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The differences between health program specialists and mental health associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a health program specialist, becoming a mental health associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a health program specialist has an average salary of $48,114, which is higher than the $36,510 average annual salary of a mental health associate.
The top three skills for a health program specialist include health education, data collection and patients. The most important skills for a mental health associate are patients, customer service, and vital signs.
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $48,114 | $36,510 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $17.55 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 114,825 | 122,947 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A health program specialist is in charge of planning and developing health programs in communities or facilities. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify client needs, gathering and analyzing data, spearheading different activities that promote healthy lifestyles, assessing existing programs to determine areas needing improvement, and coordinating with health care experts. Furthermore, as a health program specialist, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while adhering to the vision and mission of the organization or community.
As a mental health associate, you will assist the medical team members in diagnosing and treating individuals with mental, developmental, and behavioral conditions. You may be tasked to facilitate individual and group therapy sessions, help patients with their day-to-day activities such as self-care and hygiene, and assist in administering medications prescribed by physicians. Other duties include planning and leading program activities, attending treatment rounds, and assisting with the physical care of patients. The qualifications and skills required for this role include a bachelor's degree in social science or psychology, previous work experience, and certification on basic life support.
Health program specialists and mental health associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Associate | |
| Average salary | $48,114 | $36,510 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $69,000 | Between $25,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a health program specialist and a mental health associate in terms of educational background:
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between health program specialists' and mental health associates' demographics:
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Associate | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 7% | 15% |