As mental health care professionals, behavioral health technicians provide auxiliary support to patients’ primary care providers. They observe how patients respond to treatments and report findings to the appropriate personnel. Additional responsibilities may depend on the behavioral health technician’s level of education and experience.
Salaries have increased by an average of 23.66 percent nationwide in that time. The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
This article discusses what mental health technicians do and the training requirements needed to work in this field. A behavioral health technician’s annual mean salary is about $35,000. See real job descriptions and get the truth about career prospects to find out if becoming a behavioral health technician is right for you.
For a list of all industries with employment in Psychiatric Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function. Strong interpersonal communication skills help an RBT encourage clients to work through issues according to the marketing and promotions process model, the marketing process begins with the: and try new behaviors. In addition to working with clients, an RBT observes clients and records progress. Often, an RBT is called upon to communicate with caregivers and other staff about behavioral situations.
With the Nationally Certified Psychiatric Technician designation, individuals are recognized as paraprofessionals who can participate on mental health treatment teams. The AAPT offers four levels of certification with the following requirements. Department of Labor, there were more than 82,800 psychiatric technicians in 2019, and the number of jobs is expected to grow 13%—considered much faster than average—by 2029. However, it’s strongly recommended that aspiring technicians earn a four-year behavioral health technician degree instead. A Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science degree serves as a strong qualification that can set you apart from other job applicants. This in-depth education will also prepare you to provide a superior level of care to the patients you will look after.
The average mental health technician salary in the USA is $33,149 per year or $17 per hour. Entry level positions start at $28,275 per year while most experienced workers make up to $43,874 per year. They help doctors, nurses and other mental health professionals with the treatment of patients who have various behavioral problems, developmental disorders or mental illness.
Getting cursed at or even physically attacked is sometimes part of the job, says Ben Shaver, a mental health technician at Brandywine Valley Hospital in Coatestville, Pa. In 2020, mental health techs made an annual median wage of $35,030, with the lowest 10% making less than $24,960 and the highest taking home more than $59,020. Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals paid the best, followed by state governments and residential facilities. The average salary for a mental health technician is $87,253 per year in the United States. While the minimum training required to enter the field is a high school diploma or GED, earning a degree or getting additional training and certification can open up job opportunities and higher salaries.