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The differences between behavior support specialists and behavioral health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a behavior support specialist, becoming a behavioral health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a behavioral health specialist has an average salary of $44,808, which is higher than the $36,769 average annual salary of a behavior support specialist.
The top three skills for a behavior support specialist include social work, crisis intervention and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $36,769 | $44,808 |
| Hourly rate | $17.68 | $21.54 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 140,749 | 130,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Behavior support specialists are social work professionals who provide support to other therapists in treating individuals with behavioral issues. These specialists must provide behavior analysis and health consultations to individuals who are diagnosed with development delay issues, disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders. They must develop and monitor crisis intervention plans for patients with mental health and behavioral needs. Behavior support specialists must also work with special education and regular teachers to implement behavior intervention strategies for students with special education needs.
Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.
Behavior support specialists and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $36,769 | $44,808 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $46,000 | Between $29,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Texas | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a behavior support specialist and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavior support specialists' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8% | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 15% |