Odyssey Behavioral Group logo
Odyssey Behavioral Group
Levittown, Pennsylvania

Behavioral Health Technician- Per Diem (35015)

Behavioral Health TechPer Diem

Listed compensation

$20-$22/hr

The week · per this posting

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Job Details: Level: Entry, Job Location: Levittown, PA 19056, Position Type: Per Diem, Education Level: High School, Salary Range: $20.00 - $22.00 Hourly, Job Category: Health Care, Position Summary Behavioral Health Technicians (BHT) interact with clients throughout the shift, assists and supports clients with functional needs.

Behavioral Health Technicians are responsible for managing the daily milieu of the facility, ensuring the safety of clients, and maintaining a therapeutic environment.

BHTs are expected to familiarize themselves with the histories and needs of the clients and be capable of identifying cues and behaviors that may indicate a change in clients’ status or condition.

Position is responsible for documenting in the client records and communicating proactively with clinical team members and supervisor(s). Per Diem As Needed (Must commit to 2 days per month and attend in person trainings when required.

Relationships and Contacts Within the organization: Maintains frequent and close working relationships with program staff and facility team members throughout the organization.

Outside the organization: Initiates and maintains strong professional relationships with clients and families, clinical providers, referral partners and vendors, as needed. Position

Responsibilities

Essential

Responsibilities

Collaborates with clinical team to determine/select appropriate interventions based on the needs of individual clients. Actively participates and engages clients in the milieu and outside activities throughout the workday, often in a variety of group settings.

Prompts clients to complete ADLs, including clean room, hygiene, laundry, etc., and completes regular room hygiene checks. Conducts client drug screening, pregnancy tests, and breathalyzers, as necessary.

Prompts clients to attend all meals in a timely manner and provides supervision and structure at mealtimes as appropriate. Models effective table manners and small talk during mealtimes, focusing on engaging all clients. Provides, structures, and maintains a therapeutic environment in collaboration with other staff.

Therapeutically interacts with the client in one-to-one situations, community, and group meetings, maintaining appropriate boundaries and modeling appropriate social behavior. Collaborates with clinical team to facilitate client education groups. Reacts therapeutically in crisis situations.

Recognizes client’s level of behavioral functioning and modifies approaches accordingly to include recognizing mood changes and developing DBT coping skills.

Maintains therapeutic relationship with clients using praise and other reinforcers to encourage appropriate behaviors and attitudes, setting limits in a kind and firm manner.

Documents in accordance with policies and procedures services provided, incident reports, shift reports, group and milieu notes in a timely and accurate manner.

Complies with the facility safety procedures as outlined in the policy and procedure manual to include fire drills, evacuation procedures, and internal/external disaster plan. Demonstrates effective verbal intervention skills in managing escalating clients and involving other staff as needed.

Adheres to DBT model and interventions. Performs a vehicle safety and fuel check prior to use of any company vehicle, reporting any concerns to supervisor or manager. Supports clients in effectively managing leisure time, including joining in activities with clients. Greet all guests warmly and friendly.

Follows through with clinical precautions effectively, including visual clinical observations. Answer phone and field calls in an upbeat and positive manner, focusing on customer service. Transport clients to appointments, supporting client while regulating in community.

Identifies and recognizes triggers for escalation with each client, and utilize de-escalation techniques, focusing on prevention of crisis. Gathers clients for outings and groups to promote program engagement. Supports medication compliance and management of client self-administration.

Prepares for client admissions to all levels of care including but not limited to ensuring room is prepared, completes intake documentation, ensures all medications are documented and stored. Conducting client belonging search, inventory and notifying therapist of any contraband. Supports discharge processes, as needed. Additional

Responsibilities

Conduct chart audits following program policy timelines, as requested. Can be relied upon to be at work as scheduled and is rarely absent from work, notifying the supervisor if absent. Demonstrates an ability to adapt to changes in the facility function, management styles, and facility routines.

Reads, understands, and adheres to all company policy statements on ethics, conduct, and conflict of interests. Adheres to facility policies, procedures, rules, and regulations, implementing regularly. Maintains positive attitude and acts as a team player with others on the treatment team.

