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Mental health assistant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Kim Jones Ph.D.,

Treniece Lewis Harris Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical mental health assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for mental health assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 31.0% of mental health assistant resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a mental health assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 mental health assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how mental health assistants use patients:

Directed and assisted patients according to Doctor and Therapist ordered individual treatment objectives and goals.
Verified eligibility of patients and inputs patient data in computer system.

2. Substance Abuse

Here's how mental health assistants use substance abuse:

Engaged in structured interviews with individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse disorders in supportive employment programs.
Conduct mental health and substance abuse education groups - Assist with physically violent individuals through crisis intervention techniques

3. Direct Patient Care

Here's how mental health assistants use direct patient care:

Provided direct patient care under the supervision of a registered Nurse.
Performed duties related to direct patient care.

4. Vital Signs

Vital signs are a set of values indicating different body systems' performance. They are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four major vital signs used in medicine to assess a patient are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Here's how mental health assistants use vital signs:

Assist in safety search of patients, obtaining vital signs, orienting patients to units, and completing the admission process.
Work one on one with patients providing quality care including monitoring vital signs, daily hygiene and assist with treatment goals.

5. Patient Safety

Here's how mental health assistants use patient safety:

Maintained patient safety in a therapeutic environment.
Maintain patient safety at all times, reporting any accidents or injuries of patients or staff to the Charge Nurse.

6. Mental Illness

Here's how mental health assistants use mental illness:

Reviewed relevant literature related to supportive individualized employment programs and self-directed care programs for adults with serious mental illness.
Co-facilitated daily wellness groups for inpatient adults and youth with acute mental illness to ensure stabilization.

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7. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how mental health assistants use cpr:

Certified by the American Red Cross Association in First Aid and CPR.
Instructed employees and staff in CPR and first aid certification.

8. Rehabilitation

Here's how mental health assistants use rehabilitation:

Assisted residents to function at their highest potential through formulation and implementation of rehabilitation plans.
Encouraged participation in attending program meetings that focused on rehabilitation management and coping skills.

9. Crisis Intervention

Here's how mental health assistants use crisis intervention:

Provided instruction, supervision, one-to-one counseling, crisis intervention, and physical management as needed.
Completed daily progress notes for individual students and incident reports related to crisis intervention.

11. Mental Health Issues

Here's how mental health assistants use mental health issues:

Implemented group and one-on-one treatment sessions for an inpatient and outpatient population with various mental health issues
Provided and implemented Seneca's behavioral treatment program to 60 students with mental health issues.

12. Behavioral Disorders

Here's how mental health assistants use behavioral disorders:

Implemented individualized educational and treatment programs for students with behavioral disorders and developmental disabilities in classroom and residential settings.
Provide support to students with Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders in an educational and residential setting.

13. Compassion

Here's how mental health assistants use compassion:

Demonstrated proper work methods, seizure management, and compassion in the caring for one blind adolescent with Batten's Disease.
Work with a verity of patients showing respect and compassion and dignity for them all.

14. Therapeutic Environment

Here's how mental health assistants use therapeutic environment:

Provided structure and supervision to adolescent boys and girls ages 13-17 with psychological disorders, while developing a therapeutic environment.
Provided a safe therapeutic environment.

15. Direct Supervision

Direct supervision is a term used to indicate that a person is supervising a certain task or a certain person while being physically present or in close proximity. It refers to the presence of a person and the availability of their supervision in something if it is needed.

Here's how mental health assistants use direct supervision:

Ensured safety by providing 24-hour direct supervision and transportation services for residents.
Provided safety and direct supervision for children and adolescents.

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What skills help Mental Health Assistants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on mental health assistant resumes?

Kim Jones Ph.D.

Professor, Chair of Clinical Concentration, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The necessary skills for today's market include the ability to implement evidence-informed mental health approaches, the ability to display empathy, knowledge of crisis intervention models, organizational skills, good work ethic, both verbal and written communication skills, cultural competence, and the ability to adapt to changing technology.

What soft skills should all mental health assistants possess?

Treniece Lewis Harris Ph.D.

Associate Professor of the Practice, Program Director, Master's Program in Mental Health Counseling, Boston College

-compassion

-active listening

-perspective-taking

-open-mindedness and respect for differences

-humility

-curiosity and critical observation

-problem recognition and analytical thinking

-creativity and flexibility

-presentation skills

What mental health assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Lynette Bartucci

Lynette Bartucci, M.S., CRC, APCC#7835 Clinics Director / Adjunct Faculty, California State University - Fresno

I would recommend they try to enhance/include computer skills, such as Microsoft programs, including Excel and PowerPoint, and programs such as Zoom. Due to the pandemic, we continue to see a trend of "work from home" options needing essential computer and technology skills. Also, to polish up on grammar and appropriate English vocabulary. Again, a lot of communication needs to be done professionally through emails, texts, memos, and documents.

What type of skills will young mental health assistants need?

Dr. Thomas Dearden Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.

What technical skills for a mental health assistant stand out to employers?

Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson

Assistant Professor & Coordinator of School Counseling Program, Nicholls State University

In addition, recent graduates will need to be familiarized with using telehealth platforms due to more remote learning needs. Plus, recent graduates will need to familiarize themselves with their basic facilitative skills to establish rapport quickly to have brief sessions. Also, I would recommend students receive competency-based credentials and become licensed in at least one additional state. Lastly, I would recommend students familiarize themselves with crisis intervention and trauma counseling.

In sum, graduates have to be aware of how their roles may shift due to job displacement, furloughs, and restructuring. Due to new challenges presented in the COVID-19 pandemic, graduates have to be prepared to address the possibility of being faced with high caseloads, secondary traumatization, role conflict/ambiguity, and tension in the workplace. As a precautionary measure, neophytes should adopt a holistic self-care regimen and professional network to ameliorate the mental health condition.

What hard/technical skills are most important for mental health assistants?

Joel Hektner Ph.D.

Professor and Department Head, North Dakota State University

Solid knowledge of developmental milestones for children, issues faced by aging adults, and common family relationship challenges.

Do you want to know more?

List of mental health assistant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a mental health assistant resume and required skills for a mental health assistant to have include:

Patients
Substance Abuse
Direct Patient Care
Vital Signs
Patient Safety
Mental Illness
CPR
Rehabilitation
Crisis Intervention
Social Work
Mental Health Issues
Behavioral Disorders
Compassion
Therapeutic Environment
Direct Supervision

Therapeutic Milieu
Patient Behavior
Admission Process
MHA
Discharge Planning
Community Resources
Mental Health
ADL
Patient Supervision
Psychiatric Disorders
Independent Living
First Aid Training
Developmental Disabilities
Crisis Situations
HIPAA

Blood Pressure
Client Behavior
Behavioral Issues
Group Therapy Sessions
Eating Disorders
Medication Administration
Patient Charts
Emotional Support
Chemotherapy
Medical Appointments
Provides Supervision
Mental Retardation
Mental Disabilities
Doctor Appointments
Treatment Programs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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