What are the responsibilities and job description for the DSHS ESH Behavioral Health Specialist 3 position at State of Washington?
DSHS ESH – Behavioral Health Specialist 3
Eastern State Hospital is seeking a compassionate and skilled Behavioral Health Specialist 3 (Behavior Management Specialist) to join our multidisciplinary Behavior Management Team in Medical Lake, WA.
In this critical role, you will provide consultative support and evidence-based behavioral interventions for patients experiencing high levels of aggression or other challenging behaviors that have not responded to standard treatment plans. Working closely with treatment teams and direct care staff, you’ll help reduce the use of restraint and seclusion by modeling effective intervention strategies, assisting with data collection, and offering clinical guidance to enhance patient care. Your contributions will play a key role in improving outcomes for patients and supporting a safer, more therapeutic environment across the hospital.
Some of what you'll do:
Located in the quiet community of Medical Lake, just 15 miles west of Spokane, Eastern State Hospital (ESH) is one of two state-operated psychiatric hospitals for adults in Washington. Since opening its doors in 1891, ESH has played a vital role in delivering inpatient evaluation, therapy, and treatment for individuals with serious mental illness. The hospital operates 375 beds across its Eastlake and Westlake campuses and is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Serving patients primarily from eastern Washington, ESH provides essential, court-ordered psychiatric care in a secure, recovery-focused environment on a peaceful, wooded campus.
What we're looking for:
We are looking for professionals who meet one of the following qualifications:
Along with your application, please include:
Please reach out to DSHS Recruiter Ricky Luna at ricky.luna@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number #05184.
The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring an equity, anti-racism, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to create greater access and affirming representation of the communities we serve, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Eastern State Hospital is seeking a compassionate and skilled Behavioral Health Specialist 3 (Behavior Management Specialist) to join our multidisciplinary Behavior Management Team in Medical Lake, WA.
In this critical role, you will provide consultative support and evidence-based behavioral interventions for patients experiencing high levels of aggression or other challenging behaviors that have not responded to standard treatment plans. Working closely with treatment teams and direct care staff, you’ll help reduce the use of restraint and seclusion by modeling effective intervention strategies, assisting with data collection, and offering clinical guidance to enhance patient care. Your contributions will play a key role in improving outcomes for patients and supporting a safer, more therapeutic environment across the hospital.
Some of what you'll do:
- Collaborate with the Behavior Management Team and ward supervisors to assess referrals and develop strategies to reduce high-risk behaviors such as aggression, self-injury, and assault.
- Consult with patients and treatment teams to identify behavioral triggers and assist in creating individualized intervention plans.
- Provide direct support through observation, rapport-building, participation in daily treatment activities, and delivery of evidence-based individual or group therapy.
- Model behavioral interventions for staff and offer coaching, training, and support to improve team response and clinical effectiveness.
- Participate in incident debriefings and crisis response planning, offering real-time coaching and integrating feedback into treatment plans.
- Deliver micro-trainings on de-escalation and group dynamics to enhance staff skills and support a safe treatment environment.
- Document patient interactions, interventions, and outcomes, and contribute to team data collection and reporting.
- Assist with consultation documentation and enter relevant data into clinical systems to support treatment tracking and evaluation.
Located in the quiet community of Medical Lake, just 15 miles west of Spokane, Eastern State Hospital (ESH) is one of two state-operated psychiatric hospitals for adults in Washington. Since opening its doors in 1891, ESH has played a vital role in delivering inpatient evaluation, therapy, and treatment for individuals with serious mental illness. The hospital operates 375 beds across its Eastlake and Westlake campuses and is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Serving patients primarily from eastern Washington, ESH provides essential, court-ordered psychiatric care in a secure, recovery-focused environment on a peaceful, wooded campus.
What we're looking for:
- Sound independent judgment and the ability to remain objective in high-stress situations
- Skilled in engaging with challenging patients using therapeutic, non-threatening approaches
- Knowledge of de-escalation techniques, therapeutic communication, and incident debriefing practices
- Understanding of individual and group behavior dynamics to support effective interventions
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Ability to build and maintain professional relationships with diverse individuals
- Willingness to learn and apply data collection methods related to behavioral interventions
We are looking for professionals who meet one of the following qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree, preferably in sociology, psychology, or another social science, AND two years of professional counseling or casework experience.
OR - One year of experience as a Behavioral Health Specialist 2/Institutional Counselor 2
OR - A combination of education and relevant experience that provides the necessary skills for success in this role
- Work schedule: 1:30 PM – 10:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday.
- Opportunities performed on-site at this work location at least three days a week may be eligible for an additional 5% premium pay in addition to the advertised salary.
- The Behavioral Health Specialist 3 job classification was formerly titled Institutional Counselor 3. This title change went into effect on July 1, 2025.
Along with your application, please include:
- An updated resume
- Three professional references with contact information
Please reach out to DSHS Recruiter Ricky Luna at ricky.luna@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number #05184.
The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring an equity, anti-racism, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to create greater access and affirming representation of the communities we serve, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Salary : $4,771 - $6,414
DSHS ESH Mental Health Technician 2
State of Washington -
Medical Lake, WA
DSHS ESH Psychologist
State of Washington -
Medical Lake, WA
