Behavioral Health Technician II | Acute Unit
Listed compensation
$21.75-$33/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and time off.
Job Description
Location: Avera Behavioral Health Center-Sioux Falls
Worker Type
Regular
Work Shift
Rotating days/evenings/nights/weekends/holidays (United States of America)
Pay Range
The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.
$21.75 - $33.00
Position Highlights
This position may be eligible for a $3,000 Sign on Bonus
Why Is Behavioral Health Important?
The Avera Behavioral Health Acute Unit is a short term inpatient unit with safety and stabilization as the primary focus for patients. During patient’s stay on the Acute unit, patients actively participate in healthy living and expressive therapies which include art, music and fitness therapy.
- You will enjoy this Behavioral Health setting if you are someone that:
- Enjoys patient focused care with a team that is dedicated to quality patient outcomes
- Likes working with the Adult population as well as their families
- Has a passion helping patients with conditions such as Schizophrenia, Psychosis, Bipolar, Depression, Addictive disorders
- Appreciates an active, challenging care environment that requires critical thinking.
- Values autonomous professional nursing practice.
- Possesses motivation to help create and deliver high-quality patient care in an energizing team environment.
Position Highlights
- Acute unit is a 18 bed unit
- Opportunity to meet 60+ coworkers and work in a positive environment
- Opportunity to change the lives of your patients
- Self-scheduling program
- Varied Shifts; 72hrs/2wks
You Belong at Avera
Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
A Brief Overview
Provides physical and psychological care to patients under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. Assumes responsibility and accountability for individual actions and outcomes of patient care delivered.
What You Will Do
Works with individual patients in a 1-on-1 setting or in a group setting that is consistent with the nursing care needs of the patient and the inter-disciplinary treatment plan.
Participates in the daily inter-disciplinary treatment team meeting as needed, providing input in terms of patient behaviors and interactions with others.
Implements suicide precautions as needed.
Assesses changes in patient’s condition/behavior and notifies RN.
Assists with patient and family programs as well as being continually cognizant of the safety and welfare of all participants.
Assists with the activities of daily living care of the patients to include, but not limited to: vital signs, collection of specimens, and other general nursing care procedures.
Assesses individual patient needs and provides input in creating and modifying the nursing care plan and assists with implementing necessary therapeutic activities.
Maintains accurate and concise records, documenting promptly all pertinent information in the patient’s EMR.
Assesses impending agitation and escalation of behavioral changes and participates in the behavioral management of these patients.
Researches, plans, and implements the updating and development of new therapeutic patient groups with oversight from the Programming Committee.
Essential Qualifications
The individual must be able to work the hours specified.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds.
These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
Bachelor's Psychology, Social Work, criminal justice, education, behavior analysis, health or social sciences, counseling, alcohol studies, liberal arts, or any other human services and/or medical field or
Associate's Behavioral Health
Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
1-3 years related experience
Expectations and Standards
Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
- Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
- Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
- Maintain confidentiality.
Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.
Benefits You Need & Then Some
Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future.
- PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
- Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
- Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship
Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org.
Key Responsibilities
Provides physical and psychological care to patients under the supervision of a Registered Nurse while maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment. Participates in inter-disciplinary treatment meetings and documents patient interactions and behavioral changes in the electronic medical record.
Requirements
Requires a Bachelor's degree in a human services or medical field, or an Associate's degree in Behavioral Health. Candidates must be able to work rotating shifts and possess effective communication and critical thinking skills.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
Key Skills
Behavioral Health Career Context
Of the 40 active Behavioral Health listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 57% have no call, 45% require no weekends.
Behavioral Health pay on WeekdayDoc is down 5.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).
The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$57k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $64k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Location & Logistics
South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$57k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$4k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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