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The differences between mental health consultants and behavioral health specialists 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 consultant and a behavioral health specialist. Additionally, a mental health consultant has an average salary of $51,006, which is higher than the $44,808 average annual salary of a behavioral health specialist.
The top three skills for a mental health consultant include healthcare, substance abuse and patients. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.
| Mental Health Consultant | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,006 | $44,808 |
| Hourly rate | $24.52 | $21.54 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 127,233 | 130,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.
Mental health consultants and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Consultant | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $51,006 | $44,808 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $75,000 | Between $29,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Guidehouse | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | Government | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a mental health consultant and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Consultant | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health consultants' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:
| Mental Health Consultant | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% |
| 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% |