Mental health cases have skyrocketed over the last few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Worldwide, cases of depression and anxiety have risen 25% since 2020, putting the demand for behavioral health specialist jobs at an all-time high. What is a behavioral health specialist? This position has direct contact with patients and medical staff to ensure patients lead productive and healthy lives.
Behavioral Health Jobs is a dedicated jobs database in the behavioral health industry. We provide job candidates with job listings in cities nationwide for part-time, full-time, and telehealth positions for all education and experience levels. If you are looking for an exciting and rewarding career as a mental health specialist and find yourself looking up behavioral health specialist jobs, check out the available job listings on the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
What Is a Behavioral Health Specialist?
A behavioral health specialist works with patients through private and group therapy sessions where they counsel and treat their behavioral issues. They can benefit people suffering from depression, substance abuse disorder, bipolar disorder, co-occurring mental health disorders, and much more. This position is responsible for initial assessments, interviewing and observing a patient’s behavior, staying up to date on all documentation, developing treatment plans, and contacting families and other staff members about their patient’s progress.
Some of the soft skills you will need to succeed as a behavioral health specialist include:
- Able to build a rapport with clients from all walks of life
- Show empathy and compassion
- Have excellent listening skills
- Highly organized
- Excellent time management skills
- Computer savvy
- Strong ethics
- Able to keep work and personal life separate
- A strong desire to help others
Behavioral health specialist positions require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, with some of the more advanced clinical positions needing a master’s or doctoral degree. For those who want to specialize in a specific area, there are certifications available from the National Board for Certified Counselors, including:
- National Certified Counselor (NCC)
- Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC)
- Masters Addiction Counselor (MAC)
These certifications are required for employment in specialized positions.
What Does a Behavioral Health Specialist Do?
Behavioral health specialists have a number of responsibilities, including:
- Observe, record, and evaluate patient behavior
- Create a customized and comprehensive behavioral treatment plan
- Provide support and guidance through treatment
- Effective and timely communication with the patient, their family, and other medical support
- Monitor progress in treatment, and adapt treatment to ensure progress when another approach is needed
- Routine testing to ensure progress is being made in treatment
- Keep accurate and detailed patient reports
Behavioral health specialists are in high demand, and the healthcare industry is rapidly growing to accommodate that need for care and support.
Who Might Need the Support of a Behavioral Health Specialist?
Behavioral health specialists are professionals who focus on helping people overcome mental and emotional health issues. They can support individuals of all ages, from children to seniors. People usually seek out the help of a behavioral health specialist when they begin to experience difficulty managing their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a healthy way.
Common reasons why someone may need the support of a behavior specialist include:
- Struggling with anxiety or depression
- Experiencing difficulty making decisions or taking action
- Having trouble forming relationships or maintaining them
- Dealing with substance abuse
- Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Feeling overwhelmed by life’s stresses and challenges
- Having difficulty managing anger or frustration
- Experiencing feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and/or despair
Through therapy sessions, lifestyle changes, and other interventions, the specialist can help people move towards better emotional well-being and improved quality of life.
Benefits of Working as a Behavioral Health Specialist
There are plenty of benefits to working as a behavioral health specialist. Today, the healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing job industries, and companies are increasing their pay scales and benefits to recruit qualified job candidates. Some employers are now offering tuition compensation to try and recruit college students and help them grow with the company.
Just some of the benefits of working as a mental health specialist include:
- The behavioral health industry will likely grow 23% by 2030
- A recession-proof career path
- A higher sense of job satisfaction as you directly impact people’s lives
- There are behavioral health specialists jobs across the country, and many jobs can now provide support remotely, allowing professionals to live anywhere they want
- You get to interact with people from all walks of life
- There are many specialty areas where candidates can get certifications and increase their earning potential
Job candidates who obtain specialty licensing must continue their education and renew their certification every few years. Clinical professionals can expect to spend at least 20 hours per year in continuing education classes.
Search Behavioral Health Jobs Database for Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs Near You
At Behavioral Health Jobs, we connect job seekers with employers looking for qualified behavioral health specialists. Many industries need mental health specialists, such as primary schools, colleges, treatment facilities, hospitals, prisons, and private practices. Job seekers can search by education level, work experience, and on-site or telehealth options. If you are interested in learning more about what a behavioral health specialist is, check out the Behavioral Health Jobs website for more information.
