Gundersen Health System logo
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, Wisconsin

Behavioral Health Specialist (Full-time)

Healthcare AdminIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$22.90/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 48m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Love + medicine is who we are, it's what we do, it's why people want to work here. If you’re looking for a job to love, apply today.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

36

We’re not just filling positions, we’re building careers. At Emplify Health, we care for our teams, while they care for their communities. Whether you are just starting out or looking for a change, Emplify Health supports you now and into the future. Join us and find out how a little empathy changes everything.

Emplify Health by Gundersen Health System is seeking a full-time Behavioral Health Specialist for the Inpatient Behavioral Health and EmPATH department. This is your opportunity to provide physical and psychological care to patients under supervision while upholding the Trauma Informed Care philosophy Emplify Health values! If this sounds interesting to you apply today!

  • What you will work:.9 FTE = 72 hours every 2 weeks
  • 12 hours shifts (7:30am - 8:00pm)
  • Every 3rd weekend rotation and 2 holiday's a year

What You Will Do

  • Assists with the implementation of daily program activities for behavioral health patients
  • Provide support for the patients' emotional and social needs
  • This position also monitors and identifies anything needed to promote safe patient care

What You Will Get

  • Starting pay of $22.90/hour + more for experience!
  • Department with a strong teamwork model
  • Generous compensation and benefit package
  • Growth opportunities and access to Career Development Center to help you navigate your career

What You Will Need

  • Bachelor's degree in Social Work or Psychology or Sociology or a related human service field
  • 1 year experience working in human services field or health care setting

Current Infant-Adult Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers (with hands on learning) from one of the following programs; American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

About Emplify Health by Gundersen

Emplify Health, a partnership of Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System, is a leading not-for-profit, patient-centered healthcare network based in Green Bay and La Crosse, Wisconsin. With 11 hospitals and over 100 clinics, we serve 67 cities across Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients and communities

If you need assistance with any portion of the application or have questions about the position, please contact HR-Recruitment@gundersenhealth.org or call 608-775-0267.

We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values — belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility — our pillars set our foundation and our future.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Key Responsibilities

The Behavioral Health Specialist assists with the implementation of daily program activities and provides emotional and social support to patients. They are also responsible for monitoring the environment to ensure safe patient care.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or a related human service field. Additionally, at least one year of experience in a human services or healthcare setting and current Basic Life Support certification are required.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Certifications

BLS

Key Skills

Emotional supportSafety monitoring

Healthcare Administration Career Context

Of the 40 active Healthcare Administration listings this role was benchmarked against, 18% are remote, 38% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$48k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $51k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Healthcare Admin Jobs

16 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution16 jobs · 14 employers

4
<$75k
6
$75k-90k
5
$90k-105k
1
$116k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks13 jobs

401k / retirement match
100%
Loan repayment
15%
Relocation assistance
8%
PSLF eligible
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Behavioral Health Case Manager I - Western New York

Elevance Health · Wallingford, Connecticut

$64k-$116k
#2

Manager-Physician Practice I - Multispecialty Clinic

Hospital Sisters Health System · Taylorville, Illinois

$32.58-$48.87/hr
#3

Utilization Review Clinician - Behavioral Health

$27.02-$48.55/hr
#4

Behavioral Health Case Manager I

$64k-$96k
+ 14 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 5.1
Better work-life than 60% of Healthcare Administration listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,161 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes weekends

Living in La Crosse

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$277k
Typical market rent
$1,080/mo
Residents’ average commute
16 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.8
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Gundersen Health System logo

About Gundersen Health System

Hospitals and Health Care
La Crosse, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Generous compensation and benefit package
Growth opportunities and Career Development Center
Strong teamwork model