Behavioral Health Technician Jobs in Virginia Beach, VA
Behavioral health technicians in Virginia Beach work inside the psychiatric hospitals and youth programs that serve all of Hampton Roads, starting around $17 an hour. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays, and how to qualify without a state license.
Current behavioral health technician Openings in Virginia Beach, VA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Behavioral Health Technician Work in Virginia Beach
Most behavioral health technician jobs in this metro sit in a handful of inpatient psychiatric facilities rather than in general hospitals. Universal Health Services runs three of them within commuting distance: Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center, a 100-bed adult and addiction hospital inside the city, Kempsville Center for Behavioral Health in Norfolk for children and adolescents, and Newport News Behavioral Health Center across the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on the Peninsula. CHKD adds pediatric mental health roles in Norfolk.
The work runs around the clock, which is why so many postings are split into day, evening, overnight and PRN shifts. That schedule suits the large military-connected workforce in Virginia Beach: spouses, veterans and transitioning service members who need predictable shifts or part-time hours. Expect to drive I-264 into Norfolk for the youth programs, and plan on the tunnel if you take a job in Newport News.
Top Virginia Beach Employers Hiring Behavioral Health Technicians
These Southside and Peninsula employers post behavioral health and mental health technician roles on their own career sites:
- Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center - the UHS adult and addiction hospital hires Mental Health Technicians and Mental Health Counselors for day, night, part-time and PRN shifts.
- Kempsville Center for Behavioral Health - the UHS child and adolescent center in Norfolk hires Mental Health Technicians, with PRN pay starting at $17 an hour.
- Newport News Behavioral Health Center - the UHS youth acute and residential campus hires Mental Health Technicians and Lead Technicians, including roles that need no college degree.
- Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) - the regional children's hospital lists Mental Health as its own job family for inpatient and outpatient pediatric care.
Behavioral Health Technician Salaries in Virginia Beach
- Entry level: about $17 to $19 per hour for new technicians and PRN staff.
- Experienced: roughly $19 to $25 per hour, with the metro median near $22.80.
- Senior / lead: about $25 to $27 per hour for lead technicians and long-tenured staff.
These are estimates built from the federal May 2025 wage survey for psychiatric technicians in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro (median $47,420 a year) and from local postings. Pay moves with education, years of direct psychiatric experience, shift and unit. Lead roles pay more, and a bachelor's degree with QMHP registration opens counselor and specialist titles.
How to Become a Behavioral Health Technician in Virginia Beach
Virginia does not license behavioral health or mental health technicians, so there is no state exam to pass before your first job. Employers set the bar instead. Kempsville Center, for example, asks for an associate degree in human services or a related field, or two years of direct therapeutic work with children, and requires applicants to be 21 or older. Tidewater Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science in Human Services at its Norfolk and Portsmouth campuses, with two hands-on internships. If you hold or are finishing a bachelor's degree, the Virginia Board of Counseling, part of the Virginia Department of Health Professions, registers Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHP) and QMHP-Trainees who work for state-licensed behavioral health providers, and some local postings list QMHP as preferred.
What the Job Involves
Behavioral health technicians are the staff patients see most on a psychiatric unit. They run safety rounds and observation checks, take vital signs, help patients through daily routines, lead or support group sessions, document behavior in the chart, and use de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques when a patient becomes agitated. They report changes in a patient's condition to the nurse in charge.
Skills Employers Look For
- Calm, firm de-escalation and crisis intervention
- Experience with children, adolescents or adults in a therapeutic setting
- Accurate charting and observation records
- CPR and BLS certification, or willingness to earn it
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stay on your feet a full shift
- Reliability on nights, weekends and holidays
Career Path and Advancement
Many Virginia Beach technicians start in a PRN or no-degree technician role, then move to full-time and lead technician positions at the same facility. Finishing a bachelor's degree and registering as a QMHP-Trainee and then a QMHP moves you into mental health counselor and specialist titles. Others use the unit experience to enter nursing at Tidewater Community College or Old Dominion University and come back as psychiatric nurses.
Related Careers in Virginia Beach
If behavioral health work interests you, these Virginia Beach healthcare roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a behavioral health technician in Virginia?
No. Virginia has no state license for behavioral health or mental health technicians. Employers set their own requirements, usually a degree in human services or related direct-care experience, and some prefer a QMHP registration.
How much do behavioral health technicians make in Virginia Beach?
Starting pay runs about $17 to $19 an hour, and the metro median for psychiatric technicians is about $22.80 an hour, or $47,420 a year, in the federal May 2025 wage survey. Lead technicians and long-tenured staff can reach $25 to $27 an hour.
Can I get a behavioral health technician job without a college degree?
Yes, at some facilities. Newport News Behavioral Health Center posts technician roles that need no college degree, and Kempsville Center accepts two years of direct therapeutic work with children in place of an associate degree.
What is a QMHP and do I need it?
A Qualified Mental Health Professional is a registration issued by the Virginia Board of Counseling for people with a bachelor's degree, supervised experience and Board-approved training who work for state-licensed behavioral health providers. It is not required for technician jobs, but some employers prefer it, and it is the step into counselor and specialist roles.
What shifts do behavioral health technicians work in Virginia Beach?
Psychiatric units are staffed 24 hours a day, so local employers hire for day, evening and overnight shifts, plus part-time and PRN schedules. Overnight shifts typically run from about 11 PM to 7:30 AM.
Ready to apply? Browse all Behavioral Health Technician jobs in Virginia Beach, VA on LocalJobPage and apply today.