Mental health professional vs crisis counselor

The differences between mental health professionals and crisis counselors 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 crisis counselor. Additionally, a crisis counselor has an average salary of $51,142, which is higher than the $49,119 average annual salary of a mental health professional.

The top three skills for a mental health professional include social work, patients and CPR. The most important skills for a crisis counselor are social work, patients, and mental health crisis.

Mental health professional vs crisis counselor overview

	Mental Health Professional	Crisis Counselor
Yearly salary	$49,119	$51,142
Hourly rate	$23.61	$24.59
Growth rate	9%	12%
Number of jobs	109,499	76,255
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	45	41
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 crisis counselor do?

A crisis counselor is responsible for providing assistance and emotional support to clients under crises or mental health emergencies caused by stress, trauma, grief, and other factors. Most crisis counselors work at clinics or counseling centers, and there are instances where they can be at schools and organizations. Aside from diagnosing and providing specific treatments, a crisis counselor must also build rapport with clients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way, and serving as a positive influence in their journey to recovery.

Mental health professional vs crisis counselor salary

Mental health professionals and crisis counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mental Health Professional	Crisis Counselor
Average salary	$49,119	$51,142
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $70,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Cupertino, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	Wellpath	-
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between mental health professional and crisis counselor education

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

	Mental Health Professional	Crisis Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Mental health professional vs crisis counselor demographics

Here are the differences between mental health professionals' and crisis counselors' demographics:

	Mental Health Professional	Crisis Counselor
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 26.2% Female, 73.8%	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%
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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	15%	15%

Differences between mental health professional and crisis counselor 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.

Crisis counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Aid callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion.
Make patient referrals to outpatient medical clinics, community services, or rehabilitation facilities.

Mental health professional vs crisis counselor skills

Common mental health professional skills

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

Common crisis counselor skills

Social Work, 21%
Patients, 8%
Mental Health Crisis, 6%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Management, 4%
Suicide Prevention, 4%

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Mental Health Professional
Mental Health Professional vs Crisis Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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