Jobs › Memorial Health

Mental Health Technician

Memorial Health · Springfield, IL · $18.83–$30.12 an hour · Part time

Posted Oct 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Memorial Health

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

The job sometimes means stepping into physical situations to keep people safe. Tell me about a time you had to do that.

What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and use trained techniques rather than force or fear.

Tell me about a time a patient said something hurtful to you. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can stay steady and kind when an illness, not the person, is driving hurtful words.

How do you take care of yourself after a hard shift?

What they are checking: Self-awareness about burnout in a role with regular exposure to crisis and aggression.

What would you do

A patient on the unit is getting louder and pacing near another patient. What do you do first?

What they are checking: Early de-escalation skill and knowing when to call for help before a situation turns physical.

How do you build trust with a patient who is paranoid or does not want to talk to staff?

What they are checking: Patience and respect toward patients in crisis, which affects every interaction on the unit.

You notice a patient is quieter than usual and giving away their belongings. What do you do?

What they are checking: Recognizing warning signs of suicide and reporting them to the RN right away.

This is a 2:45 to 11:15 shift with every other weekend. How does that schedule fit your life?

What they are checking: Reliability for a part-time evening role where call-offs leave the unit short-staffed.

You also answer phones, direct traffic on the unit and enter orders in the record. How do you keep those accurate while watching patients?

What they are checking: Multitasking without losing sight of patient safety, which is the main job.

About the work

What do you look for when you do safety rounds and observation checks on a mental health unit?

What they are checking: Awareness of ligature risks, contraband and changes in behavior that signal self-harm.

How do you write an observation note that is useful to the nurse and the care team?

What they are checking: Objective, specific charting of behavior rather than opinions, since the team acts on it.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Memorial Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Memorial Health.

Focused on the Future of Care We're looking for talented, passionate healthcare professionals to join the team at Memorial Health as we build the future of healthcare. If you're ready to be part of a transformative organization that puts people first, take a look at what we have to offer. Position Type: On-site Job Description Summary: Part time Shift, 2:45pm - 11:15pm Every other weekend Under supervision of the registered nurse, performs a variety of tasks and services to assist in the provision of care and comfort for mental health patients. Provides care appropriate to the age of the patients served; reports and records observations; contributes to the efficient functioning of the unit including answering telephones, directing unit traffic, and entering patient orders into the electronic medical record in a timely manner with a high degree of accuracy. Provides a visible presence on the unit. Maintains a safe and secure environment for patients, visitor, employees, and physicians. Intervenes in difficult and sometimes physical situations to ensure the safety of patients, visitors, employees and physicians. All duties performed in accordance with established, policies, procedures, standards and guidelines. Embodies the Memorial Health System Performance Excellence Standards of Safety, Quality, Integrity and Stewardship that support our mission, vision and values. To review Memorial's Benefits, click here: Benefits - Memorial HR Job Description: Education: One of the following required: Relevant healthcare program completion (e.g. certified nursing assistant, emergency medical technician-basic, medical assistant, personal care aide, etc.) - Completion or active enrollment in core nursing classes Minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience Licensure/Certification/Registry: CPR certification required or obtained during nursing team onboarding process. - Obtain national certification as a psychiatric technician within 1 year of employment preferred. Experience: - Minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience performing the essential responsibilities of the mental health technician role. - Experience in Mental Health and/or Forensic work preferred. - Post high school education in Psychology or related field preferred. - One-year secretarial or comparable clerical experience strongly preferred. Other Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: - Basic computer data entry skills, including the ability to enter, store and retrieve information. - Possesses updated knowledge and competency in using equipment related to job duties (i.e., gait belt, mobility devices, protection/safety equipment, etc.) - Demonstrates effective communication skills with the ability to relay information to/from patients, their families, and members of the care team. Demonstrates excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. - Demonstrates initiative, self-direction, motivation, and a proven ability to work successfully with a variety of people and disciplines. - Successful completion of Nursing Team Onboarding, unit-based orientation, and clinical competency validation tool within 30 days of hire required. - completion of Safety First Training within 30 days of hire and annually thereafter required. Pay Transparency $18.83 - $30.12 Additional compensation in the form(s) of participation in our annual incentive program are dependent on role. Pay is based on factors such as work experience, education, certification(s), training, skills, and competencies related to the role. Memorial Health also offers a comprehensive benefits plan, which includes paid time off, 401(k) match, and health/ dental/ vision insurance options. All benefits can be found at https://jobs.memorial.health/about/benefits/ If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application or participate in the hiring process, please contact askHR@mhsil.com . Requests will be handled confidentially.

Apply at Memorial Health