Mental health assistant vs mental health therapist

The differences between mental health assistants and mental health therapists 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 therapist. Additionally, a mental health therapist has an average salary of $50,259, 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 therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.

Mental health assistant vs mental health therapist overview

	Mental Health Assistant	Mental Health Therapist
Yearly salary	$34,333	$50,259
Hourly rate	$16.51	$24.16
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	133,248	114,386
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Master's Degree, 49%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

What does a mental health assistant do?

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.

What does a mental health therapist do?

The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.

Mental health assistant vs mental health therapist salary

Mental health assistants and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mental Health Assistant	Mental Health Therapist
Average salary	$34,333	$50,259
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $48,000	Between $35,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Connecticut
Best paying company	Medical University of South Carolina	Tykes And Teens
Best paying industry	Government	Non Profits

Differences between mental health assistant and mental health therapist education

There are a few differences between a mental health assistant and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:

	Mental Health Assistant	Mental Health Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Master's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Mental health assistant vs mental health therapist demographics

Here are the differences between mental health assistants' and mental health therapists' demographics:

	Mental Health Assistant	Mental Health Therapist
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%	Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7%
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%

Differences between mental health assistant and mental health therapist duties and responsibilities

Mental health assistant example responsibilities.

Supervise and facilitate counseling interventions to psychiatric patients, and lead community therapeutic meetings.
Encourage participation in attending program meetings that focuse on rehabilitation management and coping skills.
Assist residents to function at their highest potential through formulation and implementation of rehabilitation plans.
Supervise daily activities of patients, assist in crisis management, and facilitate admissions and discharges.
Provide clear lines of responsibility and accountability within the BHT department; delegates appropriate authority for completion of assign responsibilities.
Adhere to HIPPA regulations and to company privacy standards to protect patient confidentiality.

Mental health therapist example responsibilities.

Create and lead PTSD group for women, depression and stress management groups for men and women.
Collaborate with patients to develop individualize treatment plans and evaluate plans periodically to monitor progress towards achieving identify goals and objectives.
Provide clinical supervision for MFT intern and participate in peer to peer reviews.
Receive training in diagnoses, physical restraints and CPR.
Care for children with autism and document daily data collection.
Utilize therapy techniques from various modalities including EMDR, TF-CBT, and DBT

Mental health assistant vs mental health therapist skills

Common mental health assistant skills

Patients, 31%
Substance Abuse, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 6%
Vital Signs, 5%
Patient Safety, 4%
Mental Illness, 4%

Common mental health therapist skills

Social Work, 35%
Patients, 10%
Mental Health, 6%
Group Therapy Sessions, 5%
Mental Health Issues, 3%
Community Resources, 3%

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Mental Health Assistant
Mental Health Assistant vs Mental Health Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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