OPT Behavioral Health Technician Jobs
Behavioral Health Technician jobs on OPT are available at hospitals, residential treatment centers, and community mental health organizations. Most roles require direct patient care experience and, for STEM OPT extensions, a relevant degree in psychology, social work, or a related behavioral science field. CPR certification is commonly required before your start date.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation:
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
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.
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
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.
See all 111+ OPT Behavioral Health Technician Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Behavioral Health Technician
Confirm your degree field qualifies for STEM OPT
Behavioral Health Technician roles may qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in psychology, neuroscience, or a related CIP-coded field. Verify your degree's CIP code with your DSO before applying to roles requiring longer authorization.
Target employers with existing OPT or H-1B sponsorship history
Large hospital networks, behavioral health systems, and government-contracted mental health agencies are more likely to have HR teams familiar with OPT work authorization. Smaller private practices often lack the infrastructure to support international student employees on OPT.
Get your CPR and first aid certifications before you apply
Most Behavioral Health Technician postings require current CPR and Basic Life Support certification before the hire date. Completing these before interviews removes a common hiring barrier and signals you're ready to start without delays tied to your OPT timeline.
Be upfront about your OPT end date early in the process
Employers in behavioral health plan staffing around patient continuity of care. Disclosing your OPT expiration date early helps hiring managers determine whether they can sponsor a visa extension before a care disruption occurs, making you a lower-risk hire overall.
Highlight clinical hours and any relevant fieldwork in your application
Behavioral health employers prioritize documented hands-on experience over academic credentials alone. Quantify your practicum hours, crisis intervention training, or any supervised clinical work. Concrete numbers give hiring managers confidence that you can contribute from day one.
Apply to roles where your degree field directly matches the job
Your OPT employment must be directly related to your field of study. A psychology or social work degree maps cleanly to Behavioral Health Technician roles. Document that connection clearly in your cover letter to satisfy both your DSO and your employer's HR team.
Behavioral Health Technician OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Behavioral Health Technician on F-1 OPT?
Yes, if the role is directly related to your field of study. Degrees in psychology, social work, counseling, neuroscience, or a related behavioral science field satisfy the OPT employment requirement for Behavioral Health Technician positions. Your DSO will need to verify that connection before you begin work, so document how your coursework aligns with the clinical responsibilities of the role.
Do Behavioral Health Technician jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree's CIP code, not the job title itself. If your degree in psychology or neuroscience carries a qualifying STEM CIP code, you may be eligible for the 24-month extension. Many behavioral science degrees do qualify, but not all. Check your I-20 and confirm your CIP code with your DSO before counting on an extension.
Will employers in behavioral health sponsor my visa after OPT ends?
Large hospital systems, behavioral health networks, and government-contracted mental health agencies are the most likely sponsors. Smaller outpatient clinics and private practices rarely have the HR infrastructure for visa sponsorship. When browsing Behavioral Health Technician opportunities, Migrate Mate filters for employers with a documented sponsorship history, which saves time and focuses your search on realistic options.
What documentation do I need to start a Behavioral Health Technician job on OPT?
You'll need your EAD card, a valid passport, your I-20 with the OPT authorization page, and your I-94 record. Most behavioral health employers also require CPR and Basic Life Support certification, a background check, and a drug screening before your start date. Have all documents ready before your offer is finalized so nothing delays your authorization paperwork with HR.
How do I find Behavioral Health Technician jobs that accept OPT students?
Standard job boards don't filter for OPT-friendly employers, which means you often can't tell whether a posting will reject you based on work authorization until late in the process. Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and surfaces Behavioral Health Technician roles at employers who have sponsored international workers before, so you're not guessing about eligibility before you apply.