What is a Mental Health Technician?
A mental health technician is a healthcare provider who arranges important services to promote the mental health of patients. Mental health technicians are also known as psychiatric aides or mental health assistants and work primarily in a supporting role to give care to mentally ill or emotionally disturbed patients. These technicians work in hospitals or institutions under the direction of supervising mental health care professionals, such as psychiatrists or other medical doctors.
Coordinating mental health care services, assisting in patient assessment, monitoring and documenting care, escorting patients, and identifying the personal needs of patients are all parts of a mental health technician's work.
What Does a Mental Health Technician Do?
A mental health technician's job description often includes the ability to work on multidisciplinary teams composed of physicians (psychiatrists), social workers, and other mental health professionals. Specific duties required for mental health technician jobs include the following:
- Supervising hospitalized patients
- Assisting patients with meals, bathing, and other essential tasks
- Transporting patients to appointments or events at the hospital
- Helping calm or restrain patients who are agitated
- Providing medication to patients under the direction of a physician
Mental Health Technician Requirements
Essential Education
While it's possible to work as a mental health technician with a high school diploma or relevant training or work experience, a related associate's degree will improve your opportunities. An associate's degree in a field like mental health technology would typically take two years to complete and include coursework in psychiatric nursing, psychology and group dynamics. Experience in nursing or as a hospital orderly will also help qualify you for a career in mental health care.
Important Skills
To succeed as a mental health technician, it is important to be patient, flexible and able to deal with demanding situations. Because mental health technicians work as part of a team of caregivers, it is also important to have strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Mental Health Technician Salary & Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for psychiatric technicians is expected to see a 13% increase between 2019 and 2029, with the creation of 11,000 new jobs during that time. The median annual wage for psychiatric technicians was $33,780 as of May 2019, according to the BLS.
| Required Education | High school diploma or relevant training/experience; a relevant associate's degree will improve job opportunities |
| Key Skills | Patience, flexibility, calm under pressure, team player, communication skills |
| Median Salary (2019)* | $33,780 (all psychiatric technicians) |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029)* | 13% growth (all psychiatric technicians) |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Alternative Careers
Here are some examples of alternative career options.
Licensed Practical Nurse
If providing quality health care to all types of patients in a hospital setting sounds appealing, then consider becoming a licensed practical nurse. These practical nurses help patients bathe and dress, take vital signs, change dressings, update medical records and sometimes perform duties such as placing catheters and starting IVs. To enter this profession, completion of a training program offered at a community college or technical school is required. States additionally require practical nurses to acquire licensure by passing the appropriate National Council Licensure Examination.
A 9% increase in job opportunities is projected for licensed practical and vocational nurses during the 2019-2029 decade, with the creation of 65,700 new jobs expected, as reported by the BLS. The BLS also determined that licensed practical and vocational nurses earned a median yearly wage of $47,480 in 2019.
Mental Health Counselor
For those interested in helping the mentally ill get the treatment they need, a career as a mental health counselor may be a good option. Mental health counselors meet with clients and determine what is causing emotional and behavioral issues. Then they lay out a plan to help the client work through the problems, utilizing talk therapy techniques and other counseling methods. In order to provide counseling services, a master's degree in social work, psychology, therapy or counseling is required. All counselors must also meet state licensure requirements that include passing an exam and completing supervised clinical hours.
According to BLS data, approximately 79,000 new jobs are expected to be created for mental health counselors between 2019 and 2029 at a growth rate of 25%. In May of 2019, the BLS reported that mental health, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors received a median yearly income of $46,240.