Attends all supervisory trainings within assigned time frames as required by the facility. Writes clearly, informatively, and effectively. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Minimum

Requirements

Education and Experience Highschool diploma or equivalent preferred, drug and alcohol certification preferred or a willingness to complete requirements within the orientation period. Requires 2+ year experience working with clients with substance abuse and/or mental health issues and 1 year supervision experience. Additional

Requirements

Valid/Clean driving record for 5 years REQUIRED. Current CPR and First Aid Certification, or willingness to complete within the first 30 days of employment. Must complete required BHT training and CPI training and be willing to recertify yearly Physical

Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to communicate with peers/general public, clients and/or vendors Tolerant to various noise levels: noise level in the work environment varies – may be very quiet to moderate Job performance will require the ability to move throughout the building as well as sit or remain stationary for extended periods of time While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to talk or hear, sit, stand, walk, reach, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, taste or smell.

Ability to move up to 25 pounds Skill Competencies Understands and maintains professional boundaries. Demonstrates an understanding of rules/limits of patient confidentiality and maintains appropriate levels of client confidentiality/privacy.

Demonstrates an understanding of identifying abuse/neglect in client population. Demonstrates behavior that promotes positive customer relations with clients, staff, and visitors. Contributes to continuous quality improvement – can identify performance improvement processes and verbalize role in the process.

Demonstrates an understanding of and adherence to universal precautions, infection control and proper handwashing. Demonstrates proper procedures in responding to emergency and safety drills. Demonstrates the ability to recognize and respond to aggressive behavior and employ crisis intervention techniques.

Demonstrates ability to perform CPR and first aid. Demonstrates ability to observe, supervise, evaluate, and document client behaviors in groups and planned activities. Demonstrates knowledge of mental health and/or substance use disorders. Demonstrates the ability to recognize symptoms and distress of clients.

Demonstrates the ability to communicate relevant information pertinent to client care. Demonstrates consideration of an respect for values and cultural beliefs.

Str Bucks provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment. STR Bucks reserves the rights to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the organization desires.

This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities.

This job description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “At-Will.”

Key Responsibilities

The Behavioral Health Technician manages the daily milieu of the facility, ensuring client safety and providing therapeutic support. They are responsible for documenting client progress, facilitating education groups, and assisting with daily living activities.

Requirements

Candidates must have at least 2 years of experience working with substance abuse or mental health issues and 1 year of supervision experience. A high school diploma is preferred, along with a valid driver's license and the ability to obtain CPR and First Aid certification.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Behavioral health supportClient documentationTherapeutic environment managementMedication management supportADL assistanceVital signs monitoringClinical team collaborationSubstance abuse supportMental health support

Behavioral Health Career Context

Odyssey Behavioral Group ranks #1 of 10 employers hiring contract/1099 Behavioral Health Tech on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay, and holds silver-tier status on the Top Employers work-life index, composite score 70/100, 86 active listings.

Of the 44 active Behavioral Health listings this role was benchmarked against, 75% have no call, 23% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Pennsylvania is 97.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$44k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $45k in an average-cost state. 61.7% of Pennsylvania clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Behavioral Health Tech Jobs

44 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution28 jobs · 21 employers

4
<$35k
3
$35k-40k
9
$40k-45k
8
$45k-50k
4
$50k+

Annual compensation range

Work-Life Balance Distribution44 jobs · 21 employers

0
1-2
0
3-4
1
5-6
43
7-8
0
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TECHNICIAN

Apis Services · Brattleboro, Vermont

$25-$30/hr
#2

Behavioral Health Associate I - On Call

Volunteers of America of Alaska · Eagle River, Alaska

$20-$25/hr
#3

Behavioral Health Technician - Part Time

$19.5-$22/hr
#4

Behavioral Health Technician ABA

$18.5-$22/hr
+ 42 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 1.5this job 2.8
Better work-life than 60% of Behavioral Health listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,269 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Levittown

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$391k
Typical market rent
$1,832/mo
Residents’ average commute
28 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
102.6
State income tax
Up to 3.1%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Odyssey Behavioral Group logo

About Odyssey Behavioral Group

Mental Health Care
Glen Allen, Virginia
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Per Diem - commit to 2 days per month
Flexible Schedule
CPR and First Aid Certification provided