Here, it’s different. Come join us.

Children's Hospital Colorado has defined and delivered pediatric healthcare excellence for more than 100 years.

Here, the nation’s brightest nurses, physicians, scientists, researchers, therapists, and care providers are creating the future of child health. With an optimist’s outlook, a trailblazing spirit, and a celebrated history, we’re making new strides every day.

We’ve been Magnet-designated four times by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and are consistently recognized among the nation’s top 10 pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

As a national leader in pediatric care, we serve children and families from all over the nation. Our System of Care includes four pediatric hospitals, 11 specialty care centers, 1,300+ outreach clinics and more than 10,000 healthcare professionals representing the full spectrum of pediatric care specialties.

Here, we know it takes all of us, every role, to deliver the best possible care to each child and family we treat.

That’s why we build our teams toward a foundation of equity in access, advancement, and opportunity. We know teams of individuals with different identities and backgrounds can nurture creativity and innovation. We know we can see, treat, and heal children better when our team reflects the diversity of our patient population. We strive to attract and retain diverse talent because we know a truly inclusive and equitable workforce will help us one day realize our most basic calling: to heal every child who comes through our doors.

A career at Children's Colorado will challenge you, inspire you, and motivate you to make a difference in the life of a child. Here, it’s different.

The Behavioral Health Specialist – Intensive Services is responsible for direct patient care and safety including supervision and management of children and adolescents hospitalized for severe psychiatric symptoms and are at risk for endangering themselves or other; performs duties and delivers therapeutic interventions under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed psychiatric professional. This position may encounter potentially volatile care situations that could result in bodily harm.

The Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (IPU) program provides acute behavioral treatment for children and adolescents with severe psychiatric symptoms ages 4-17 years old who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The IPU program aims to provide comprehensive treatment in a milieu setting.

Department: Inpatient Psychiatric Services
Hours per week: 24, eligible for benefits
Shift: Part-time day shift. Required combination of 8 and 12 hr. shifts (7a-7p, 7a-3p, 3p-11p) Some weekends and evenings required.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree with a minor in psychology or related field
  • Bilingual preferred
• Equivalency: Professional relevant experience may substitute for the bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.
• Certification(s): Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR certification

POPULATION SPECIFIC CARE

• Neonate - <30 days
• Infancy - >30 days to 1yr
• Toddlers - >1yr to 3yrs
• Pre-Schoolers - >3yrs to 5yrs
• School age - >5yrs to 13yrs
• Adolescent - >13yrs to 18yrs
• Adult - >18yrs to 65yrs

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential functions. These examples do not include all of the functions which the employee may be expected to perform.

• Provides direct patient care and management of children and adolescents hospitalized for severe psychiatric symptoms, autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays and are at a high risk of endangering themselves or others while under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed psychiatric professional.
• Delivers therapeutic interventions while under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed psychiatric professional.
• Leads, monitors and collaborates educational and therapeutic groups for patients.
• Participates in clinical rounds, maintains communication with unit or department leadership.
• Responds as part of the Behavioral Assistance Resource Team; provides assistance to patients, family members or visitors 18 years of age and younger exhibiting the potential for harm to self or others.
• Ensures proper documentation of patient progress; completes 15-minute patient checks; provides one-to-one patient observation and or milieu management.
• Assists new hires as required.
• Attends educational in-services for Behavior Specialists; participates in unit committees and educational offerings.
• Collaborates with other disciplines or departments on patient care and unit safety.
• Provides customer service as related to the Mental Health field.
• Completes assessments under the supervision of a psychologist/BCBA including a variety of functional analyses, preference assessments, and reinforcer assessments
• Implements individual behavior intervention plans developed by psychologist/BCBA
• Receive training in diabetic behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and, applied behavioral therapy (ABA)
• Manage and maintain safety of therapeutic milieu of multiple hospitalized inpatient/partial hospitalized psychiatric patients at one time
• Collect accurate data on the behavior of patients
• Collaborate with clinical team members to discuss intervention strategies for severe problem behaviors
• Maintain therapeutic rapport, unconditional positive regard, and a non-punitive approach with patients independent of patient behaviors
• Work with families to model positive behavioral intervention strategies and pro-social interactions with patient

SCOPE & LEVEL

Guidelines: Developmental, standard, or intermediate level. Guidelines are generally numerous, well established, and directly applicable to the work assignment. Work assignment and desired results are explained by general oral or written instructions.

Complexity: Falls between the entry and full performance/senior level. Duties assigned are generally repetitive and restricted in scope but may be of substantial intricacy. Employee primarily applies standardized practices.

Decision Making: Decisions or recommendations on non-standardized situations are limited to relating organizational policies to specific cases. Brings non routine issues to supervisor. Problems that are not covered by guidelines or that are without precedent are taken up with the supervisor.

Communications: Contacts with team members, clients or the public where explanatory or interpretive information is exchanged, gathered, or presented and some degree of discretion and judgment are required within the parameters of the job function.

Supervision Received: Under normal supervision, within a standardized work situation, the employee performs duties common to the line of work without close supervision or detailed instruction. Work product is subject to continual review.

Ability to Perform Essential Functions of the Job

• Audio-Visual: Depth Perception: Good
• Audio-Visual: Far Vision: Good
• Audio-Visual: Hearing: Good
• Audio-Visual: Near Vision: Good
• General Activity: Stand/Walk: Up to 10 hours per day
• Motion: Bend: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Carry: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Climb: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Crawl: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Lift: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Pull: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Push: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Reach: Up to 1/3 of time
• Motion: Squat/Crouch: Up to 1/3 of time
• Weight Lifted/Force Exerted: Up to 100 pounds: Up to 1/3 of time

Work Environment

• Exposure: Exposure to blood/body fluid: Regular/Frequent.
• Exposure: Exposure to cold/heat: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to dampness: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to infectious diseases: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to noise/vibration: Occasional.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Independent discretion/decision making.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Makes decisions under pressure.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Manages stress appropriately.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Works with others effectively.

It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. Be aware that none of the questions are intended to imply illegal preferences or discrimination based on non-job-related information.

Salary Information

Benefits Information

Here, you matter. As a Children’s Hospital Colorado team member, you will receive a competitive pay and benefits package designed to take care of your needs that includes base pay, incentives, paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, company provided life and disability insurance, paid parental leave, 403b employer match (retirement savings), a robust wellness program, and access to a best-in-class education benefit with 75+ tuition-free programs to help you advance your career.

As part of our Total Rewards package, Children's Colorado offers an annual employee bonus program that rewards eligible team members based on organizational performance. If organizational goals are met for the year, the bonus is paid out the following April.

Children’s Colorado delivers annual base pay increases to eligible team members based on their performance over the previous year.