Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mental health assistants and mental health consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mental health assistant and a mental health consultant. Additionally, a mental health consultant has an average salary of $51,006, which is higher than the $34,333 average annual salary of a mental health assistant.
The top three skills for a mental health assistant include patients, substance abuse and direct patient care. The most important skills for a mental health consultant are healthcare, substance abuse, and patients.
| Mental Health Assistant | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,333 | $51,006 |
| Hourly rate | $16.51 | $24.52 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 133,248 | 127,233 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A mental health assistant is responsible for supporting patients with mental and emotional issues under the supervision of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Mental health assistants assist patients in performing their daily activities, monitoring their progress, and observing their personal and social behaviors. They also conduct recreational and engaging activities for the patients as part of their cooperative treatment plans. A mental health assistant ensures that the rooms and facilities are clean and safe at all times to prevent potential hazards and accidents.
A mental health consultant is responsible for providing counseling and emotional support to manage a client's issue and control behaviors. Mental health consultants must have excellent communication and listening skills to understand and assess the client's situation and evaluate the level of their emotional and psychological distress. They also need to monitor progress on the client's state and use different psychotherapy methods and treatment plans. A mental health consultant should also reach out to other health professionals to ask assistance for any recovery options as needed.
Mental health assistants and mental health consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Assistant | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Average salary | $34,333 | $51,006 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $48,000 | Between $34,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Medical University of South Carolina | Guidehouse |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a mental health assistant and a mental health consultant in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Assistant | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between mental health assistants' and mental health consultants' demographics:
| Mental Health Assistant | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 15% | 15% |