overview of community resources and children and youth serving systems and processes
• Cross systems collaboration
• Basic IEP and SPED information

Essential Position Requirements:

• Working one on one with children/adolescents to implement BHT interventions as specified in their individual treatment plan (ITP). Such interventions include behavioral contingencies, verbal redirection, prompting, coaching, emotional support, time-structured activities, crisis management techniques and other strategies described in the treatment plan.
• Collaborating with the Behavior Consultant (BC), Mobile Therapist (MT) and other IBHS clinical staff in identifying and pursuing medically necessary treatment goals.
• Must maintain all requirements regarding training and supervision as defined by licensing regulations and NET policy.
• Must accept assignment to cases based on availability or program needs.
• Maintain legible, timely, and complete clinical records documenting the client's progress toward goals and objectives.
• Maintain current Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check, FBI Record check (if applicable) and annual Tuberculosis (TB) Testing.
• Must demonstrate genuine empathy and concern for individuals as indicated in our corporate vision, mission, and values statements.
• Must be able to demonstrate sensitivity in all oral and written communications in regards to persons served within the agency.
• Adhere to applicable city, county, state, and federal laws and regulations, internal and State standards.
• Ability to communicate verbally in English, read written or typed information, communicate legibly in writing, speak English clearly, and hear voice in conversational tone.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Must be a team player, patient, flexible, and have the ability to multi-task
• Experience in a mental health setting preferred

Physical Demands: The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to ascend and descend flights of stairs and to negotiate curbs.
• Able to speak English clearly and hear voice in conversational tones.
• Must be free of contagious diseases/infections.

Work Environment: Within the confines of the offices of the Division and Agency. Travel to other Agency sites as well as to outside meetings, conferences, or workshops may be required on an as needed basis. Services will take place in the school, home, and community.

Working Hours: BHT Service is provided in school, home, and community environments at times that best support the client and their clinical needs.

FLSA Definitions:

• Exempt Employment Positions: Employees in Exempt Employment positions are paid on a salary basis and not by the hour. Because of their Exempt Employment status, Exempt Employees are not eligible for overtime pay regardless of the number of hours worked.
• Non-Exempt Employment Positions: Employees in Non-Exempt Employment positions are paid on the basis of hours worked, and are entitled to receive overtime compensation for certain hours of work, as defined by law.
• "Hours worked" are those hours during which an Employee is actually performing the functions and duties of the Employee's position. Non-Exempt Employees are paid for hours worked. Although Employees may be paid for approved Vacation Time, Personal Time, Sick Time, Bereavement Leave, and Holidays, this time is not included in hours worked.
• To the extent provided by an Employee's Position Description, an Employee is allowed a lunch period, during which time it is not expected or required that the Employee perform functions or duties of the Employee's position. The amount of time allowed varies by work location and is determined by unit supervisors and program directors. Non-Exempt Employees are paid for the lunch period; however, this time is not included in hours worked. Exceptions are as follows: (1) Where an Employee is employed in a position that requires the Employee to remain on duty during the lunch period, then this time is included in hours worked; and (2) Where an Employee's supervisor specifically requires an Employee to work through what would otherwise be the lunch period, then this time is included in hours worked. Non-Exempt Employees' eligibility for overtime compensation is based on the number of hours worked.