Lead Patient Engagement Specialist (Lead Behavioral Health Technician)
Oak Grove Recovery
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Paid Time Off, Family Leave, and additional eligible benefits
About Oak Grove Recovery
Oak Grove Recovery provides residential treatment services for individuals with substance use disorders. Our goal extends beyond helping patients achieve sobriety—we work to help individuals build healthier, more meaningful, and sustainable lives.
We believe effective treatment should be individualized, holistic, relationship-centered, and supported by a safe, structured environment. We are looking for team members who are compassionate, dependable, accountable, and committed to supporting individuals throughout the recovery process.
About the Role
The Lead Patient Engagement Specialist, similar to a Lead Behavioral Health Technician (Lead BHT) in a residential behavioral health setting, provides day-to-day leadership and accountability for the Patient Engagement Specialist team while helping maintain a safe, structured, and supportive environment for patients receiving substance use disorder treatment.
This is a hands-on leadership position, not a desk-only supervisory role. The Lead Patient Engagement Specialist is expected to work directly alongside the team, interact regularly with patients, model appropriate patient engagement, respond to behavioral concerns, assist with de-escalation, and ensure Patient Engagement Specialists consistently follow program expectations.
This position serves as a primary point of contact for Patient Engagement Specialists and assists with staff scheduling, training, patient supervision, transportation coordination, documentation, facility expectations, recovery-focused activities, and communication with the clinical treatment team.
The ideal candidate has experience as a Behavioral Health Technician, Lead BHT, Mental Health Technician, Recovery Support Specialist, Patient Care Technician, or in a similar residential behavioral health role and is ready to take on additional leadership responsibility.
What You'll Do
- Supervise and provide daily direction to Patient Engagement Specialists.
- Serve as the lead Behavioral Health Technician-level presence on the unit, providing hands-on support and direction throughout the shift.
- Train and support newly hired Patient Engagement Specialists.
- Create and manage daily staff assignments and work schedules.
- Monitor staffing coverage, productivity, and completion of assigned responsibilities.
- Provide real-time coaching, feedback, and corrective guidance to Patient Engagement Specialists.
- Model appropriate patient interaction, professional boundaries, observation, supervision, documentation, and de-escalation techniques.
- Assist staff when patient behaviors, conflicts, or safety concerns require additional support.
- Monitor required documentation for accuracy and completion.
- Conduct monthly Patient Engagement Specialist staff meetings.
- Communicate and reinforce facility policies, procedures, and expectations.
- Coordinate and schedule patient transportation.
- Support effective time management and prioritization among Patient Engagement Specialists.
- Ensure appropriate staff monitoring of patients during meals and other scheduled activities.
- Coordinate accommodations for patients who are unable to attend regularly scheduled meals or activities.
- Ensure Patient Engagement Specialists facilitate approved light fitness, meditation, community-building, and enrichment activities.
- Coordinate staff supervision of approved off-campus activities and vendor-supported enrichment activities.
- Facilitate non-clinical and non-therapy groups as assigned.
- Maintain appropriate staff presence throughout patient areas and monitor patient movement within the facility.
- Lead community meetings designed to address day-to-day concerns, treatment-community expectations, and patient conflicts.
- Promote appropriate one-on-one patient engagement and retention efforts.
- Ensure appropriate staff supervision during approved off-campus 12-step and recovery-support meetings.
- Monitor patient adherence to program expectations and involve clinical or leadership staff when concerns require additional intervention.
- Communicate significant patient behavioral changes, concerns, incidents, or safety issues to the appropriate clinical, nursing, or leadership team member.
- Help maintain a therapeutic residential environment by remaining highly visible and engaged with both patients and staff.
- Oversee assigned daily facility-cleaning responsibilities.
- Respond appropriately to conflicts, urgent situations, and behavioral concerns using established de-escalation and safety procedures.
- Collaborate closely with clinical, nursing, operations, and other treatment-team members.
- Perform additional responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.
What Success Looks Like
A successful Lead Patient Engagement Specialist:
- Maintains appropriate staffing coverage and clear daily assignments.
- Leads by example and remains actively involved on the unit.
- Holds team members accountable while maintaining respectful working relationships.
- Ensures Patient Engagement Specialists consistently follow established expectations, documentation standards, and patient-engagement practices.
- Identifies patient concerns early and communicates them to the appropriate clinical or leadership team members.
- Maintains a calm, professional presence during stressful or emotionally charged situations.
- Supports staff during difficult patient interactions and appropriately escalates clinical or safety concerns.
- Ensures assigned documentation and operational responsibilities are completed consistently.
- Helps create a structured, safe, clean, and recovery-focused treatment environment.
- Demonstrates dependability, professionalism, teamwork, and appropriate boundaries with patients.
Required Qualifications
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
- Authorization to work in the United States.
- Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with patients, coworkers, and leadership.
- Ability to remain calm and exercise sound judgment during stressful or high-risk situations.
- Demonstrated problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
- Ability to manage interpersonal conflict and reinforce appropriate boundaries.
- Ability to provide day-to-day direction and accountability to other staff members.
- Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Ability to comply with workplace drug-free and professional-conduct policies.
Preferred Qualifications
- At least 1 year of experience working with individuals affected by substance use disorders, behavioral health conditions, or similar populations.
- Previous experience as a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT), Lead BHT, Mental Health Technician, Recovery Support Specialist, Patient Care Technician, or similar direct-care behavioral health professional.
- Previous lead, shift-lead, supervisory, or mentoring experience in a behavioral health or healthcare environment.
- Experience working in a residential substance use disorder, mental health, detoxification, behavioral health, healthcare, or human-services setting.
- Crisis Intervention, de-escalation, or similar safety training.
- Personal or professional interest in substance use disorder treatment and recovery.
Who Will Thrive in This Role
You may be a strong fit if you are someone who:
- Has experience as a Behavioral Health Technician or other direct-care behavioral health professional and is ready to take on a lead role.
- Can lead a team without losing sight of the needs of the patients we serve.
- Is comfortable setting expectations and addressing performance concerns.
- Remains composed when others are frustrated, upset, or experiencing a difficult moment.
- Is willing to step in and directly support staff during challenging patient interactions.
- Notices what needs to be done and takes appropriate action.
- Understands the importance of professional boundaries, consistency, and accountability in a treatment environment.
- Values teamwork and communicates concerns promptly rather than allowing problems to escalate.
- Enjoys being actively involved in the day-to-day operations of a residential treatment program.
This Role May Not Be a Fit If...
This position may not be the right fit if you are uncomfortable addressing conflict, enforcing expectations, supervising staff, responding to challenging patient behaviors, providing hands-on support on the unit, or working in an active residential treatment environment where priorities can change quickly.
Why Join Oak Grove Recovery?
Working in behavioral health gives you the opportunity to contribute to meaningful change every day. The Lead Patient Engagement Specialist plays an important role in creating the structure, consistency, accountability, and human connection patients need during treatment.
This role is a strong opportunity for an experienced Behavioral Health Technician or direct-care behavioral health professional looking to advance into a leadership position while remaining closely involved in patient care and daily unit operations.
We respect the time and effort involved in pursuing the next step in your career and will make every effort to communicate with qualified applicants promptly.
Thank you for your interest in joining Oak Grove Recovery.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Oak Grove Recovery is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to legally protected characteristics and in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Pay: $50,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Leadership: 5 years (Preferred)
Location:
- Westerville, OH 43081 (Required)
Shift availability:
- Day Shift (Preferred)
- Night Shift (Preferred)
- Overnight Shift (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
