OPT Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs
Behavioral Health Specialist roles on OPT typically fall under psychology, social work, or counseling degree fields, making them a strong match for STEM and non-STEM OPT students alike. Many employers in community health, hospital systems, and nonprofit organizations have sponsored these roles under both standard and STEM OPT extensions.
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36612 High Point Medical Center - Behavioral Health
Status:
Part time
Benefits Eligible:
No
Hours Per Week:
0
Schedule Details/Additional Information:
This is a PRN position so schedule is variable
Pay Range:
$30.70 - $46.05
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
Masters of Social Work, Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy Required
LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION:
Licensed in Social Work or Counseling
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Patient Assessment
- Completes and documents an accurate clinical assessment which concludes with the identification of key findings that support the need for treatment and the level of care placement.
- Quickly assesses patient's needs, verbally confirms these, and clearly communicates benefits of appropriate treatment program.
- Determines the severity of the patient's psychosocial stressors and level of functioning by utilizing GAF Scales.
- Responds quickly and with empathy to all assessments or requests for program/treatment information.
- Determines when to consult with a physician/psychiatrist re: the assessment findings and disposition.
Patient Family Focus
- Involves family members by providing education regarding treatment and aftercare support including intervention assistance through appropriate referrals.
- Works with family members in ways that help them recognize their own dynamics of co-dependency and denial which contribute to enabling/exacerbating the patient's drinking/using behaviors/psychiatric symptoms.
- Obtains a family history from a family member which corroborates the patient's substance abuse history/psychiatric symptoms and identifies the family member's own recovery needs.
Patient Admissions
- Facilitates each admission by obtaining the physician's authorization according to the physician assignment procedure. Completes all pre-admission financial/insurance verifications in accordance with Hospital Admitting Department policies and procedures.
- Determines financial viability for treatment with the assistance of the admissions personnel. Maintains knowledge of hospital payment policies and practice to include third party payor reimbursement practices, Medicaid, and Medicare reimbursement requirements.
Communication
Consistently provides direction and information to patients, physicians, families, visitors and staff in a concise, informative, positive and courteous manner.
Customer Focus
- Ensures excellent customer service to patients including excellent communication, treating them in a caring manner, being timely regarding treatment and being professional in their care.
- Consistently demonstrates behaviors that meet or exceed hospital's standards when interacting with customers. Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with patients/family members.
Teamwork
- Promotes a positive work environment with co-workers and other customers.
- Attends and participates in required department and hospital meetings and in-services.
- Makes efficacious referrals to community resources for ongoing treatment of patients and family members.
Professionalism
- Upholds a professional working relationship at all times and adheres to department rules.
- Practices teamwork and adheres to Standards of Behavior.
SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
- Excellent decision making skills
- Good judgement
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to quickly assess patient's needs and verbally confirm these
- Capable of communicating clearly the benefits of appropriate treatment programs required.
- Knowledge of developmental stages of people from age six years to greater than 65 years preferred.
- Broad knowledge base of DSM IV diagnoses and treatment modalities required.
- Computer skills preferred.
Our Commitment to You:
Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including:
Compensation
- Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
- Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
- Incentive pay for select positions
- Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
Benefits and more
- Paid Time Off programs
- Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
- Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
- Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
- Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
- Educational Assistance Program
Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.
Provides assessments for patients suffering from chemical dependency and/or psychiatric illness. Document patients' clinical needs and interventions. Participates in the Interdisciplinary Team. Provides individual/family or group counseling, assessment, intervention, and documentation of the clinical needs of Behavioral Health patients. Coordinates hospital discharges and patient aftercare plans.
Department:
36612 High Point Medical Center - Behavioral Health
Status:
Part time
Benefits Eligible:
No
Hours Per Week:
0
Schedule Details/Additional Information:
This is a PRN position so schedule is variable
Pay Range:
$30.70 - $46.05
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
Masters of Social Work, Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy Required
LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION:
Licensed in Social Work or Counseling
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Patient Assessment
- Completes and documents an accurate clinical assessment which concludes with the identification of key findings that support the need for treatment and the level of care placement.
- Quickly assesses patient's needs, verbally confirms these, and clearly communicates benefits of appropriate treatment program.
- Determines the severity of the patient's psychosocial stressors and level of functioning by utilizing GAF Scales.
- Responds quickly and with empathy to all assessments or requests for program/treatment information.
- Determines when to consult with a physician/psychiatrist re: the assessment findings and disposition.
Patient Family Focus
- Involves family members by providing education regarding treatment and aftercare support including intervention assistance through appropriate referrals.
- Works with family members in ways that help them recognize their own dynamics of co-dependency and denial which contribute to enabling/exacerbating the patient's drinking/using behaviors/psychiatric symptoms.
- Obtains a family history from a family member which corroborates the patient's substance abuse history/psychiatric symptoms and identifies the family member's own recovery needs.
