Mental health professional vs behavioral health specialist

The differences between mental health professionals 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 professional and a behavioral health specialist. Additionally, a mental health professional has an average salary of $49,119, which is higher than the $44,808 average annual salary of a behavioral health specialist.

The top three skills for a mental health professional include social work, patients and CPR. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.

Mental health professional vs behavioral health specialist overview

	Mental Health Professional	Behavioral Health Specialist
Yearly salary	$49,119	$44,808
Hourly rate	$23.61	$21.54
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	109,499	130,222
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

What does a mental health professional do?

The duties of a mental health professional will revolve around observing the behavior of patients. They are responsible for knowing their medical history, conducting consultations and assessments, diagnosing conditions, devising particular treatments and prescribing medication, and providing emotional support to patients. Furthermore, a mental health professional must coordinate with families and other mental health experts to monitor patients' behavior and develop care plans to help them in their road to recovery.

What does a behavioral health specialist do?

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 professional vs behavioral health specialist salary

Mental health professionals and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mental Health Professional	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average salary	$49,119	$44,808
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $70,000	Between $29,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Cupertino, CA	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Wellpath	Maxim Healthcare Group
Best paying industry	Finance	Insurance

Differences between mental health professional and behavioral health specialist education

There are a few differences between a mental health professional and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:

	Mental Health Professional	Behavioral Health Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Mental health professional vs behavioral health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between mental health professionals' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:

	Mental Health Professional	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 26.2% Female, 73.8%	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%

Differences between mental health professional and behavioral health specialist duties and responsibilities

Mental health professional example responsibilities.

Lead training for staff on specific counseling interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders.
Monitor and manage preventative behavior with 2-3 MHA'S team and carry out a constructive routine with patients.
Provide individual treatment using CBT, DBT and motivational interviewing techniques to detainees with mental health and/or behavioral concerns.
Develop curriculum for and facilitate mental health groups including DBT education.
Provide comprehensive, recovery orient mental health skill building and support to patients with psychiatric disorder, including co-occurring diagnosis
Work with children and families as a psycho-social rehabilitation provider and qualify medical health assistant.

Behavioral health specialist example responsibilities.

Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Complete training in CPR, self-defense, and mental health.
Monitor meals for residents suffering from eating disorders and provide compassion and encouragement when an individual are struggling with eating.
Work with kids who have special needs.
Ensure departments are in compliance with MSHA and OSHA regulations.
Provide daily and weekly detail reports on client and BHP interaction.

Mental health professional vs behavioral health specialist skills

Common mental health professional skills

Social Work, 20%
Patients, 19%
CPR, 7%
Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
Clinical Supervision, 5%
Clinical Documentation, 5%

Common behavioral health specialist skills

Patients, 16%
Social Work, 16%
Substance Abuse, 8%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Illness, 5%

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Mental Health Professional
Mental Health Professional vs Behavioral Health Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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