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The differences between mental health consultants and mental 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 mental health specialist. Additionally, a mental health consultant has an average salary of $51,006, which is higher than the $47,321 average annual salary of a mental health specialist.
The top three skills for a mental health consultant include healthcare, substance abuse and patients. The most important skills for a mental health specialist are patients, social work, and rehabilitation.
| Mental Health Consultant | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,006 | $47,321 |
| Hourly rate | $24.52 | $22.75 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 127,233 | 131,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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.
A mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Mental health consultants and mental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Consultant | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $51,006 | $47,321 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $75,000 | Between $31,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Guidehouse | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a mental health consultant and a mental health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Consultant | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 mental health specialists' demographics:
| Mental Health Consultant | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% |
| 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% |