Patient Admissions
- Facilitates each admission by obtaining the physician's authorization according to the physician assignment procedure. Completes all pre-admission financial/insurance verifications in accordance with Hospital Admitting Department policies and procedures.
- Determines financial viability for treatment with the assistance of the admissions personnel. Maintains knowledge of hospital payment policies and practice to include third party payor reimbursement practices, Medicaid, and Medicare reimbursement requirements.
Communication
Consistently provides direction and information to patients, physicians, families, visitors and staff in a concise, informative, positive and courteous manner.
Customer Focus
- Ensures excellent customer service to patients including excellent communication, treating them in a caring manner, being timely regarding treatment and being professional in their care.
- Consistently demonstrates behaviors that meet or exceed hospital's standards when interacting with customers. Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with patients/family members.
Teamwork
- Promotes a positive work environment with co-workers and other customers.
- Attends and participates in required department and hospital meetings and in-services.
- Makes efficacious referrals to community resources for ongoing treatment of patients and family members.
Professionalism
- Upholds a professional working relationship at all times and adheres to department rules.
- Practices teamwork and adheres to Standards of Behavior.
SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
- Excellent decision making skills
- Good judgement
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to quickly assess patient's needs and verbally confirm these
- Capable of communicating clearly the benefits of appropriate treatment programs required.
- Knowledge of developmental stages of people from age six years to greater than 65 years preferred.
- Broad knowledge base of DSM IV diagnoses and treatment modalities required.
- Computer skills preferred.
Our Commitment to You:
Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including:
Compensation
- Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
- Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
- Incentive pay for select positions
- Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
Benefits and more
- Paid Time Off programs
- Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
- Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
- Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
- Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
- Educational Assistance Program
Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.
Provides assessments for patients suffering from chemical dependency and/or psychiatric illness. Document patients' clinical needs and interventions. Participates in the Interdisciplinary Team. Provides individual/family or group counseling, assessment, intervention, and documentation of the clinical needs of Behavioral Health patients. Coordinates hospital discharges and patient aftercare plans.
See all 7,117+ OPT Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Behavioral Health Specialist
Lead with your licensure progress
Many Behavioral Health Specialist roles require state licensure, which takes time to obtain. Mention your eligibility timeline upfront. Employers are more likely to support OPT students who demonstrate a clear path toward full licensure within the authorization period.
Target employers with existing OPT or H-1B history
Hospital systems, federally qualified health centers, and large nonprofit behavioral health organizations have established HR processes for work authorization. These employers are far less likely to reject your application simply because you need OPT sponsorship.
Connect your degree field to the role explicitly
OPT work must be directly related to your degree. A psychology or social work graduate should spell out that connection in a cover letter. Vague applications raise questions about eligibility that specific framing resolves immediately.
Apply before your OPT start date when possible
Onboarding timelines for behavioral health roles often involve background checks and credentialing that take weeks. Starting your application process early gives employers time to complete verification before your authorized work start date arrives.
Ask about STEM OPT extension eligibility early
If your degree is in a qualifying STEM field such as applied psychology or health informatics, you may be eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirming this with your DSO before interviews gives you a stronger timeline to offer employers.
Frame your cultural competency as a clinical asset
Behavioral health employers increasingly prioritize multilingual and multicultural staff to serve diverse patient populations. International students bring this naturally. Positioning that background as a direct clinical benefit makes your application more competitive than most domestic candidates.
Behavioral Health Specialist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Behavioral Health Specialist on OPT?
Yes, as long as the role is directly related to your degree field. Graduates in psychology, social work, counseling, or health sciences typically meet this requirement. Your DSO can confirm the connection between your specific degree and the role if you are unsure before accepting an offer.
Do Behavioral Health Specialist employers typically sponsor OPT students?
Many do, particularly hospital networks, community mental health centers, and federally qualified health centers that already navigate work authorization for clinical staff. Smaller private practices are less predictable. Migrate Mate filters for employers who have a history of sponsoring international workers, which makes identifying receptive employers faster.
Does a Behavioral Health Specialist role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as applied psychology, behavioral science, or health informatics, you may qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. The role itself does not determine STEM eligibility. Review the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List and confirm with your DSO.
How does state licensure interact with my OPT authorization period?
State licensure for behavioral health roles, such as Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker, often requires supervised hours that take one to two years to accumulate. You can begin accruing supervised hours on OPT, but you need to ensure your authorization remains valid throughout that period. Some employers will support an H-1B visa petition before your OPT expires to bridge the gap.
What degree fields support OPT authorization for this role?
The most common qualifying fields are psychology, clinical social work, counseling, public health, and human services. Your OPT work authorization requires that the job be directly related to the specific field on your degree, not just adjacent to it. If your degree is in a related area like sociology or education, confirm the connection with your DSO before applying.