What does a behavioral health specialist do?
Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.
Behavioral health specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real behavioral health specialist resumes:
- Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
- Complete training in CPR, self-defense, and mental health.
- Monitor meals for residents suffering from eating disorders and provide compassion and encouragement when an individual are struggling with eating.
- Work with kids who have special needs.
- Ensure departments are in compliance with MSHA and OSHA regulations.
- Provide daily and weekly detail reports on client and BHP interaction.
- Help assist mentally disable kids at their homes with everyday tasks.
- Redirect negative or harmful behavior and encourage patients to utilize DBT skills.
- Collect daily data on client behavior and interventions for use of the BSC
- Provide behavioral support to adults with autism spectrum disorders in their home communities.
- Work closely with clinical staff to ensure compliance of HIPAA and privacy regulations.
- Ensure proper documentation of patient status at all times to comply with HIPAA.
- Train as a BSC to design and direct the behavior modification intervention plan.
- Train in prevention and management of aggressive behavior, CPR, and first aid.
- Act as a shift captain to provide direction to MHW's regarding management of the milieu.
Behavioral health specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Behavioral Health Specialists are proficient in Patients, Social Work, and Substance Abuse. They’re also known for soft skills such as Emotional skills, Interpersonal skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Behavioral Health Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 16%
Conducted intake interviews, gathered clinical information, provided recommendations of services and appropriate therapeutic interventions for patients.
- Social Work, 16%
Acted in role of liaison with Behavioral Health personnel in psychiatry, psychology, social work, and substance abuse clinics.
- Substance Abuse, 8%
Provided individual and group recovery-oriented Mental Health services to adults and children with mental illness and/or substance abuse.
- Rehabilitation, 6%
Assist in managing and directing members in South Carolina licensed rehabilitation and behavioral health services center for special needs adults.
- Patient Care, 6%
Collaborate with faculty and resident physicians regarding patient care and treatment.
- Mental Illness, 5%
Case management by Administering information on different medications that apply to their individual mental illness.
Most behavioral health specialists use their skills in "patients," "social work," and "substance abuse" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential behavioral health specialist responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling behavioral health specialist duties is interpersonal skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "social workers must be able to work with different groups of people." According to a behavioral health specialist resume, here's how behavioral health specialists can utilize interpersonal skills in their job responsibilities: "required to maintain good rapport with patients and resolve conflicts while exercising strong interpersonal communications both written and verbal. "
Problem-solving skills. behavioral health specialists are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to behavioral health specialist responsibilities, because "social workers must analyze their clients’ complex situations and develop practical solutions." A behavioral health specialist resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "determine members' behavioral health needs and potential solutions through case conferences, in-person assessments, interventions and follow-ups. "
Communication skills. behavioral health specialist responsibilities often require "communication skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives." This resume example shows what behavioral health specialists do with communication skills on a typical day: "administered complex communications projects for the entire california behavioral health provider network. "
Organizational skills. Another crucial skill for a behavioral health specialist to carry out their responsibilities is "organizational skills." A big part of what behavioral health specialists relies on this skill, since "social workers must help and manage multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment." How this skill relates to behavioral health specialist duties can be seen in an example from a behavioral health specialist resume snippet: "resume building, organizational skills, and role playing interview scenario's) face-to-face crisis intervention"
The three companies that hire the most behavioral health specialists are:
- Highmark67 behavioral health specialists jobs
- OhioGuidestone28 behavioral health specialists jobs
- Trinity Health20 behavioral health specialists jobs
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Compare different behavioral health specialists
Behavioral health specialist vs. Licensed social worker
Licensed Social Workers are duly and legally recognized to carry out activities related to social work. They identify individuals or groups of people in need and assess what kind of help they require. They may assist these people in connecting to agencies that would cater to their needs. Licensed Social Workers also help people cope with their challenges. They are responsible for crafting treatment plans or well-being improvement plans for the individuals they help. They may also be called on during times of crisis to provide emotional support to the individuals involved.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a behavioral health specialist are more likely to require skills like "vital signs," "behavioral health," "cpr," and "direct care." On the other hand, a job as a licensed social worker requires skills like "msw," "lsw," "state regulations," and "emotional factors." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Licensed social workers really shine in the health care industry with an average salary of $56,730. Comparatively, behavioral health specialists tend to make the most money in the insurance industry with an average salary of $53,632.On average, licensed social workers reach higher levels of education than behavioral health specialists. Licensed social workers are 15.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Behavioral health specialist vs. Community health counselor
A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that behavioral health specialist responsibilities requires skills like "substance abuse," "patient care," "direct care," and "support services." But a community health counselor might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "direct patient care," "therapeutic milieu," "mental health disorders," and "behavior modification."
Community health counselors may earn a lower salary than behavioral health specialists, but community health counselors earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $41,674. On the other hand, behavioral health specialists receive higher pay in the insurance industry, where they earn an average salary of $53,632.community health counselors earn similar levels of education than behavioral health specialists in general. They're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for behavioral health specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Debra Minsky-Kelly
Director of Field Education / Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work, Carthage College
Behavioral health specialist vs. Mental health worker
A mental health worker is an individual who provides basic care and therapy to patients who are inflicted with mental disabilities or developmental disabilities. Mental health workers assist patients with their daily activities, monitor their conditions, and administer therapeutic care. They may be directly supervised by a registered nurse and can work in facilities such as psychiatric hospitals and residential mental health facilities. They may also help develop treatment plans and strategies with other staff members to best meet patient needs.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, behavioral health specialists are more likely to have skills like "patient care," "behavioral health," "direct care," and "behavioral interventions." But a mental health worker is more likely to have skills like "direct supervision," "patient safety," "direct patient care," and "therapeutic environment."
Mental health workers earn the highest salary when working in the professional industry, where they receive an average salary of $39,268. Comparatively, behavioral health specialists have the highest earning potential in the insurance industry, with an average salary of $53,632.mental health workers typically earn lower educational levels compared to behavioral health specialists. Specifically, they're 11.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Behavioral health specialist vs. Mental health counselor
A mental health counselor is responsible for helping patients deal with their emotional and mental disorders by developing treatment plans and conducting regular counseling to track the patient's progress and condition. Mental health counselors encourage active communication from their patients, provide coping strategies for triggering situations, seek advice from other health care professionals, and guide patients on doing other activities that would help them relax. A mental health counselor must have excellent knowledge of the mental health disciplines to assist patients in their healthy lifestyle development.
Types of behavioral health specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
