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Odyssey Behavioral Group
Orlando, Florida

Behavioral Health Technician

Behavioral Health TechNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$17-$19/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, benefits and time off.

Posted 5m ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Level: Entry
  • Job Location: Lifeskills Orlando - Orlando, FL
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: High School
  • Salary Range: $17.00 - $19.00
  • Job Shift: 1st Shift
  • Job Category: Health Care

We are currently seeking a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) to join our team on 1st shift!

About Us

At Lifeskills Orlando, we provide personalized and high-quality care for adults (18 years and older) with complex mental health disorders.

Our comprehensive whole-person approach, unique setting, and high staff-to-client ratio support individualized attention and real-time interventions, ensuring the best possible outcomes for each client. We use evidence-based treatment methods tailored to each client’s needs.

Our team utilizes our social integration approach, which enables clients to receive real-time therapeutic interventions while experiencing real-life situations.

Social integration is used to ensure social and life skills treatment concepts are not only learned but also become accessible tools for clients transitioning back to independent living.

At Lifeskills Orlando, we offer an intimate and personalized environment with a lower staff-to-client ratio, ensuring individualized attention and real-time interventions.

Located in downtown Orlando, our unique setting facilitates the implementation of our social integration model in high-stimulus environments, supported by our dedicated staff.

At Lifeskills, we don’t just focus on the presenting condition, but rather on the underlying disorders by utilizing a comprehensive whole-person approach that serves at the foundation for true client-centered care. We treat adults of all genders, ages 18 and older. Why You Will Love Working With Us!

At Lifeskills South Florida, we are a dynamic, dedicated, and growing team of professionals deeply passionate about providing evidence-based and personalized clinical care for mental health disorders and behavioral health conditions.

Since everyone has different experiences with mental health disorders, mental health therapies must be equally as unique to address those diverse needs.

Working with qualified doctoral level clinicians at Lifeskills gives individuals the opportunity to develop personalized mental health treatment plans that address their needs and help them take the next step in their recovery.

Our team’s foundation is client centered care and clinical excellence through our 5-star service commitment – Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Flexibility, Service, and Collaboration. We are committed to our team and our team is committed to our clients!

What we offer Collaborative environment dedicated to clinical excellence How You Will Contribute The Psychiatric Technician interacts with residents throughout the shift and assists and supports residents will functional needs.

The Psychiatric Technician is responsible for managing the daily milieu of the facility, ensuring the safety of residents, and maintaining a therapeutic environment.

The Psychiatric Technician is expected to familiarize him/herself with the histories and needs of the residents and be capable of identifying cues and behaviors that may indicate a change in resident’s status or condition.

The Psychiatric Tech shall document in the resident record, communicate with nurses, psychotherapists and physicians, and be available to serve the resident’s families or guardians with their needs. Essential Responsibilities: Selects appropriate interventions to meet the clinical needs of individual residents.

Actively participates and engages residents in the milieu and outside activities throughout the work day, often in a variety of group settings. Prompts residents to complete ADLs, including clean room, hygiene, laundry, etc., and completes regular room hygiene checks.

Prompts residents to attend all meals in a timely manner and provides supervision and structure at meal times as appropriate. Models effective table manners and small talk during meal times, focusing on engaging all residents.

Provides, structures, and maintains a therapeutic environment in collaboration with other staff. Therapeutically interacts with the resident in one-to-one situations, community, and group meetings, maintaining appropriate boundaries and modeling appropriate social behavior. Reacts therapeutically in crisis situations.

Recognizes resident’s level of psychosocial and psychosexual development and modifies approaches accordingly to include recognizing mood changes and developing coping skills.

Maintains therapeutic relationship with residents 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, or department reports in a timely and accurate manner. Writes clearly, informatively, and effectively. Complies with the facility safety procedures as outlined in the policy and procedure manual.

Assumes assigned role in fire drills, evacuation procedures, and internal/external disaster plan. Demonstrates effective verbal intervention skills in managing escalating residents and involving other staff as needed. Adheres to CPI criteria.

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

Follows through with clinical precautions effectively, including Q15s and visuals. Answer phone and field calls in an upbeat and positive manner, focusing on customer service. Transport residents to appointments, supporting resident while regulating in community.

Identifies and recognizes triggers for escalation with each resident, and utilize de-escalation techniques, focusing on prevention of crisis. Gathers residents for outings and groups to promote program engagement.

Supports medication compliance and management by prompting residents to go to nursing for medications Additional: 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. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

What We Are Seeking Education and Experience High school graduate or equivalent combination of education and/or work experience. 2 years or more of experience in a psychiatric hospital setting as a mental health or behavioral assistant working with adults. Requires valid State Driver’s License and current CPR certification. 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 15 pounds Skill Competencies Excellent verbal and written skills Demonstrates a high level of follow through Documentation Lifeskills Behavioral Health 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. Lifeskills Behavioral Health 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

Support residents’ daily living needs, safety, treatment engagement, and social skills through structured activities, therapeutic interactions, and appropriate crisis prevention and de-escalation. Maintain accurate documentation, communicate with clinical staff and families, follow safety procedures, and transport residents to appointments and community activities.

Requirements

Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and at least two years of experience working with adults in a psychiatric hospital setting as a mental health or behavioral assistant. Candidates must have a valid state driver’s license and current CPR certification, along with strong verbal and written communication, documentation, and follow-through skills.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Crisis InterventionBehavioral ObservationResident SafetyMilieu ManagementClinical DocumentationTeamworkActivities of Daily Living SupportMedication Compliance SupportTime ManagementTransportation

Behavioral Health Career Context

Of the 40 active Behavioral Health listings this role was benchmarked against, 78% have no call, 48% require no weekends.

Behavioral Health pay on WeekdayDoc is down 5.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Behavioral Health by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score5.1 / 10 · above average in behavioral healthranked against 1,246 Behavioral Health listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$35k–$40kBehavioral Health median $36k (middle half $35k–$40k)70 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$36k in purchasing powerFlorida index 103.4 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Behavioral Health listings in Florida89 active1,260 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 78% no call · 48% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedFlorida healthcare professional listings: 7% state a sign-on bonus · 7% offer loan repayment126 active listings, Nov 2026
New Behavioral Health listings855 in the last 30 days543 the 30 days before (+57%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Behavioral Health pay trend−5.6% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (1,246 Behavioral Health listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

Florida has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$37k midpoint, that is roughly $1k–$3k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Behavioral Health Tech Jobs

22 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

22 jobs · 18 employers
6
<$40k
8
$40k-45k
5
$45k-50k
3
$52k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

14 jobs
401k / retirement match
93%
CME allowance
29%
Sign-on bonus
7%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Behavioral Health Technician

Discovery Behavioral Health · Fairfax, Virginia

$16-$25/hr
#2

Behavioral Health Tech IV

Koniag Government Services · Crow Agency, Montana

$22-$25/hr
#3

Behavioral Health Associate I

$20-$25/hr
#4

Behavioral Health Technician - Full Time Swing Shift

$19-$23/hr
+ 20 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 1.5this job 5.1
Better work-life than 70% of Behavioral Health listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,246 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • On-site

Living in Orlando

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$357k
Typical market rent
$1,889/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
101.4
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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