What are the duties of a mental health technician?

Some may specialize in certain areas, such as criminal justice or child welfare. Others may treat specific populations, such as military personnel, students, children, the elderly, or families.

Mental health technician duties typically include:

• Provides care to patients in a manner that promotes safety, comfort, and a therapeutic environment.

• Assists patients with activities of daily living; attends to patient behavioral problems and assists in crisis intervention, as needed.

• Works with other multidisciplinary team members in leading milieu activities such as current events groups, community meetings, goals groups, fitness groups, daily living groups, or recreational activities, as appropriate to the specified patient population.

• Charts patient observations, following prescribed procedures and standards.

• Participates in the development and implementation of patient treatment programs.

• Maintains confidentiality of patient records.

• Transport patients to and from appointments, clinics, laboratories, and treatments, as and when appropriate.

• May perform initial patient evaluations to determine treatment priorities; may take vital signs, weights, and urine, stool, and sputum specimens.

• Attends and participates in group sessions, in-service education, and staff meetings.

• Maintains established institutional policies and procedures, objectives, quality assurance programs, safety, environmental, and infection control standards.