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The differences between behavioral health technicians and community health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a community health counselor has an average salary of $43,304, which is higher than the $34,611 average annual salary of a behavioral health technician.
The top three skills for a behavioral health technician include patients, behavioral health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a community health counselor are social work, behavioral health, and patients.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Community Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $34,611 | $43,304 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $20.82 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 99,503 | 131,804 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.
A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.
Behavioral health technicians and community health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $34,611 | $43,304 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $29,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a behavioral health technician and a community health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Community Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavioral health technicians' and community health counselors' demographics:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |